With several years of fine dining work experience under his belt, Super Chicken owner Joseph Theis said he wanted to open a restaurant that offered a casual environment without sacrificing high-quality ingredients. “[Restaurant owners used to focus on] how we can make food easier, faster and cheaper,” Theis said. “I love a good burger as much as anybody, but with people paying more attention to what they’re eating, I feel like chicken is an easier place to differentiate yourself.” Theis opened the first Super Chicken location in the Greenspoint area in October 2011, and his Tomball location on Hwy. 249 will celebrate its first anniversary this October. The restaurant’s signature menu item—chicken tenders that range from $5.99 to $12.99—can be customized in a number of ways with several dipping sauces and sides to choose from. Super Chicken uses fresh, all-natural ingredients and produces all dishes in-house, Theis said. “Everybody has different tastes, [and] we really have the ability to get multiple flavors on the plate,” Theis said. “I think people can identify us as a place that has quality food and a variety of things.” Though chicken tenders are the most popular dish, Super Chicken’s menu also includes a selection of sandwiches and salads, such as the Greek salad and the Grilled Chicken Bacon Melt. With the option of a half or full portion for each of the restaurant’s salads and sandwiches, customers are able to choose the amount of food that is right for them, Theis said. Since opening the Tomball location, Theis said the restaurant has seen an increase in daily customers from 50 to 60 people to nearly 300 people a day. “The location has been a little slower to develop, but we’ve got good momentum. I have patience, and we are building a recognizable brand,” he said. Theis said he hopes to open a third location inside Loop 610 or near The Woodlands in the near future. For now, Theis said he plans to focus on producing high-quality food and increasing the level of service at his existing restaurants. “I have high expectations of myself, my businesses and my employees,” he said. “We should be after a super customer experience. The whole idea behind this is that we have food that I would want to eat or that I would feed my friends and family.” Super Chicken 24179 Hwy. 249, Tomball 281-370-2600 • www.super-chicken.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.