Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, Rock Hill

Lee Cummings, the founder of Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, learned the ropes from one of the country’s foremost poultry experts: his uncle, Colonel Harland Sanders. Together, he and the colonel opened more than 800 KFC stores selling fried chicken prepared in pressure cookers and battered with the duo’s famous blend of spices. It wasn’t until after his uncle sold KFC in 1962 that Lee began developing his own secret recipe, a development that would lead to the creation of the Lee’s Famous franchise in 1966.

Today, the franchise sells the fruits of his labor, Lee’s “Famous Recipe” chicken, plus buttermilk biscuits and housemade sides from locations in 14 states and four countries. Each piece of never-frozen chicken is hand-breaded and dipped into honey before being transferred to pressure cookers that crisp the exterior while maintaining a juicy interior. Though the original recipe remains untouched, Lee’s Famous has expanded its offerings over the years to include healthier oven-roasted and lava-charred options.