Dell Rhea Chicken Basket

Glorious neon sign, glorious vintage dining room, glorious chicken.

The Dell Rhea Chicken Basket is an OG Route 66 roadside stop, established in this location in 1946. The business itself began in the 1930’s in a gas station which was right next door to the current location. First the chicken was a side hustle to the gas, then the gas became a side hustle to the chicken! In fact, the gas station’s two car repair bays were turned in to a dining room, before the business outgrew the gas station and they built the current restaurant right next door.

Today the dining room, and adjoining bar remain largely untouched, with big windows looking out on to the highway, and chicken themed cottagecore decor throughout. It’s easy to image it in its heyday, when the restaurant also served as a Blue Bird Bus Stop, and the big windows looked out to a private airstrip on the other side of the highway.

In 1992 the Dell Rhea Chicken Basket was inducted into the Route 66 Hall of Fame, and a big white “66” monument now stands outside the restaurant. It iss also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

We stopped in for the highly recommended lunch buffet - so. many. options … including, of course, the famous Dell Rhea fried chicken. If the sun is over the yard arm, there is also a route 66 themed bar through a door from the restaurant. At least take a look in - it’s located right by the phone booth!!

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Mid-West USA - No. 7 -last visited October 2023