Owned by the Sawyer Marketing Group and operated by Shawn Ward, Coop's Hot Chicken opened in Montgomery County in November 2023.

“All of us have been in the restaurant industry our whole life, whereas for me, my earliest memory in the world is my grandparents' fried chicken,” Ward said. “So I have a long-standing history with fried chicken and this community.”

Staying local

Aside from his grandparents' fried chicken restaurant, Ward said his experience in the industry comes from years of working at The Cheesecake Factory, Jason's Deli and Chili’s in Montgomery County.

Ward said he, along with the Sawyer Marketing Group, decided to open a fried chicken fast-food restaurant because there weren’t any other hot chicken establishments in the area.
Shawn Ward, Coop's Hot Chicken General Manager holds two restaurant meals. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
Shawn Ward is the general manager of Coop's Hot Chicken. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
"It's nice to start something from the ground up and actually develop these recipes ourselves, and to really kind of play in that sandbox [and] be able to feed the people that you grew up with and around," he said


The restaurant name is a play on "chicken coop" and a tribute to one of the owners' sons, Ward said.

Though Coop's Hot Chicken is known for its fried hot or spicy chicken, Ward said the restaurant is expanding its menu to offer more traditional Southern chicken and grilled chicken options.
The Hot Chick ($12.99) loaded fries include Nashville hot chicken, queso, roasted corn, cotija, lime, cilantro and Coop's sauce. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
The Hot Chick ($12.99) loaded fries include Nashville hot chicken, queso, roasted corn, cotija, lime, cilantro and Coop's sauce. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
On the menu

Coop’s Hot Chicken offers four different spice levels made with in-house spice blends. Customers can select a spice level from “wimp” to “hella heat” for menu items featuring names that give each meal a personality, Ward said.

A couple popular menu items include the Lindsay Lohen, a “messy” sandwich made with a split top bun, two fried chicken tenders, dill pickles and Coop's sauce; and the Mother Cluckers made up of four Nashville hot chicken tenders, french fries, Coop’s sauce, pickles and toast.
Mother Cluckers ($14.99) includes four Nashville hot chicken tenders, french fries, Coop sauce, toast and pickles. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
Mother Cluckers ($14.99) includes four Nashville hot chicken tenders, french fries, Coop's sauce, toast and pickles. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
The restaurant offers dine-in options and to-go orders. Ward said Coop's Hot Chicken also offers a space for group gatherings and often holds spirit nights with local churches and schools.


In addition to expanding its menu, Ward said Coop’s Hot Chicken has plans to open a second location in Montgomery County next year.