Fran’s Chicken Haven – Delivering the Best Fried Chicken in Town for Over 50 Years
By: Quezia Salgado
For most people when they think of fried chicken the first thing that comes to mind is Kentucky Fried Chicken. Not too long after Colonel Harland Sanders sold his first piece of chicken, Joe and Fran Gerace had a similar idea, but this time in Boca Raton, Florida. In 1964, the Geraces started what is now one of the oldest fried chicken restaurants in town, and its success is attributed to over 50 years of great food and great service.
After firmly establishing themselves and running the place for 38 years, Fran and Joe decided to retire and the restaurant has gone through a total of four owners since then. Current owners, Chris and Jake Stuart, are brothers who grew up in Boca and had always wanted to open a restaurant of their own. “I’ve been in the restaurant business for a long time as a bartender” said Chris, “ my brother Jacob was a food runner.” Their dad Mike Stuart owns a landscaping company and takes care of the lawn at the plaza where Fran’s Chicken Haven is located. After hearing that the previous owner wanted out, he told the boys this place had a lot of potential but needed to be put back on its feet. Mike used to work at the restaurant delivering bread back when Fran and Joe were the owners. He reminisces, “I don’t think there’s any other restaurant that’s older than this one and that is still in business. We got a letter from the city thanking us for keeping it open, even the neon sign on the front was grandfathered in by the city. You won’t see one like it anywhere else in town.”
Fran’s has not only remained in the same location but the secret recipe for the chicken is unchanged. After going through changes on the menu made by previous owners, who wanted to try their own way, the Stuarts have made sure to maintain Fran and Joe’s original recipe. Modifications have been made to the menu, however, with the addition of: fried Oreos and fried Twinkies for dessert, fried shrimp and clam strips, fried pickles, onion rings, and mushrooms. The goal is simplicity, “Our chicken comes in fresh, never frozen, and we try to keep the menu simple: fried chicken, fries, coleslaw and a roll. The regular chicken takes 15 minutes to fry and the tenders take seven,” explains Chris. One item on the menu is the currently trending Fried Chicken and Waffles, an odd combination that seems to gain popularity.
Maintaining the traditions of Fran’s Chicken was crucial to the Stuarts before reopening the restaurant, so Mike made sure to go speak to Fran and Joe and ask them what it was that got them up every morning for 38 years to run the place. Joe answered , “We stayed in business because if you take care of the community, the community will take care of you.” This concept of bringing the community together continues with the Stuarts’ involvement in several local organizations such as Propel, the Boca Elk’s Lodge, as well as FAU Basketball, Football, and Baseball.
Fran’s has become such an important part of the Boca community that even those who grew up here but moved away still come back for a piece of the famous chicken, like Karen Eaton Kelly. She explains, “ I started going to Fran’s back in the 60’s in elementary school with my mom. I always remember Fran looking so made up like a movie star and she was always very sweet to me. It was the best fried chicken we have ever had. As I grew up and got married I would still drive to Boca and pick it up for my husband.”
For Sheryl Schindler, coming to Fran’s was her birthday tradition, “it was the first meal we had when the family moved here in 71. For our birthdays, we could pick what we wanted for dinner. I always picked Fran’s…it is Frantastic!” Some locals describe going to Fran’s was not just about the chicken but about watching a performance of ‘The Fran Show.” Debbie Marshall recalls, “Fran was definitely the boss; she was always yelling at somebody. It was interesting to sit there (as a child) and just watch her as we waited for our food. She was demanding, but also knew what she was doing and delivered up the best chicken you would ever eat,”
With a myriad of satisfied customers and fried chicken lovers who keep coming back for more after 50 years, there is no doubt that Fran’s is at the top of the list for the best restaurants in town. With the Stuarts’ ownership and efforts to bring back the traditions so dear to fans of the restaurant, Fran’s Chicken Haven is here to stay.
Fran’s is located at 1925 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Hours of Operation: 11-8pm (Mon-Sat); 12-7pm (Sunday)
Take-out, Delivery, and Dine-in
