Fry the Coop

Fry the Coop is a rapidly growing fried chicken sandwich chain based in Chicago. Founded in 2017 by Joe Fontana, the brand has expanded to 10 locations across Chicagoland with more than 200 employees. Known for their commitment to quality and consistency, Fry the Coop takes customer feedback seriously, which is exactly what led them to AyrKing.

Fry the Coop began receiving an uptick in complaints about dry chicken on nearly a daily basis. While many customers still enjoyed perfectly juicy fried chicken, the increased volume signaled a problem that couldn’t be ignored.

After considering “about 75 variables,” the Fry the Coop team narrowed the root cause to an increasingly inconsistent hand-marination process. As Fry the Coop scaled from one location to 10, their original prep method began showing cracks.

The labor-intensive task of hand-marinating created multiple issues for Fry the Coop:

• Inconsistent coverage: Cold chicken caused pieces to stick together, leaving sections completely unmarinated when separated.
• Time-intensive labor: Prep cooks spent significant time hand-mixing marinade.
• Quality variability: Despite best efforts, some pieces inevitably received inadequate marination, leading to dry chicken.

For a brand built on quality, this inconsistency was unacceptable.

Fontana discovered AyrKing at the National Restaurant Association Show in 2022. Intrigued by their vacuum marination technology, he visited AyrKing’s facility in Louisville to tour their operations and explore solutions.

The answer was AyrKing’s VM101120 Vacuum Marinator, which fundamentally transformed Fry the Coop’s marination process. The team switched from their dry brine approach to a wet brine process using the vacuum tumbler. This new approach both tenderizes chicken and ensures complete, even marination.

“It was my first time using a vacuum marinator,” said Fontana. “It’s super, super easy, just one button, turn-on, turn-off.”

The simplicity extended to training. With straightforward operation, new employees could quickly learn the equipment. “You can train a monkey to use it,” Fontana joked.

The impact was immediate and measurable. Since implementing AyrKing’s Vacuum Marinator, Fry the Coop has completely eliminated dry chicken complaints.

“We can now proudly say we are back to the best, juiciest, crunchiest chicken ever,” Fontana shared in a message to customers. “I honestly believe it’s even better than when we started!”

Beyond solving the dry chicken issue, the Vacuum Marinator delivered additional benefits:

• Marination consistency: Every piece of chicken receives equal marinade coverage, eliminating the spotty coverage that plagued hand-mixing. “We’ve figured out how to inject as much flavor into our product as possible,” said Fontana. “With every piece being completely marinated equally, it helps us be more consistent with our chicken.”
• Significant time savings: The automated process saves approximately one hour per day at each location, according to Fontana. Across 10 locations operating 360 days a year, that translates to 3,600 hours annually — equivalent to nearly two full-time employees.
• Enhanced flavor penetration: The vacuum marination process allows deeper marinade penetration, maximizing flavor in every bite.

Beyond the equipment itself, Fontana was impressed by AyrKing’s approach to customer relationships.

That personal touch has created a lasting partnership. “The best part of business is liking the people that you get to work with, and I can’t say enough good things about AyrKing, their company, their approach, their personal touch. It’s not just business with them. They put their heart and soul into it.”

AyrKing’s Vacuum Marinator is designed for consistent, efficient marination:

• Simple one-button operation for easy use and training
• Vacuum technology ensures complete marinade penetration
• Consistent results batch after batch, eliminating human variability
• Significant time savings compared to manual marination
• Durable construction built for high-volume commercial environments
• Easy to clean and maintain

For Fry the Coop, AyrKing’s Vacuum Marinator solved a critical quality issue while improving operational efficiency. The combination of consistent marination, time savings, and enhanced flavor has elevated their chicken to new heights.

Learn more about AyrKing’s Vacuum Marinator.