Church’s Chicken just won’t stop cookin’! The brand is now embarking on opening yet another Texas eatery, this time on the border of Houston’s Trinity/Houston Gardens and Kashmere Gardens neighborhoods. According to a recently filed permit with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the new Church’s Chicken is expected to open at 5725 Lockwood Dr.
The permit also says construction is planned to start at the beginning of 2027 and wrap up by the end of July next year. If permitting goes smoothly and the estimated $500,000 construction project stays on track, the new Church’s Chicken should open by summer 2027.
The property where the new Church’s Chicken will open is a standalone commercial lot, not part of a named shopping center. It has historically operated as a fast-food pad and gas station lot. In fact, the lot was previously home to a CEFCO convenience store and an older Church’s Chicken location.
Local Church’s Chicken franchisee group Best American Hospitality Corp. (BAH Texas, LP), a holding company owned and operated by entrepreneur David Davoudpour, is behind this opening. What Now Houston reached out to Davoudpour to find out more about the exciting new opening. Unfortunately, we did not hear back by the time of this publication.
“At Best American Hospitality®, we specialize in providing comprehensive restaurant management services for third-party clients,” the company’s website reads.
“Whether you’re a franchisor, a full-service restaurant, or a fast casual dining establishment, we tailor our services to meet your needs and ensure seamless operations.”
George W. Church Sr. founded Church’s Texas Chicken (known as Church’s Chicken in the U.S.) on April 10, 1952, in San Antonio, Texas. Church Sr. opened a small walk-up stand called “Church’s Fried Chicken-To-Go” at 111 S. Alamo Street, located directly across from the historic Alamo.
The original menu offered a simple, low-cost carryout option: two pieces of fried chicken and a biscuit for 49 cents. French fries and beloved jalapeños were introduced to the menu in 1955.
George Sr. passed away in 1956, and his son, George W. “Bill” Church Jr., took over the business and expanded the brand to focus on low-income urban neighborhoods where competition from other chains was limited. By 1968, the brand grew to more than 100 locations across seven states, becoming the first fast-food chain from Texas to expand nationally. It went public in 1969.
International expansion began in the 1970s with its first franchise opening in Vancouver, Canada, and later expanding into parts of Asia under the name Texas Chicken to avoid religious naming conflicts in non-Christian regions. In 1989, Al Copeland’s Popeyes acquired Church’s in a hostile leveraged buyout. Heavily indebted from the buyout, Popeyes faced bankruptcy, leading to the formation of America’s Favorite Chicken Company (AFC) in 1992, which moved the headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia.
Church’s later operated under various corporate owners, including Arcapita, Friedman Fleischer & Lowe, and Metropolitan Partners Group, before High Bluff Capital Partners acquired it. Despite these changes, the chain continues to grow.
Today, Church’s Chicken operates more than 1,500 locations worldwide, including 780 to 1,300 Church’s Chicken restaurants in the United States and locations in more than 20 countries. Texas has nearly 350 of those locations, with 30 to 65 in the broader Greater Houston metropolitan area.
“Flavor is at the heart of what we do,” the Church’s Chicken website reads.
“From our signature fried chicken to our classic sides, every bite is packed with the boldness of our Texas roots.”
Church’s Chicken offers classic Southern fried chicken (original or spicy), hand-battered tenders, bone-in and boneless wings, and scratch-made Honey-Butter Biscuits™. Popular items also include Baked Mac & Cheese, Fried Okra, Jalapeño Cheese Bombers®, and value options like the Real Deals menu starting at 2 for $4.
Try it all out for yourself when the new Church’s Chicken opens at 5725 Lockwood Dr. by summer 2027.
(This is a developing story. As more information is made available, we will update this article. Stay tuned!)
