In the timeless words of Shakespeare, "What's in a name?" Naming a business is both an art and a science, blending creativity with strategic thinking. One must carefully think of something that's catchy and will stick for years to come. Oftentimes, it comes from a family name, a memory, or something unique to the establishment. When the name is well-chosen, it creates an instant connection.
In the late 1930s or early 1940s (no one knows the exact date), two local farm women approached Irv Kolarik, the owner of a small gas station on Route 66. These entrepreneurial ladies told Kolarik all about their incredible fried chicken recipe and recommended he serve it at his lunch counter — provided, of course, the chicken and eggs were purchased from their farm. Almost overnight the restaurant outgrew Kolarik’s little counter, first overtaking the two car-repair bays and eventually moving into a building next door as the steady highway traffic brought an endless supply of chicken-loving travelers. From there, the Chicken Basket was born. Dell Rhea took ownership of the Chicken Basket in 1963, and, together with his wife, Grace, they gave it new life as Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket.
Stepping into Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket is like stepping back in time. Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket and, its iconic, newly refurbished neon sign are recognized by the Illinois Scenic Byway Association and Route 66 Association. They are also included in the Route 66 Hall of Fame and were inducted into the National Register of Historic Places through the National Park Service. The Route 66 connection that has gained Rhea an international following. Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket has been featured on everything from the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives to Billy Connelly’s Route 66 to Chicago’s WGN, not to mention countless travel and history blogs.
80 years after the first fried chicken basket was served to cross-country travelers, the iconic U.S. highway, once again, brings road trippers from far and wide to Willowbrook, IL, in search of a piece of American history. That, and the best fried chicken around. And it’s that chicken, that original Route 66 recipe, that has set Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket apart for generations.
