Maryland Fried Chicken

The Difference is Delicious

There's no shortage of fried chicken in the world. Colonel Sanders' Kentucky Fried Chicken proved that the golden, crispy American staple could be successfully introduced to the previously hamburger-dominated fast food market. You could describe this period as the wild west of fast food fried chicken, as many wannabe competitors to KFC jumped into the fray. Some were armed only with a copycat recipe and a celebrity endorsement, whereas others tried to come up with their own gimmick to differentiate themselves and their food from the Colonel's secret recipe. Some of that competition managed to stick around, including what is probably KFC's primary competitor today - Popeyes. But many of those would-be competitors never truly made it, such as the infamous Minnie Pearl's Fried Chicken, as well as lesser-known entries like Eddie Arnold's Tennessee Fried Chicken, Chicken Unlimited, or Yogi Bear's Honey Fried Chicken. But there is one other one other early competitor to the Colonel that saw great success for a time, yet has largely been forgotten. It was the brain-child of Albert Constantine, an Italian-American who moved from his mid-Atlantic home down to Orlando to help with his family's newest restaurant. Constantine's Restaurant, as it was called, was a typical family diner at first, but it ended up being the starting point for a national chain of fried chicken take-out restaurants that showed great promise throughout the 60's. The restaurants were called "Maryland Fried Chicken" - a confusing choice, at a glance, for a chain founded in Florida by a man from Delaware serving chicken that was decidedly not prepared in the traditional Maryland fashion. In the late 60s, MFC was the fastest-growing fried chicken take-out chain in the US and projected having 2,500 units from coast to coast by 1977.

Fast forward to the 2000's. I lived not far from a highway intersection in Pennsylvania that had just about every fast food joint under the sun. On any evening, you could go to this same little stretch of road and eat at McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Subway, KFC, Long John Silver's, Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, or Arby's. Before McDonald's had moved into town, there was a Popeye's in that spot that a relative of mine worked at. At one point there was a Quiznos and a Checkers, neither of which lasted long. Arby's closed and then came back a few years later. And there was also Maryland Fried Chicken - one of two local locations. I have fond memories of eating their crispy chicken legs and opening up piping hot pints of mashed potatoes served in an unmarked styrofoam cup with a generous topping of yellow chicken gravy. But most Americans in the 2000's didn't get to share this experience with me, because the ambitious Maryland Fried Chicken, Incorporated of the 60s and 70's had never reached 2,500 units. It had never reached the west coast - and most of the places that it had reached, it had long-since disappeared from. 

My locally-loved MFC restaurant closed for good after a kitchen fire in 2011. The sister location the next town over closed 3 years later. And as far as I knew, it was the sad end of a small, beloved, local restaurant. I had no idea that it was ever part of something bigger than my home town - that folks in America once ate that same chicken in Denver, Austin, Chicago, Manhattan, New England, and practically every city and town in Florida & Georgia. The demise of my local MFC locations was not the end of a small, local chain. Rather it was the final extinction of an ill-fated 1960's-era national restaurant chain from the US northeast.

I later learned that there are still MFC restaurants out there. I could still go to one, if, that is, I wanted to travel to either Michigan or South Carolina. Not sure which is a shorter trip. By my count, there's about 30 restaurants doing business as Maryland Fried Chicken left, out of what the Orlando Sentinel claims was at least a 250-unit chain at one time. In a 2001 profile of Al Constantine by the Baltimore City Paper, it was said that he made millions before selling the franchise in 1975. That much might be true, but this story failed to address the one important question: what ever happened to Maryland Fried Chicken? 

The answer to that question is complex. It involves economic shifts, legal penalties, crooked investors, family drama, and even the founder of the chain turning against the company he started. Let's dive in:

History of Maryland Fried Chicken

Meet The Co(n)stantines

The story begins with two immigrants coming to Delaware from Italy. Alfonzo Constantine (alternatively called Alfonso or Alphonse depending on the source - true spelling unknown) and Rose (maiden name unknown) met after moving to America and later married. The pair had four sons: William "Bill" in 1920; Albert "Al" in 1921; Angelo "Angel" in 1923; and Richard "Dick" in 1927. Apparently, the family name was in fact Costantine - not Constantine - though everybody else seemed to mispronounce it as the latter. Some family members, namely Albert and Alfonzo, took a liking to the old Latin variant "Constantine" and adopted this name, while other members of the family stuck with the original Costantine spelling.

Rose Costantine

Alfonzo had a few business ventures that he tried in Delaware and supposedly in Maryland too, but the one which saw success and staying power ultimately was a diner he and Rose operated called The Dinner Bell in Wilmington, Delaware, which served a full menu with a focus on Italian food. Their kids grew up helping out by flipping burgers and so forth. But the boys grew up, got married, and had kids of their own. The family gradually all moved down to Orlando, Florida in the late 50s and 60s. Though there's some conflicting accounts, the generally-accepted story is that Albert was the first to make Orlando home. He spearheaded a restaurant of his own in Orlando, along with Dick and Angelo, called Constantine's Restaurant, which served all of the classic American diner fares. Their parents moved to Orlando as well, having sold off The Dinner Bell, and helped out. It was said that Rose was the mind behind the business aspects of the restaurant while the men of the family focused on the food. Bill was the last of the family to move down to Orlando in 1969, though he maintained little to no involvement in the restaurant business.

A Case of Pecker Envy

The brothers Constantine took notice in 1960 of an early Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise in Orlando. Colonel Sanders had a line out the door of eager customers, so the boys got in line to see what the fuss was about. Al Constantine later recalled in a 2001 interview with the Baltimore City Paper, "I figured I could do business like that too." Upon returning to his work at the family restaurant, Al began experimenting with fried chicken. He devised a secret formula of 21 herbs and spices for the chicken breading. Meanwhile, he took advantage of the then-recent culinary invention known as the broaster - an appliance which combines frying and pressure cooking. The final piece of the puzzle was using nothing but pure peanut oil as the frying oil. The result, Al raved, was crispy, delicious, and not greasy at all. "It was the best chicken in the world," he declared.

Al Constantine, inventor of the original MFC secret recipe, later in life. He always seemed to be smiling.

While working on his recipe, Al handed out free samples to patrons at Constantine's Restaurant. Dick Costantine later recalled that they didn't need to give out free samples for long, because it was an instant hit that people were happy to pay for. According to him, it was their father Alfonzo who came up with the name "Maryland Fried Chicken" (Though Albert later claimed credit for the name). Dick offered simply that it sounded better than Delaware Fried Chicken - though there seems to have been a deeper reason than that. The Glenn L. Martin Company (a precursor to today's Lockheed Martin) opened a new aerospace manufacturing plant in the Orlando area around the same time that Constantine's Restaurant opened. Glenn L. Martin operated what was once the world's largest aircraft manufacturing plant near Baltimore, and a significant number of employees moved to Orlando to take advantage of opportunities opening up at Martin's new Orlando facility. These same employees frequented the nearby Constantine's Restaurant and adored Al's fried chicken recipe. Thus, the Maryland Fried Chicken name was assigned specifically to excite these customers. You could argue that Al Constantine had one final secret ingredient: showmanship. He installed a 35-foot tall sign with a distinctive shape emblazoned with the words "Maryland Fried Chicken" in front of Constantine's Restaurant in 1961, advertising their newest and most sensational menu item.

Al Constantine and W. H. Truesdell opened a new restaurant later in 1961

Albert Constantine found a business partner named W. H. Truesdell, with whom he filed a Florida trademark application for "Maryland Fried Chicken" in February of 1961. The pair subsequently opened a brand new restaurant nearby on Wednesday, October 4th, 1961, at the corner of Spartan Drive and Highway 17-92 in Fern Park. This restaurant would be the first ever to operate solely under the name "Maryland Fried Chicken," serving only chicken, fish, and shrimp, with assorted sides - leaving behind the larger menu of Constantine's Restaurant. Over the next two years, the successful enterprise opened a number of additional locations around Orlando and indeed further flung locations in Florida, but it remained a closely-held family business. Dick Costantine recalled in a 1970 interview that the family did everything by themselves without lawyers or certified public accountants for the first five years, and "made a lot of mistakes but ... got the job done."

Maryland Fried Chicken, Incorporated

On February 15th, 1963, a Florida corporation called Maryland Fried Chicken, Inc. was formed to operate the growing franchise. Despite the lack of legal structure from the preceding years, the new company lawyered up and hired no shortage of public accountants. According to reporting from the time, Al Constantine was President, Angel was Vice President, and Dick was Treasurer of this corporation, while their parents also served on the Board of Directors. They partnered with Artcraft Neon Sign Co. to produce the iconic 30-foot MFC signs that became the company's calling card. MFC continued a steady expansion, with 2 restaurants opening per month by the start of 1967. That year, they planned to increase the rate to 4 restaurants per month, and then to further increase it to 6-8 restaurants per month for the year 1968. All told, 4 Constantine-owned restaurants and 51 additional franchised units were in operation by October of 1967. All were located in the state of Florida at the time, but negotiations were well underway for deals to expand in neighboring states. In fact, Al Constantine announced in 1967 the completion of a market feasibility study across numerous European nations and called for international expansion.

The path to expanding beyond Florida's borders came in in the form of businessman J. R. Miller, the founder of First Macon Corporation of Macon, Georgia. Miller was described by The Macon News as "one of a dying breed of businessmen who had rather drive a hard bargain [than] a golf ball." He had previously founded Cherokee Credit Life Insurance, and in December of 1967 Miller approached Constantine with an offer to help expand MFC. That month, First Macon purchased national franchising rights to Maryland Fried Chicken. In doing so, Miller established a new company called Maryland Fried Chicken of America, Inc. as a subsidiary of his First Macon Corporation. 

J.R. Miller, left, hands a check for $100,000 to Albert Constantine, right. Middle is H. Edward Wolf, the franchising director of Al Constantine's Maryland Fried Chicken, Inc. As part of the deal, Wolf also became an Executive Vice President of Miller's Maryland Fried Chicken of America, Inc. 

The details of the deal involved MFC of America paying $100,000 to Al Constantine's Maryland Fried Chicken, Inc. Both companies would continue to operate simultaneously - with Al Constantine's MFC, Inc. continuing to manage the existing 55 family-owned and franchised units in Florida while virtually all expansion into new states would be handled by Miller's MFC of America company. Immediately upon signing, MFC of America made a "firm commitment" for at least 500 Maryland Fried Chicken restaurants within 5 years, and as many as 2,500 within a decade.

Meanwhile, shortly before the MFC of America deal was closed, another related company was formed. National Restaurant Supply, Inc. (NRS), was established in 1967 to handle the distribution of branded packaging and supplies, including the secret recipe breading mix, to the expanding fleet of MFC restaurants. This operation was spearheaded by Angel, who acted as President and Treasurer of NRS while Dick served as Vice President and Secretary.

Maryland Fried Chicken of America got straight to work. They started with a "model store" in their hometown of Macon, Georgia - the first of 7 stores planned to serve the greater area of Macon. They established a state-of-the-art national headquarters complete with new computers, executive staff, national sales team, supply commissary, and even a franchise training college. By the end of 1967, the first MFC restaurants outside of Florida had opened for business in Alabama, Georgia, and Michigan, with others under construction or in the planning phase in Tennessee and North Carolina. MFC of America had sold franchises in 12 states within their first year of operation. They additionally sold one million shares of common stock to investors to fund the expansion, and later increased this number to five million shares. In 1968, they introduced a distinctive new building design that became the standard for new franchises built in 1968-1969, during which time a great many restaurants opened. 

Outside the Constantine family, no single person was more crucial to Maryland Fried Chicken than J. R. Miller.

By early 1969, a trio of sports figures became major franchise holders across the south. Florida lawyer and pro golfer Dan Sikes proclaimed himself to be the "Chicken Baron" of Florida, with a plan to open at least 50 "Dan Sikes Maryland Fried Chicken" outlets statewide. University of Alabama football coach "Bear" Bryant had the same arrangement in Alabama, and Louisiana State University basketball coach "Press" Maravich signed up in Louisiana as well. Together, they were apparently among the largest MFC franchisees in the south, with as many as two dozen stores collectively by mid-1969. In February of 1969, MFC of America claimed that Maryland Fried Chicken was both the fastest-growing and third-largest fried chicken take-out chain in the nation (behind KFC and either Chicken Delight or Chicken Unlimited, from what I can gather). As of April 9th, 1969, MFC of America had 28 restaurants operating with 18 more under construction and 11 additional leases ready for construction contracts. Meanwhile, Al Constantine and his Maryland Fried Chicken, Inc. were independently expanding as well, with more restaurants opening in Florida, as well as Louisiana and even the chain's first (and perhaps only) international locations in the Bahamas. 

By December of 1969, the two companies were in talks to merge their operations. At that time, Al Constantine's MFC, Inc. operated 67 restaurants while J. R. Miller's MFC of America operated 49. The combined company would have 116 units in operation with a further 134 franchises yet to be built, covering a 16 state area. In February of 1970, Miller and Constantine jointly announced that the merger had been completed. Involved in the merger was a $1.3 million payment from Miller's First Macon Corporation, which would own 40-50% (sources disagree) of stock in the new company, with the rest being owned wholly by Al Constantine, but with the intent to offer public stock in the future. The newly combined company was called Maryland Fried Chicken, Inc. and was incorporated in the state of Delaware, with executive offices remaining in Macon. Notable executives in the new company included J. R. Miller as Chairman; Al Constantine as President and director; Angelo Costantine, Vice President and director; and Rose Costantine, Vice President and director. 

When Chickens Come Home to Roost

The company began reaching into new markets after the merger. It offered franchises across New England for the first time in 1970, and new restaurants in these states as well as in New York, the midwest, and even the core southern territory continued cropping up. Negotiations were underway for locations to open in the United Kingdom and other select European nations. Though even then, no restaurants had yet been planned for the chain's namesake state nor Delaware, the Constantine family's original home. The store count grew to 160 by February of 1971 with plenty more in the works. However, even at this early point, the newest iteration of Maryland Fried Chicken, Inc. was beginning to show serious signs of decline. The Constantines, who had been the bedrock of support for the chain since its founding, were in a great deal of strife. Dick Costantine was notably never offered any executive position at the company after the merger occurred - and this is just one of a few pieces of evidence that the relationship between the brothers was growing chilly. Albert found himself in further personal strain as his marriage with Mariann ended in divorce in 1971. By the end of that same year, he had a total falling-out with the very company he had begun, and resigned as President of MFC, Inc. and sold his stake in it - but not before transferring the ownership of the original Constantine's Restaurant and his federal trademark registration for Maryland Fried Chicken back to his own personal ownership. He later claimed that MFC, Inc. had changed the chicken breading recipe after he left the company.

Meanwhile, J. R. Miller's company was beginning to get dragged down by Maryland Fried Chicken. First Macon Corp reported a net operating loss for the year 1971. Beginning around this same time, a veritable bloodbath of MFC store closings began, particularly in the south. By the end of 1972, it appears that Maryland Fried Chicken had gone extinct in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The reasons for the mass extinction in these particular areas are not entirely clear. Inexperienced franchisees maybe? Regardless, the company's store count plummeted all the way down to 102 locations by December of 1972. At that time, the new President of MFC, Inc., Alan C. Parker, announced at that time that the company was now operating at a profit. Indeed, First Macon Corp was narrowly profitable again in the year 1972. But it might've been too late to convince J. R. Miller to maintain his sizable investment in the struggling restaurant chain. In 1973, First Macon had changed its name to CNL Financial Corporation, to associate itself more closely with its flagship subsidiary, Cherokee National Life Insurance. This suggests that J. R. Miller may have cut ties with the franchise. 

Attorney James F. Mairs, right, purchased a large ownership stake in MFC, Inc. in 1974. He was later arrested on 9 charges of grand larceny.

With both Constantine and Miller out of the picture, the company was left to the mercy of whatever investors were left. And with the US economy entering a rough recession from 1973-1975, there couldn't have been a worse time for MFC to be vulnerable. Interest rates were hiked, and businesses leveraged with substantial debt - as MFC was - paid the price. In 1974,  Florida attorney James F. Mairs and John Davies entered a partnership to buy a whopping 1/3 interest in Maryland Fried Chicken, Inc.. Parker, Mairs, and Davies had all taken out substantial bank loans in order to buy their large stock holdings in Maryland Fried Chicken, and those loans went unpaid. Mairs in particular was accused of egregious financial mishandling. He had been under investigation by the Florida Bar association, and was put on trial for nine counts of grand larceny in 1975, standing accused of theft of $500,000 from a trust fund. Though Mairs was ultimately acquitted, he lost his right to practice law, and his reign at MFC was marked by seemingly nonstop lawsuits against the company for nonpayment of loans. All of this chaos suggested what must've been unthinkable just a few years prior: Maryland Fried Chicken was dying. Dick Costantine later testified that the company went bankrupt in the late 1970's; what is certain is that Maryland Fried Chicken, Inc. of Delaware formally dissolved in 1979, forever ending MFC as a unified chain. 

Though I've never been able to find a definitive, 'smoking-gun' news article discussing the bankruptcy that ultimately ushered MFC, Inc. into the grave, we can probably learn a thing or two from one of MFC's biggest competitors. Chicken Unlimited was another rising star in the industry during this time period that has tragically gone just about forgotten. It went bankrupt around the same time, too - in March of 1976. Chicken Unlimited had taken out loans to purchase land and develop restaurants when the market was hot, and then began losing money when the recession began. Higher interest rates, inflation, and lower consumer spending made these loans untenable. The price per pound the company was paying for chicken spiked from 35 cents in August 1972 up to 85 cents one year later. Chicken Unlimited had been losing money month after month, year after year until well into 1978, over 2 years after it entered bankruptcy protection. As Maryland Fried Chicken also helped finance the construction of its own franchised stores, it likely found itself in the exact same boat.

The grand irony of Chicken Unlimited is that it was saved and successfully exited bankruptcy protection in 1980, while Maryland Fried Chicken was not so lucky and dissolved in '79. Despite this, 29 MFCs can still be found across 4 states, while no Chicken Unlimiteds still exist. CU got kicked out of its home base of Chicago in the 80s, and survived with just a handful of stores in Florida, Wisconsin, and the Caribbean island of Trinidad into the 90s. This pictured Chicken Unlimited was the last known location in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, which closed in 2011 after operating continuously since 1967.

In a world without Maryland Fried Chicken, Incorporated, the individual franchisees found themselves alone in the world without any corporate backing, and many of them simply threw in the towel. Scores of MFC franchisees either sold to new owners, liquidated their restaurants, or moved on to new business ventures altogether. But others still decided to hang in there and keep working hard to make a success out of the restaurants that, in many cases, they had invested their heart and soul (and not to mention cold hard cash) into. In May of 1980, Harley Bowers of The Macon News wrote about one such survivor - football star Theron Sapp, who invested in three MFC franchises in Augusta, Georgia in 1969. Two of those stores did indeed close, but he made a success out of his final location. He recalled, "At first it was tough. I almost went under a few times. But I was determined to make it work. It was the only thing I had going. Everything I had was tied up in the business. I worked like the devil and I finally got it going. Right now it is one of the better Maryland Fried Chicken stores left." Bowers went on to note that "not all that many [MFC locations] remain." But because of the persistence of franchisees like Theron Sapp, a number of MFC restaurants remain to this day - including Sapp's own store on Broad Street in Augusta. And, believe it or not, new locations have continued to open long after the collapse of MFC, Inc.

And What Became of Them Afterwards?

But what did happen to our cast of characters after the collapse of Maryland Fried Chicken, Inc.?

Although J. R. Miller once thought of owning a diversified holding company including Maryland Fried Chicken, Briggs Construction Company, and Cherokee National Life Insurance, he eventually left his other ventures behind and focused just on Cherokee National Life. After his company incurred a net loss in 1971, it began posting increasing profits going forward, especially after it cut ties with MFC. Miller passed away on March 24th 1993. 

For a man who studied the law, James F. Mairs was very often in the courtroom for all the wrong reasons. His name just keeps popping up in newspapers relating to lawsuits against him. Mairs' alleged business improprieties were probably not a major factor in the downfall of MFC compared to the state of the economy and the chain's debts, but I think it's safe to say that he did little to help the brand navigate those difficult times. Still, it seems like it may not have ended well for him, either. The disgraced former attorney and part-owner of a national restaurant chain apparently had to resort to operating a coin laundry in the 80s - and that, too, faced a sheriff's sale as the result of a lost lawsuit. 

Angelo Costantine continued to act as President of National Restaurant Supply (a company for which his brother Dick Costantine also worked as an executive), distributing packaging as well as the company's proprietary breading mix and coleslaw dressing to the Maryland Fried Chicken restaurants until 1975, when his company got replaced. A new entity called CFM Distributors (a company whose name amusingly means nothing and is merely the reverse of MFC) took over this role from National Restaurant Supply with a distribution contract dated as May 29th 1975. It's not known exactly what circumstances led to NRS dissolving; maybe the loss of business due to a declining number of MFC restaurants destroyed NRS, or maybe MFC, Inc. decided, for one reason or another, to award the distribution contract to a different company. Whatever the case, it didn't seem to end well for poor Angelo, who filed for personal bankruptcy in 1979. He passed away July 10th, 2002.

Albert Constantine tried to return to Constantine's Restaurant after quitting Mayland Fried Chicken, Inc. in 1971, but may have been in dispute with his brother, Dick, about the ownership of that as well. This is because a business called "Maryland Fried Chicken of S.O.B.T." (South Orange Blossom Trail, i.e. the location of Constantine's Restaurant) had been incorporated by Dick's wife, Terri, and two of their children, Bob and Michael, since 1967. Whatever the case may be, Constantine's Restaurant closed up shop in late 1977 or early 1978. Al Constantine, having lost control of both Maryland Fried Chicken and Constantine's Restaurant, then started a new restaurant in 1979 called Mr. C's Southern Fried Chicken, in a unit that had previously housed a MFC franchise. He used his same original chicken recipe at Mr. C's that he claimed MFC, Inc. had abandoned. His intention was to start a new chain and open additional restaurants starting in central Florida, but I can't find any evidence that any more locations ever opened. One has to wonder just how much of his MFC fortune remained at this point after going to the trouble of trying to start over again. Despite trying his damnedest, and getting so close he could almost taste it, Al Constantine never got to bring his chicken recipe to every American table. He sold Mr. C's in 1987, and retired. After that, he spent his time "dancing with pretty ladies" and travelling, in his own words. As for Mr. C's Southern Fried Chicken - just a year after selling it, the restaurant closed for good after the new owner was violently killed in a gruesome armed robbery.

The bottom half of that sign looks mighty familiar, Al.

But Albert was never totally done with the Maryland Fried Chicken business. In 1995, he seemingly picked a successor when he transferred his federal trademark registration to Edith Swain, the owner of a MFC franchise in Waycross, Georgia. Swain went on to register a trademark for "The Original Maryland Fried Chicken," which is what her MFC restaurant has been called ever since, and "Al's Original Maryland Fried Chicken." But the truth was that Al didn't have much of value leftover from his lost franchise to offer Edith Swain. In a later lawsuit between Swain and CFM Distributors relating to the use of the trademark, the court seemingly determined that Swain did not in fact have any rights to the trademark. Three years later, the US Patent and Trademark Office issued a cancellation of the trademark altogether. But why did Al attempt to give his trademark to Swain to begin with? Maybe he truly believed that she had the integrity and vision to carry on Maryland Fried Chicken the way he had intended for it to be run. Or maybe, as his nephew Michael once theorized, Al sometimes "tried to make a quick buck."

In 2001, the MFC founder had received attention the likes of which he hadn't seen in 30 years when the Baltimore City Paper interviewed him as part of an article titled "Bird Is The Word" about fried chicken. Al told an abridged version of the MFC story to them, shining a little light on the nearly-forgotten glory days of the chain while omitting all the heartache of how it ended. Commenting on the state of the chain in the 21st century, Al said that the remaining stores deal in the nostalgic ideal of sun-bathed picnics and family farms, concluding "I hear it's a good way of life. I guess for a lot of people, the chicken represents that."

Al interfered in the business one last time in 2005, when he blessed his nephew Bob Costantine to start a modern-day franchise of MFC stores in Florida called "Original Maryland Fried Chicken" (Not to be confused with Edith Swain's "The Original Maryland Fried Chicken" in Georgia). It was that year that Bob opened his own OMFC restaurant in a strip mall on Orange Blossom Trail - the very same road that Constantine's Restaurant once operated on. I've found 5 locations that once did business as Original Maryland Fried Chicken, but 3 have closed, leaving just Bob's location and one other that is operated by his brothers Tony & Michael.

Al's original secret recipe may now be totally lost to history. Most (but not all) MFC restaurants today get their chicken breading supplied through CFM Distributors, a company that has worked with MFC since 1975 but also sells the same breading mix to their other customers - and Al himself said that the recipe had changed after he stepped down as MFC chairman in '71. Just how similar or different is the modern "CFM Special Breading" from Al's original recipe? Even the modern-day Constantines may not know for sure. Even the number of herbs and spices in the recipe isn't clear, with modern sources saying Al had a mix of 21 herbs and spices, whereas some news pieces from the 60s said it was 19 herbs and spices. There's so much confusion surrounding Al's delicious "Maryland Fried Chicken" recipe from 1961 that it's hard to say where, if anywhere at all, you could get a taste of it today.

Dick Costantine lost his executive position at Angelo's National Restaurant Supply, Inc. when it folded around 1975. He then bought an already existing MFC franchise in Leesburg, Florida, and renovated it to be larger in the 1979-1980 timeframe. He operated that restaurant for almost 30 years before deciding that he wanted more. In 2008, he made a bold move by filing a trademark application for certain imagery associated with the MFC brand, in an apparent attempt to claim ownership of whatever was left of the fallen MFC empire.

Dick Costantine in 2008 attempted to trademark 60's-era imagery related to Maryland Fried Chicken

This spilled over into a legal battle when the applications Dick filed were opposed by CFM Distributors as well as Original Maryland Fried Chicken, LLC, which was founded by none other than Dick's own estranged son, Bob Costantine. Both CFM and OMFC had a clear interest in being able to continue freely using the imagery that Dick was trying to trademark, whereas if Dick got his way, any business still using the MFC imagery would have to pay a royalty to him. Dick showed little love for his older brother during this legal conflict; on the topic of Al's endorsement of Bob's business, Dick commented that Al was "not of sound mind" and had "not been involved in the business for well over twenty years and has no rights in the [trademark]." Dick passed away unexpectedly shortly after filing the trademark application, and his wife Terri took over the case in his name. Albert himself passed away due to heart failure in 2009 at the age of 87, with the case still ongoing. 

Dick had attempted to establish that he had used the trademark continuously since 1961, but there was no documentation that, in between the early years at Constantine's Restaurant and his acquisition of the Leesburg restaurant in 1979, Dick had any position that would give him rights to the trademark; he couldn't prove that he owned any restaurants, held any executive positions at MFC, Inc., or held any substantial ownership stake in the company. A few years after the trademarks were filed, the judges ruled against Dick & Terri. The following is an excerpt from the judgement:

Through conscious acts of commission taken by various family members, any property rights that existed in the 1960s appear to have been totally splintered... whatever the designs of Albert Constantine in the early 1960s, the current confusing state of affairs seems to have been accepted by most of the actors, and no one rocks the boat until such point as one party makes a play for exclusivity that threatens the other players. The litigation surrounding these applications seems to have been such an event. Unfortunately, we see no reason to think the pieces of this would-be franchise can ever be put back together. These parties have lost their trademark rights against the world, and thus against each other.

As far as the trademark office is concerned, the above images do not belong to Dick Costantine.

In short, this ruling acknowledges and preserves the status-quo of the chain, which is to say that no one entity owns the exclusive right to MFC's iconography.

Meanwhile, the next generation of Constantines today have, in many cases, kept the family tradition alive. Angelo's son Dannie Costantine continues to operate Maryland Fried Chicken of Union Park, Florida. Dick's kids Michael and Tony Costantine now operate the Leesburg, Florida Original Maryland Fried Chicken restaurant after their parents' passing. Dick's other son, Bob Costantine, had a poor relationship with his father but became the heir-apparent to Albert's legacy. He operates Original Maryland Fried Chicken in Apopka, Florida. Albert's own son, Lee Constantine, recalled working his first job at Constantine's Restaurant fondly but never owned an MFC restaurant of his own. Instead, he briefly served in local politics.

Identifying MFC Restaurants

Anyways, I went ahead and tracked down every current and former location that I could. Very useful in this venture is a vintage poster from Constantine's Restaurant that I believe to be from the very beginning of 1972, which offered a comprehensive list of the then 101 MFC locations. But many more closed before then and, indeed, many more opened after that point. Unfortunately, newspaper archives can have spotty coverage, but I did what I could. Images are all used under under Fair Use for the purpose of commentary & education.

Rhode Island

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Johnston, RI (Early 1970s-???)

A poster originally from Constantine's Restaurant that now resides at the Leesburg, Florida MFC location contains a store list that includes Johnston, Rhode Island. I can't find any address.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Warwick, RI (Mid 1970s-???)

A blog post about lost Rhode island eateries lists just one Maryland Fried Chicken location near the former Midland Mall in Warwick. Again, no address.

Connecticut

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 311 Green Rd., Manchester, CT (1970-Mid 1970s)

Maryland Fried Chicken franchises were first offered in New England in 1970, with an asking investment of $23,500 from the prospective franchisee, along with $7,000 in financing from MFC corporate. The first MFC in Connecticut opened in late 1970 in Manchester. In December that year, a zoning law changed that technically meant MFC was not allowed to do business at the small strip mall on Green Road. They asked for a zoning variance in January 1971 to continue doing business, but I'm not sure how that went for them. They seem to have been open into 1972 at least.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 789 Pine St., Forestville, CT (1971-Mid 1980s)

Open by 1971, this MFC was located at Pine Plaza, across from the Bristol Lincoln-Mercury car dealership. In the months after opening, this location expanded its hours to stay open till 3AM on Friday and Saturday nights, so it must've been good business for a while. The store stayed open till at least 1983. Unfortunately the Pine Plaza has been totally redeveloped and renamed, and that car dealership has been gone for just as long as the restaurant itself. So I only know approximately where this MFC was located, and don't have much to show for it.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 470 Slater Rd., New Britain, CT (1971-Late 1970s)

Open by 1971, this MFC was located in the Stanley Plaza next to Bradlees discount store. It remained open till at least 1978. Stanley Plaza was totally bulldozed in the early 90s and replaced with one massive resource center for Webster Bank. 

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1733 Storrs Rd., Storrs, CT (1972-Late 1970s)

Open by 1972, this MFC was located at the Holiday Mall in Storrs, which is a small outdoor shopping mall that is still in operation to this day, somewhat surprisingly. The restaurant was owned by Rocco Petrozza prior to his retirement. Petrozza passed away in 1992 at age 71.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Boston Post Rd., Westbrook, CT (1972-Late 1970s)

Info is sparse, but this location was open by 1972 and lasted at least into 1975.

New York

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 78 Saratoga Avenue, South Glens Falls, NY (1974-1979)

A Maryland Fried Chicken in South Glens Falls celebrated its grand opening in 1974 on Tuesday, September 17th and Wednesday, September 18th. It offered buy one, get one half off on chicken dinners with no limit as a promotion, along with free gift eggs and balloons. The town board had to approve a permit for the 30-foot-tall Maryland Fried Chicken sign to be constructed next to Saint Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church (of all places) for the new restaurant. Peggy and Frank Williams owned this MFC, but they ended up closing it down in 1979 and starting a different chicken shop called Prime Wing elsewhere on Saratoga Avenue. The Williams went bankrupt the following year and their brand new restaurant faced court-ordered liquidation. Today, the address for the MFC takes you to a shed, but I believe the restaurant was in fact a since-demolished building in the same parking lot.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 383 Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn, NY (Mid 1970s-Mid 1980s)

This was once a Maryland Fried Chicken - and the only reason I know about it is because it got cited for a health code violation in 1983, showing up on a list of cited NYC restaurants published by the New York Times and Newsday that year. Today, it is the Mega Nail Spa.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Broadway, Manhattan, NY (???)

In a 2001 news story by the Baltimore City Paper about Maryland's tradition of fried chicken, they made mention of Al Constantine and contended that perhaps nobody had done more to bring Maryland Fried Chicken to prominence than him. A public-relations executive named Bill Reihl recounted to the City Paper a time in which he lived on Long Island and came across a restaurant called "Maryland Fried Chicken" while walking on Broadway on the Upper West Side, saying that the chicken was very good.

New Jersey

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Glassboro, NJ (???)

A MFC was listed open in Glassboro NJ in 1972, but that's all I know about it.

Pennsylvania

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2158 Stefko Blvd., Bethlehem, PA (1968-2011)

Tom Workman of Wilson, PA - a former worker at the local Dixie Cup factory - opened the Bethlehem, PA MFC restaurant in 1968. He later opened locations in Easton PA, Allentown PA, and Winter Haven FL. The Bethlehem and Easton stores remained open into the 2000s, long after the chain had become virtually extinct in the north. In 2008, at age 80, Workman sold the two restaurants to Paul Matula, who had started as a short order cook at the Easton restaurant in the 70's and whom Workman considered to be family. Workman passed away in 2011, and that very same year, a kitchen fire forced the Bethlehem MFC to close. Despite a stated desire to reopen, this never occurred.

Here's a closer look at the front. Most of the sign inserts look like original pieces, but the chicken signs on the front of the building look like high-quality reproductions. These pictures were taken in 2011 just after the fire, and you can see kitchen equipment out in the dining area through the windows. A banner still advertises a Sunday Dinner deal. The building is now a very low-end convenience store that sells cigarettes, vapes, disposable phones, and lotto tickets. At least, though, the store still looks like a Maryland Fried Chicken, and I can still drive past and think about a place I used to go.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2469 Nazareth Rd., Easton, PA (Mid 1970s-2014)

Tom Workman of Wilson, PA opened the Easton MFC by 1975, on the heels of his successful debut in Bethlehem in 1968. Workman sold the restaurant to longtime employee Paul Matula in 2008. On January 12th, 2014, Maryland Fried Chicken of Easton's Facebook page announced that it would be the restaurant's final day of operation, and thanked patrons for "45 wonderful years." Matula did not wish to comment on the closure of the longtime Lehigh Valley staple eatery when reached out to by the local newspaper. It was the last MFC restaurant in the northeast. The site is now a Wing Stop.

You can still see the "Maryland" etched into the building.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Allentown, PA (Mid 1970s-???)

News sources report that Tom Workman of Wilson PA opened a MFC restaurant in Allentown at some point following his 1968 opening of the Bethlehem, PA location. However, I cannot find a source listing an address or closing date.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1310 Blue Valley Dr., Pen Argyl, PA (???-2008)

A more modern-day MFC operated in a multi-unit building in Pen Argyl, just outside of Bangor, PA for some time. It looks like it closed up shop in 2008.

Michigan

Timmer's Maryland Fried Chicken - 632 N Cedar St., Imlay City, MI (???-present)

The last operating Maryland Fried Chicken north of the Mason-Dixon is in Imlay City, Michigan. Signage references the store as "Timmer's" Maryland Fried Chicken, likely a reference to the original franchisee's name. Please read the following excellent blog post for more information and pictures from this restaurant: http://www.brokenchains.blog/2018/10/maryland-is-state-of-mind.html

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Marlette, MI (???-Mid 1990s)

A MFC in Marlette reportedly got robbed in 1994.

† Arnold's Maryland Fried Chicken - 557 S. Main St., Lapeer, MI (1967-1987)

Arnold's MFC in Lapeer, as seen on a postcard. It later became Hoyt's MFC in the 70s. I believe this location opened in '67, making it ones of the earliest locations outside of Florida. The last incorporation at this location dissolved in 1987, and the building looks like it got demolished in the early 2000's. A Walgreens covers the spot now.

Illinois

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 13033 W 143rd St., Lockport, IL (1981-1982)

An ill-fated Maryland Fried Chicken opened for business in June 1981, at a freestanding location in a new shopping center called the Old Oak Town Center (today known as Orland Oak Shopping Center). The restaurant was owned by local franchisees Carol and Jerry Reeder, who also owned at least one other MFC franchise in the area. However, a chemical treatment used in the exposed wooden beams in the restaurant interior left a persistent insecticide-like odor that left the structure unsuitable for use as a restaurant. The Reeders shut the restaurant down after just six months in business in January of 1982 and unsuccessfully sued the shopping center in an attempt to recover losses. This cigar shop inhabits the structure where the short-lived MFC had once been.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Rt. 53 & Greenwood Ave., Romeoville, IL (Early 1970s-Late 1980s)

A peculiar adaptation of the original sign at Danny Boy's restaurant - formerly Reeder's Maryland Fried Chicken, owned by Carol & Jerry Reeder. The MFC was open by 1972 and till at least 1985. Danny Boy's got demolished in 2008 and is now a vacant lot.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 320 W Maple St., New Lenox, IL (Mid 1970s-???)

Built by local developer Bill Bolker. You can tell that this building used to have one of the MFC signs due to the two I-beam supports for the sign which get narrower at the top, just beneath where the actual sign is. All the old-school MFC signs had these style posts holding them up. A Facebook user named Robert commented that he ate MFC for the first time in over 30 years since the New Lenox location closed while in Florida in 2021. I thought that was a cute story.

Colorado

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Denver, CO (???)

This location was referenced in a comprehensive list of MFC stores originally hung up at Constantine's Restaurant. It was definitely open at the beginning of 1972, but I know nothing else.

Virginia

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 920 Commonwealth Ave., Bristol, VA (1968-2009)

This Maryland Fried Chicken with a truly beautiful sign remained open until about 2009. That sign looks totally original - like it survived all those decades without breaking or needing any parts replaced. Based on the building style, I speculate this was a early 1968 build. After MFC, the shop reopened as Bristol's Doughnut World, and then later as Blackbird Bakery, which scrapped the original sign framework.

North Carolina

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 750 Summit St., Winston-Salem, NC (1969-Early 1970s)

This MFC opened in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1969. The local franchisee was John Eckert and his wife, who moved from Macon, GA to kickstart the franchise in North Carolina. Evidently this restaurant was just one of several MFC restaurants planned for the Winston-Salem area, and a second location did open sometime thereafter under the same Franchisee in nearby Clemmons, NC. John Eckert's first franchise here in Winston-Salem didn't work out very well and closed up no later than '71, but his other one in Clemmons did well. Recently other restaurants have used the space but the building maintains its original shape. However, the sign has been taken down. Image credit to the Winston-Salem Time Traveler.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Clemmons, NC (???-1977)

MFC was the first fast food chain restaurant in tiny Clemmons, North Carolina - arriving years before Hardees and at a time when McDonald's avoided the town due to perceived lack of traffic to justify setting up shop. John Eckert was the franchisee, and though his first location in Winston-Salem went under after just a few years, he had better luck in Clemmons. The restaurant closed in '77, and I can't find an address.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Wilmington, NC (???)

Was open in '72, but that's all I know

Tennessee

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 101 Sanders Ferry Rd., Hendersonville, TN (1968-Early 1970s)

Open by April 1968, This was the very first MFC to open in Tennessee, just outside of Nashville. Many others followed, but MFC's expansion into Tennessee was a huge flop. All locations had closed by '72.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3110 Dickerson Pike, Nashville, TN (1968-Early 1970s)

Said to be Nashville's 2nd outlet, with 13 more restaurants statewide under contract. It celebrated grand opening May 28th, 1968.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 101 Page Rd., Nashville, TN (Late 1960s-Early 1970s)

Open by 1969, the restaurant was torn down in the early 2000's and replaced by a garage.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 805 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN (Late 1960s-1971)

This location was open by 1969, and put up for sale in 1971.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Harding Mall, Nashville, TN (Late 1960s-1971)

A MFC location was listed at the Harding Mall, a small mall in Nashville that has since been demolished and replaced with a Walmart Supercenter. I'm not sure if MFC was in the mall or just in a nearby building. This location was listed for sale or lease in 1971 along with the Gallatin Ave. store.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 801 S Highland Ave., Jackson, TN (1969-1971)

Celebrated a grand opening in January 1969. It closed by '72.

Here it is today.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3400 Oak Ridge Hwy., Knoxville, TN (Late 1960s-Early 1970s)

This address showed up in a 1969 ad, but today it just leads to an auto shop.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 7090 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN (1969-1971)

Grand opening was March 27th 1969, but it closed by 1971 and the building has been gone since the 80's at least. Today it's an ugly insurance office.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1939 Madison Ave., Memphis, TN (1969-Early 1970s)

As seen in 1969

And as it stands today.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - The Fare, 5099 Old Summer Rd., Memphis, TN (1969-Early 1970s)

The Fare, 'A World of Good Food', opened in Memphis in 1969 as a sort of freestanding food court, and one of the 10 founding tenants was Maryland Fried Chicken. Business was good for a few years, but The Fare officially ended operations in 1977. The closure was attributed to lesser-known restaurants replacing the more popular initial lineup, leading to a steady loss of business. MFC and most other tenants had already closed by that point.

The building is beautiful. In 1977, the former Fare was divided between 2 remaining tenants - Leon's Nightclub and Pancho's Taco - with a third space allocated to a new pool hall / arcade.

South Carolina

Maryland Fried Chicken - 111 Ribaut Rd., Beaufort, SC (1969-present)

A decent example of a 1969 MFC restaurant that's still operational. A few years back, the city of Beaufort passed an ordinance that banned certain signage such as the iconic Maryland Fried Chicken sign, but the city council thankfully gave MFC an exemption. The sign itself is missing the neon sun at the top (as is the case with many of the surviving signs), and it definitely had its plastic inserts replaced at some point with approximate reproduction pieces. As for the building itself, the addition of awnings is all that separates this location from its roots. Arnold King was the original franchisee, and today his daughter Katherine owns it along with her husband, Tim Cieplowski. This restaurant was voted best fried chicken in Beaufort County in 2022 in a tiered competition hosted by two local newspapers. Maryland Fried Chicken won the ballot in a landslide, with about 44,000 South Carolinians voting.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 939 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC (1974-present)

A peculiar location occupying the narrow end of a building. I went with an older Street View photo to showcase the partial original sign. The bottom "Complete Dinner To Go" section has since been removed, and a new "Maryland Fried Chicken" sign insert has been put in.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 24 Easley Bridge Rd., Greenville, SC (1970-1974)

Open by 1970 and last referenced in 1974. The site has been totally redeveloped in the 2010s, but if you turn back the clock a few years, you can see this vacant lot where a building used to be. And those are two cut-off I-beams poking out of that little concrete strip... so this must be the place. Sad.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 613 Main St., Mauldin, SC (1970-1974)

Looks like a strip mall location. Operated roughly from 1970-1974.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1200 E River St., Anderson, SC (1971-1974)

Open by 1971 and last referenced in 1974. The cinder block walls are the only real hint left that this restaurant began its life as an MFC. Now it's an abandoned restaurant called... "Wings | Good-O's Family Restaurants, Inc." Quite a name.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3100-A US-17, Murrells Inlet, SC (2011-2015)

The proprietors of the Myrtle Beach MFC opened a second location in Murrells Inlet, which only stayed open for a few years in the early to mid 2010s.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 1620 Church St., Conway, SC (1971-present)

Seemingly opened in 1971 along with the Coastal Mall, now called Coastal Centre, a now-dying strip mall in Conway. It was started by future Conway Mayor Ike Long. Long had a sometimes uneasy relationship with the local chapter of the NAACP, resulting in two different (brief) boycotts by the organization against Long's two restaurants - MFC and a branch of The Shrimper Seafood in Conway. Though he owned these two restaurants at a time when the two brands had combined at other locations in the state, I don't have any evidence that Ike Long's MFC ever offer Shrimper menu items or vice versa.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3502 Hwy 544, Conway, SC (???-2009)

What an odd restaurant. I wonder what it originally was. Image 2008, closed not long after.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1015 Liberty St., Marion, SC (???-2008)

A more modern-day MFC opened in what looks to be an old KFC building at some point, but closed in 2008.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1024 US-76, Seneca, SC (Early 1970s-Early 1990s)

Architecturally looks like a early 1970s build. This location stayed open till at least 1990, when owner/operator Bobby Ray McGuffin passed away. Flickr user Jacob Krejci photographed this former MFC in 2006. A barely-visible sign in the window says "Car Sales" as the building had been repurposed for a time as a car lot. It's truly mystifying that they didn't bother to take down the chicken signs during that time. The building was demolished not long after he uploaded the picture, and the lot remains vacant. https://www.flickr.com/photos/jacobkrejci/153752039

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Hwy. 52 at I-95 Interchange, Florence, SC

Located at a busy interchange with many fast food chains was apparently an MFC at one time, though I don't know where.

The Shrimper Seafood + Maryland Fried Chicken - 844 S Irby St., Florence, SC (late 1960s-present)

MFC is first referenced in the state of South Carolina at this site, when on October 20th 1968, the company was reported as authorized to build a restaurant on this parcel of land. I don't have a grand opening date, but it seems pretty certain that it was 1969. "The Shrimper" part is newer; it held a grand opening event in 1976, at which time it billed itself as "Maryland Fried Chicken, now featuring The Shrimper Seafood" rather than just a standard MFC franchise. I'm surprised this mixed identity dates so far back. MFC, Inc. must've been pretty much ineffectual by 1976 at enforcing franchise standards. I suspect the building was totally rebuilt at some point as well. Worth noting that there was a Bojangles next door and a KFC across the street that both closed up shop because they couldn't compete.

The Shrimper Seafood + Maryland Fried Chicken - 438 Broad St., Sumter, SC (1976-present)

This is an old-school The Shrimper restaurant. Turns out The Shrimper, much like MFC, is a fallen former franchise that spanned multiple states. That hanging sign attached to a lamppost was the calling card of The Shrimper locations back in its time, but now it seems this is the last open location featuring this style of sign. You can also see that they squeezed a little Maryland Fried Chicken sign at the bottom when this location adopted the dual branding.

The Shrimper Seafood + Maryland Fried Chicken - 340 W Main St., Lake City, SC (???-present)

Only the letterboard at this location betrays the fact that it is also a Maryland Fried Chicken. This restaurant doesn't look like it has any real historical connection to either MFC or The Shrimper; it looks just like any old diner that got converted at some point.

The Shrimper Seafood + Maryland Fried Chicken - 829 S 5th St., Hartsville, SC (2019-present)

A practically brand new MFC / Shrimper opened here in January 2019. It's beautiful in a way, how the remnants of two failed restaurant chains came together and produced something that could thrive.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Hwy. 76, Honea Path, SC (1986-1987)

Apparently operated for less than 10 months from 1986-1987, after which point the practically-new restaurant equipment sold at auction.

† Carolina Bar-BQ Maryland Fried Chicken - 4339 Sea Mountain Hwy., Little River, SC (Late 1990s-2018)

Began operating as MFC in the late 90s or early 2000s. Around 2018, this place closed. It's been a few restaurants since.

That appears to be an unlicensed Foghorn Leghorn mascot on top of the weird ramp gazebo leading up to the restaurant. However, when the restaurant closed, Mr. Leghorn's idol was unceremoniously toppled like a Lenin statue in a former Soviet Republic.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 4267 Broad St., Loris, SC (2002-2011)

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1237 D Ave., West Columbia, SC (1969-Mid 1970s)

This former MFC is first referenced in 1969, and last referenced in newspapers in 1974, though a 1976 phonebook still listed it. After closing, it housed several restaurants including the Triangle City Diner and now True BBQ.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1229 Broad River Rd., Columbia, SC (1971-1974)

The building currently there bears no resemblance.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 4020 Rosewood Dr., Columbia, SC (1969-1976)

An MFC of typical 1969 design stood here once. Long ago someone put a new brick facade over the front and attached a larger 2nd unit to the right side of it, turning what was a freestanding restaurant into the smaller half of a little strip mall. Unit 4020 was most recently a restaurant called Tienda Hispana, but has been vacant for a decade now.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 202 Bush River Rd., Columbia, SC (Mid 1970s)

From a 1976 phonebook, showing 3 Columbia-area stores. One of them is listed at 202 Bush River Road, which places it at the Boozer Shopping Center. Satellite imagery shows several freestanding buildings at the site which were torn down & replaced by a Chick Fil A around the turn of the century. One of those was probably the former MFC, which had closed by no later than the mid eighties. It's only referenced in newspapers in the year 1975.

Alabama

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3100 Atlanta Hwy, Montgomery, AL (1967-1968)

"Montgomery Is The First of Many To Come. Soon To Cover The Nation!" This location marked the entrance of MFC into Alabama with its October 25th, 1967 opening. Mayor Earl James cut the ribbon, and Al Constantine himself greeted customers.

Still using the same sign posts and the same building. It got robbed in 1968 for a whopping $80, and closed later that same year. 

Mississippi

Multiple June 1969 news pieces about a golf tournament made mention of Maryland Fried Chicken due to a golfer in said tournament apparently being a major franchisee. The "Southern Wing" of the company, as it was described, was headed by Alabama football coach "Bear" Bryant, Louisiana State University basketball coach "Press" Maravich, and Jacksonville, Florida pro golfer Dan Sikes. Collectively, the three sportsmen had franchise rights to MFC in Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississppi, and Louisiana, according to Sikes. Their particular franchise, at the time, supposedly operated 24 restaurants. I'm choosing to leave this information here in the Mississippi section in lieu of any actual locations, because I sadly can't find any.

Louisiana

† Press Maravich's Famous Maryland Fried Chicken - State St., Baton Rouge, LA (Late 1960s-Early 1970s)

Louisiana State University basketball coach Press Maravich was a celebrity franchisee of Maryland Fried Chicken in the late 60s, though it didn't pan out all that well for him and he ended up closing down by the early 70s. Scattered sources online indicate a location was on State St. in Baton Rouge next to the former Louie's Cafe, which has since moved to a new location in town.

† Woolsey's Famous Maryland Fried Chicken - 1721 N Market St., Shreveport, LA (Late 1970s)

Known only from 1979 newspaper ads, a possible MFC offshoot called Woolsey's Famous Maryland Fried Chicken operated on Market Street in Shreveport in a former Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant that had closed sometime after being robbed in '77. MFC, Inc. opened franchises in Louisiana in the late 60s, but I'm not aware of any existing past 1971. As for Woolsey's, the restaurant became a dry cleaner in 1980.

Texas

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1422 Town Creek Dr., Austin, TX (1969-1974)

Opened in 1969, closed in '74 and replaced by the dreaded KFC the next year. The sign posts look original, but KFC modified the building for sure. This site was totally redeveloped in the 2010s, erasing the former restaurant entirely.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1009 Reinli St., Austin, TX (1969-1972)

The address listed as 1009 Reinli actually takes you closer to the equally obvious former Pizza Hut next door (which I left on the right-hand side of the above screenshot for your viewing pleasure). The modern address is 1015 Reinli. There's no trace of the old sign, but the building is a dead-ringer.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2334 Rosewood Ave., Austin, TX (1969-1970)

Located in a strip mall, this location is only mentioned in newspaper ads in 1969 from what I can find.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1810 W Ben White Blvd., Austin, TX (1969-1973)

Open by 1970. The expansion of the highway caused the building to be demolished and paved over long ago.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - San Marcos, TX (1969-???)

A fourth Texas location operated in the Austin suburb of San Marcos, but I cannot find an address. It probably opened around the same time as its Austin counterparts in 1969. It was still open around 1972, but closed at some undetermined point after that. If I were to guess, probably in the mid 70s as with the other Texas locations.

Georgia

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1735 DeFoor Place NW, Atlanta, GA (1969-1970)

This was listed in a newspaper ad from February 1969, but may have closed as early as 1970, when a franchise was listed for sale in Atlanta.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Southside Atlanta, GA (1969-1970)

Separate phone numbers for "Northside" and "Southside" Atlanta locations were listed on manager job listings from mid-1969. I suppose the northside one was the DeFoor Place address from the earlier listing, but no address can be found for the southside one. Again, seems like the Atlanta stores flopped pretty early on, and both were closed by the start of 1972 at the latest.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 102 Smith St., Soperton, GA (2015-2021)

This closed restaurant reopened as an MFC in 2015, but has since closed once more.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 207 E Oglethorpe Blvd., East Albany, GA (Early 1970s-Mid 2010s)

Maryland Fried Chicken - 510 N Slappey Blvd., Albany, GA (1968-present)

A very beautiful and faithfully maintained 1968 MFC. This place used to have pretty wacky paintings and murals all over the exterior, but was later redone with a more traditional yellow & red color scheme before again being repainted a sort of ivory color. All of the plastic sign inserts are reproductions that they installed in 2016-2017 and frankly, they don't look good. The original '68 pieces looked way better. The neon sun at the top looks in great shape though. The rooster statue is also an interesting touch, especially because it may be a surviving piece of MFC history rescued from the long-gone location in Boca Raton, Florida. I cannot confirm if Beyonce or Jay-Z eat there.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1926 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Albany, GA (Early 2010s-2022)

Former Church's Chicken. MFC opened in early 2010's, then closed around 2022. It's now a Haitian restaurant.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1391 N Main St., LaFayette, GA (2014-2015)

This store was a business called Main Street Package in October 2013. Sometime after that, it closed & MFC opened in its place, and then promptly shut down on November 24th, 2014. A couple who had over 20 years of business experience in town bought the restaurant and reopened it about a week later. At first it kept the MFC name, but then they renamed it to Judy's Chicken & More within a year. Judy's, too, has since closed & is now Madi's On Main.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 536 Fair Rd., Statesboro, GA (Late 1960s-Early 1970s)

An offhand comment in the depths of the internet referenced a Maryland Fried Chicken on Fair Road in Statesboro in the 70s and 80s, but aerial imagery suggests this was a late 60s model MFC restaurant that seems to have closed prior to 1972. The original building is long gone, but the original sign posts now hold up the Popeye's banner. Fitting that fried chicken still comes out the door here, huh? Right next door was a Bojangles that also went under.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 149 US-84, Cairo, GA (2010-present)

A modern-day MFC location that would go on to expand to open additional locations in Quincy, FL; Tallahassee, FL; and Bainbridge, GA. However, the Tallahassee and Bainbridge locations would later close.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 1310 E Jackson St., Thomasville, GA (Early 1970s-present)

Definitely a pretty old location, although the awning is definitely newer and, I'd argue, a downgrade compared to the plastic "CHICKEN - FISH - SHRIMP" inserts that were there prior.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1201 N Ashley St., Valdosta, GA (Late 1960s-???)

A beautiful old MFC is reused today as a car lot with most original features still plainly visible. Either this was a larger than usual restaurant or some subsequent tenant expanded the building seamlessly using the same architectural design, which is awesome if true.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1701 N Ashley St., Valdosta, GA (2008-2010)

A contemporary Maryland Fried Chicken was opened in Valdosta just down the street from the long-closed 1960's location. It was opened by brothers Joshua and Jeremiah Horne on June 23rd, 2008. This was not the brothers' first venture with MFC, as Jeremiah had co-owned the Thomasville MFC branch for some time prior. Despite the Hornes raving about the reception to their restaurant shortly after its opening, they closed up around 2010. Image from the Valdosta Daily Times.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1406 N Ashley St., Valdosta, GA (2011-2012)

This was a long, narrow restaurant on a lot carved out of part of a former car dealership. It opened around 2011, probably as a replacement to the other Valdosta MFC that had closed. This location in turn closed very quickly, gone the end of 2012.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 814 W Taylor St., Griffin, GA (1971)

On Jan. 2nd 1972, a newspaper listing advertised an auction of modern restaurant equipment. The equipment, noted as being the assets of a national restaurant chain, were being sold from the "practically new" Maryland Fried Chicken restaurant in Griffin. Any trace of the old restaurant is totally lost, but a newer place called Anderson's Cafeteria is on the site nowadays. 

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1032 W Solomon St., Griffin, GA (???-2008)

See the little MFC logo on the sign post? This oddball location on an otherwise residential road used to be an MFC until 2008, when the building became a BBQ joint run by an older man named Leon, or as his fans called him, "Prime Minister L-Nice," "The Sultan of Pork Belly," or "The Swine Doctor" for his alleged BBQ prowess. I guess Leon never bothered to take down the little chicken sign.

† Maryland Fried Chicken -94 Eastman Hwy., Hawkinsville, GA (???-Mid 2010s)

The Difference *was* Delicious at this BP gas station, but the whole gas station changed brands and MFC no longer operates inside it.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2826 Riverside Dr., Macon, GA (1967-1970)

Apparently, this location was a "model" store put forward by Maryland Fried Chicken of America, Inc., when it claimed in 1967 to have purchased "national rights to Maryland Fried Chicken" with a plan to aggressively expand the chain. This model restaurant was the first to open in all of Georgia, holding a grand opening on November 29th, 1967. But it closed in 1970, and any restaurant on the site was gone and demolished by the 80s.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1080 Gray Hwy., Macon, GA (1968-1975)

This Macon, GA location of MFC has survived in a fashion to the present day. It was open by 1968. Despite being repainted and otherwise altered probably numerous times over the decades, the restaurant is still recognizable. The sign was clearly replaced though. This location was last mentioned in newspapers when it was robbed of a decent amount of food in 1975.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 4144 Pio Nono Ave., Macon, GA (1968-1969)

Another Macon MFC that had opened on December 11th, 1968. This one was last referenced in '69 and was definitely vacant by the end of '70.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 950 Hillcrest Blvd., Napier Square, Macon, GA (1969-1983)

This was the last of 4 MFCs to open in Macon, GA, the hometown of Maryland Fried Chicken of America, Incorporated, in 1969.

Here it is today. This one is also the best preserved example, complete with a sun-bleached sign that no one ever bothered to take down. It lasted the longest of all the Macon MFC locations, advertised as late as 1983 before being replaced by a place called "The Fish Boat" in 1984.

Honestly? This sign has been here since 1969 and nobody has been taking care of it. With that in mind, it's in pretty good shape. It's just sad that many remaining locations had to make knock-off replacement pieces for the sign, or they're missing the neon at the top, while this nearly-pristine example sits unused and unappreciated. This makes me feel a lot of emotions.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2983 Vineville Ave., Macon, GA (2010-2011)

Someone staged an attempted comeback for MFC in Macon in this former Krystal restaurant, and it got a few pretty good reviews but was only around for a few years.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - US Hwy. 341, Fort Valley, GA (1969-???)

This location opened in 1969. I can't find a more specific address, and it doesn't look like the building has survived into recent history. It was still open in 1972 at least.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1439 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins, GA (1969-???)

Still very recognizable. This location opened in 1969, and was still open by '72, but I don't know when it closed.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 850 S Wayne St., Milledgeville, GA (1969-???)

Underneath all the cigarette ads and the shoddy porte cochere, the 1969 MFC is still there. Was still open in '72, don't know when it closed.

† Larry's Maryland Fried Chicken - 875 W Currahee St., Toccoa, GA (???-2010s)

This was one of Larry's Maryland Fried Chickens.

Larry's Maryland Fried Chicken - 2095 Liberty Hill Rd., Eastanollee, GA (???-present)

This is the other Larry's MFC, and this one's open - but only barely. The place opens at 5:30am and is supposed to stay open through lunchtime, but nowadays closes at 10:30am daily because Larry can't keep the staff. You can scroll back years in his Facebook page, pre-pandemic and everything, and find constant posts advertising open positions intermingled with posts explaining that they can't open or must close early due to lack of help. I guess it's nice he communicates it well, but for a restaurant that's only supposed to be open 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, he must not need an especially robust staff to run the place. Yet he's always short on workers because the pay is bad (he's offering $8/hr) and the hours suck (45+ hour weeks, starting at 5am daily Tuesday through Saturday). I wouldn't work there either, the McDonald's by my house pays $15! What a bizarre operation all-around. Who eats fried chicken at 6am??

Maryland Fried Chicken - 801 N Jefferson St., Dublin, GA (Late 1960s-present)

I think this one might be my favorite. Looks just how I remember it... The chicken sign insert is a decent reproduction piece, but as you can see it's showing some decent wear and tear and probably needs to be replaced again.

The Original Maryland Fried Chicken - 505 Ossie Davis Pkwy., Waycross, GA (1969-present)

Established 1969, this still-open MFC once had an original sign *and* the typical restaurant design of the era, but both have seen quite a few changes. The sign inserts have been replaced with a completely new design (but it still has the neon sun at the top!) and the restaurant facade has been totally updated with a solarium window and brick accents. Apparently in some bizarre transaction, Albert Constantine himself transferred his federal trademark registration to Edith Swain of Waycross, Georgia, in 1995. Edith & partner Richard Heavilon went on to file trademark applications for "The Original Maryland Fried Chicken" and "Al's Original Maryland Fried Chicken," at which point they branded & advertised their restaurants as such. About Albert assigning the intellectual property to Edith Swain, Dick Costantine later remarked, "It is my understanding that a court determined the assignment document to be worthless during litigation between [Edith] and [CFM Distributors]." Speaking on the same subject, Anthony Costantine (one of Dick's sons) mused that sometimes Albert "tried to make a quick buck."

The Original Maryland Fried Chicken - 3327 US-84, Blackshear, GA (???-present)

The 2nd location of "The Original" Maryland Fried Chicken.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 538 S Main St., Swainsboro, GA (Late 1960s-present)

Rocking a heavily modified '68-'69 style building. The sign is complete and looks pretty nice, but the chicken part of it is a pretty lousy reproduction piece. Still though, they tried to stay true to the original design.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 12 Broad St., Augusta, GA (1969-present)

A very well preserved 1969 MFC restaurant. The original franchisee was football star Theron Sapp, who owned 3 Augusta franchises at one time but later sold the other two. Very strange that they removed the drive-through window under the fish sign. It is heartbreaking to see that the original sign has been removed. Included in this screenshot at the bottom right is a concrete pad with two cut-off I-beams that would have held up the original MFC sign.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 6008 Clarks Hill Rd., Appling, GA (???-2022)

Owned by the same folks who own the Augusta shop. It looked a bit run-down (at least the sign and parking lot anyway) even when it was still open, but it closed in 2022 and is now another restaurant.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 4465 Washington Rd., Evans, GA (Early 2010s-2019)

Another strip mall location. It was reviewed as late as 2019, but has since closed.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1232 South Harris St., Sandersville, GA (2010-2011)

This restaurant was apparently a Popeye's that had gone out of business before being replaced by MFC. However, the MFC was short lived. The picture is dated from 2010, but Street View images from 2008 and 2012 both show the restaurant vacant. Image from restaurantsfastfood.blogspot.com

Maryland Fried Chicken Express - 10626 Commerce St., Summerville, GA (Early 2010s-present)

A drive-through only MFC that opened sometime in the early 2010s. It's highly-rated online.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Summerville, GA (???)

A comment online mentioned that Summerville had an MFC back in the 70s, and expressed joy that they had returned to town with the MFC Express location above. I have a list of MFC locations that existed in early '72 that confirms a location was then open in Summerville, but I'm not sure where it was or when it opened or closed.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 831 E Alice St., Bainbridge, GA (2017-2021)

This place was purpose-built for MFC by the owner of the Cairo, GA location. But it's right next to a Zaxby's, so maybe the competition was a bit too fierce.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 108 N Sunset Blvd., Jesup, GA (2008-Early 2010s)

When this place opened in 2008, they really went the extra mile to make a sign that shared the shape and theme of the original ones from the 60s.

The Jesup store was only open for a few years.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 255 Cedric St., Leesburg, GA (???-Late 2000s)

Closed late 2000's or early 2010's. You can still see the metal struts poking out on the building's roof above the words "Fried Chicken" where the word "Maryland" used to be. Side note, Carter's looks like they may also be using an unlicensed, buff Foghorn Leghorn in their logo.

Florida

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 921 Mason Ave., Daytona Beach, FL (1968-1982)

The restaurant seems to have been put up for sale in 1982. The address in modern times traces to a Catholic high school that got demolished in 2007.

† Original Maryland Fried Chicken - 151 S Ridgewood Ave., Daytona Beach, FL (Mid 2000s-2009)

Closed around 2009, now a Jimmy John's. "Original" Maryland Fried Chicken, LLC (not to be confused with "The Original" Maryland Fried Chicken, the Georgia chain) is a franchise of many current and former MFC restaurants in Florida. The President of Original Maryland Fried Chicken is Bob Costantine, one of Albert's nephews. Supposedly this restaurant in particular was owned by one of Dick's nephews.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 516 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater Beach, FL (1963-???)

Open by 1963, I don't know when it closed but the address was listed as "Mc Ds" restaurant in 1984. Somehow I feel like that wasn't a real McDonald's.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2100 S French Ave., Sanford, FL (1963-Late 1970s)

This MFC was one of the earliest stores, open by 1963 and closed by 1979. It was reopened that year by Al Constantine himself as Mr. C's Southern Fried Chicken, using his same original recipe. The grand opening of Mr. C's was March 21st, 1979. Though he intended to open more Mr. C's locations, I don't think he ever did. He sold Mr. C's in 1987 to Li Teh Yu, who was then tragically and brutally stabbed to death in a robbery of less than $200 from Mr. C's the following year.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3350 N Ocean Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL (1968-1970)

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 4907 14th St. W, Bradenton, FL (1969-1980)

Obvious former MFC. Very interesting that they went to the trouble of reusing the odd-shaped sign for their new weird business park that they apparently built inside the old restaurant.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Gainesville, FL (???)

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 790 W 29th St., Hialeah, FL (???)

Advertised in 1969, this restaurant closed by '71 & later became "Holiday Fried Chicken." It's since been demolished and replaced by a Walgreens.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Jacksonville, FL (???)

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2014 Aloma Ave., Winter Park, FL (1968-???)

This restaurant has long-since been demolished. It's currently a parking lot in between a bank and an insurance agency. This location is only mentioned in the news in 1968-1969. The address is listed as a different business in 1976, but there's a lot of unaccounted for gray area between those times.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1471 Lee Rd., Winter Park, FL (1968-1975)

Maryland Fried Chicken - 605 E Jefferson St, Quincy, FL (2011-present)

Leg & thigh snack for $1.86? Be still my heart. This is a newer restaurant that opened in 2011. It was founded by the owners of the Cairo, GA MFC locations, who also went on to open branches in Tallahassee, FL, and Bainbridge, GA.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Tallahassee, FL

The US Small Business Administration's Annual Report to the President and Congress in 1967 references a Maryland Fried Chicken restaurant in Tallahassee as a small business that was granted a $5,000 loan by the agency that year.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2315 Capital Circle NE,  Tallahassee, FL (2014-2017)

According to their farewell message on Facebook, the location operated for 3 years before closing with the end of their lease on July 31st, 2017.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1911 S Adams St., Tallahassee, FL (2020)

This MFC was an attempted comeback after the previous Tallahassee location (see above) closed. Previously a restaurant called Chicago Chicken, MFC's brief tenure here began on April 30th 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. The restaurant made a splash with a "free chicken day" on July 14th that brought out a predictably huge crowd. But its social media went dark at the end of September that year, making this restaurant a likely victim of Covid-19. Picture taken from the oddly still-operational website for this location.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 76 Beal Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach, FL (1966-Early 1970s)

Opened by the same folks who started the Winter Garden restaurant, though this one didn't last all that long.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 290 N Federal Hwy., Boca Raton, FL (???)

Jerry Sova, owner of an MFC franchise in Boca Raton in 1972, was accused of violating the city's strict laws about signage due to the 7-foot fiberglass chicken bolted to his car. When Sova went on vacation, his car sat still for long enough that the city contended it counted as a permanent sign and thus in violation of the law. I'm glad so many cities have nothing better to do. Virtually every city block of Boca Raton near where this restaurant stood has been totally redeveloped in the decades since then, so there's nothing left to see of the restaurant today. It was still open by 1975 at least, but the address apparently led to Holiday Inn by 1982. As for the fiberglass rooster, it looks like it may have survived to the modern day, as it looks identical to the one currently on display atop the Maryland Fried Chicken restaurant in Albany, Georgia.

† Gene & Wally's Maryland Fried Chicken - 1605 1st St. S, Winter Haven, FL (???-1980s)

Listed as one of four "Gene & Wally's Maryland Fried Chicken Restaurants" advertised in 1980, owned by Wally Verner and Gene Dumaresq. Though the other Gene & Wally's MFCs appeared to be repurposed from other prior tenants, this one may have already been an MFC prior, as it was said that Pennsylvania native Tom Workman opened a branch in Winter Haven at some point after opening 3 locations in his home state. It did not survive past the 80s, as this site was incorporated into the neighboring Lee Ragatz Volkswagon-Audi-Subaru dealership by 1990. The building today is a lounge, though it doesn't look too off-the-mark for an MFC.

† Gene & Wally's Maryland Fried Chicken - 1421 N Broadway Ave., Bartow, FL (Late 1970s-1980s)

The address doesn't quite match up with either of these, but it seems like the MFC was in the building to the right. It got robbed for "some change" in 1981. Included on the left is an obvious former KFC. The Colonel got the last laugh when he moved to a modern restaurant across the street. This was one of "Gene & Wally's" MFC's.

† Gene & Wally's Maryland Fried Chicken - Hwy 92 & Bartow Ave., Auburndale, FL

This was the address of one of four "Gene & Wally's" Maryland Fried Chicken restaurants in the 80s. Bartow Avenue doesn't exist anymore, but it looks like it's now called Main Street. If so, there is no remnant of the restaurant left at the corner of these two roads. 

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1575 Sarno Rd., Melbourne, FL (1969-Early 1980s)

Grand opening April 1st, 1969, and last referenced in a 1980 job listing. The arrow painted on the pavement hints to a past drive-through functionality, though otherwise the property doesn't look like a former MFC.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1433 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland, FL (1968-1980)

This Maryland Fried Chicken received a "yellow" flag for minor sanitary issues in a June 1978 health inspection. It had closed by 1980. This walk-in clinic, by all appearances, reused the original building.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 215 Cubbedge Rd., Crescent Beach, FL (Mid 1970s-Mid 1980s)

Flickr user thisisrobert photographed this Maryland Fried Chicken near St. Augustine. He ate here in 1984 and was unimpressed. Supposedly it closed not long after and was replaced by Pizza Hut. It seems to be a different business every time Google's cameras drive by; it's been a mortgage broker, stem cell facility, and most recently a medical center & spa. https://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisrobert/3288706917

Most recent view of the same building. You can see it's largely unchanged, with the brick planter that used to house the sign still there and even the same window placement.

† Constantine's Maryland Fried Chicken - 2740 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL (1961-1978)

This was Constantine's Restaurant in Orlando, the birthplace of Al Constantine's famous chicken recipe and the site of the first ever colossal MFC sign that would later be mass-produced for hundreds of franchised stores to come.

...And here it is now. Does that "Chicken - Shrimp - Fish" sign look familiar? It's an obvious MFC remnant. Constantine's closed in 1977 or early 1978, and became Mongolian Bar-B-Q.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 411 S Goldenrod Rd., Orlando, FL (1972-1988)

This one opened by April 1972 and shut down in 1988. It was immediately set to be demolished after a public auction that year. The address seems to lead to a 7-11 gas station today.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Conway Rd. & Lake Underhill Rd., Orlando, FL (???)

Lynda from Orlando wrote in to the local newspaper in 1977 that she found a very friendly male Calico kitten on Conway Road near the Maryland Fried Chicken, and provided a number for anyone to call if they were looking for him. This is remarkable because calico cats are nearly always female; only cats with the genetic abnormality known as Klinefelter's Syndrome can be both male and calico. Based on the vague address, I think it has to have been where the Circle K gas station is nowadays, but I'm not really sure.

† Maryland Fried Chicken of Dover Shores - 3500 Curry Ford Rd., Orlando, FL (1967-2008)

A preserved commercial produced for this location in the 2000s boasted a menu that included Philly cheesesteaks, over 20 burgers, gyros, salads, and an expanding vegetarian menu. This location declared chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2008 with $110,901 in debt and just $40,000 in assets. Today, the location is a Cuban restaurant called Zaza.

Maryland Fried Chicken of Union Park - 9710 E Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL (1972-present)

Apparently owned by Dannie Costantine, a nephew of founder Albert Constantine, and the son of Angelo Costantine. I question his choice to put that giant, ugly website sign up and then not even maintain the website. First reference to this place in newspapers is in late '72.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 5003 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, FL (1962-present)

This was one of the very first MFC restaurants to open, having opened for business by 1962. This makes it apparently the oldest location still in operation.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3424 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, FL (1969-1970)

This address was listed as an MFC in '69, but became an Italian restaurant the following year. The building doesn't look like an MFC, but it certainly doesn't look newer than that either. It was a restaurant called Penguin Point Drive-In before becoming MFC, so maybe that's who we should be thanking for this rad design.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 3750 US-27 N, Sebring, FL

A highly-rated MFC restaurant is located in the Fairmount Cinema Square strip mall of Sebring, Florida. It opened up in the 2010's.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 255 E Main St., Apopka, FL (1970-1990s)

Located across the street from a KFC, this restaurant was still operating in 1990 but got demolished around the year 2000 to accommodate a large BP gas station.

Original Maryland Fried Chicken - 1672 S Orange Blossom Trail, Apopka, FL (2005-present)

This is Bob Costantine's own MFC restaurant, which he opened in 2006.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 404 S. Scenic Highway, Frostproof, FL (Mid 1970s-2010)

Frostproof's MFC appeared to be open in 2009, but in this 2011 photo the place looks deserted. It has been a few different restaurants since then. It looks more than a little suspiciously similar to the MFC in Avon Park (the next location on this list), leading me to think that this might've been a standard building design for MFC in the early 70's.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 904 W Main St, Avon Park, FL (1970-present)

A rather unassuming MFC. Has been serving up chicken since 1970, when it was founded by the Peterson family that still operates it today.

† Maryland Fried Chicken of the Golden Triangle - Hwy 19-A and Old Rt. 441, Mt Dora, FL (1969-1980)

MFC of the Golden Triangle was located between Highway 19-A and Old Rt. 441. As seen in a 1975 newspaper ad.

It was also called "Mary's Maryland Fried Chicken" after the owner, Mary Freeman

Here it is now. Note the same building in the background as the previous picture. The restaurant was sold in 1980.

† Original Maryland Fried Chicken - 17195 US Hwy 441, Mt Dora, FL (2009)

Bob Costantine, owner of the Apopka MFC, tried to open a 2nd location here in 2008, evidently with written blessing from his uncle, Albert, to open restaurants under the MFC name. This did not occur, as Bob was sued by his own father, Richard Costantine, because the placement of the restaurant was "just" 13 miles from Richard's Leesburg MFC. Bob later opened the Mt. Dora restaurant after Richard, whom Bob was estranged from, passed away in 2009. Though the restaurant did open, Bob's mother Theresa, who still owns the Leesburg restaurant, stepped in to try and block Bob again. Bob Costantine and Original Maryland Fried Chicken, LLC reached a settlement with Theresa Costantine, whereby the former parties agreed not to open any MFC restaurants in Lake County, Florida, where Theresa's Leesburg restaurant was located. Bob later testified that the settlement was "...just to - to make my mother happy. You know what I'm saying?"

† Original Maryland Fried Chicken - 5650 S US Hwy 17 92, Casselberry, FL (Mid 2000s-Late 2000s)

Casselberry's MFC as seen in 2008. By 2011 it was another restaurant. By 2013, the structure was demolished.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2615 Pine Hills Rd., Orlando, FL (1962-Mid 1990s)

The third MFC opened in 1962 on the corner of Silver Star Road and Pine Hills Road. It was still open through at least 1995. It became an Indian restaurant by '99.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3102 Corrine Dr., Orlando, FL (1967-Early 1970s)

Strip mall store

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 5688 E Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL (1963-1970s)

One of the earliest MFC restaurants was open by 1963 at this intersection. The address is actually listed as the intersection of Highway 50 with Lake Barton Road, but apparently the name of the road was since changed to Semoran Boulevard. In the late 2000s, this section of Highway 50 was expanded, and all of the structures in this corner of its intersection with Semoran were demolished and replaced with an artificial lake. Pictured is a later occupant.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 435 E Michigan St., Orlando, FL (1968-1986)

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 5859 W Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL (1969-1983)

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Hwy 17-92 & Spartan Drive, Fern Park, FL (1961-1974)

The 2nd ever MFC restaurant following the original Constantine's Restaurant celebrated its grand opening on October 4th, 1961. It was the first restaurant to operate solely under the name "Maryland Fried Chicken." The building that was demolished in the 2000's, where a Mobil gas station currently is.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 330 E Merritt Island Causeway, Merritt Island, FL

Found this address listed in a 1969 newspaper ad. There's no remnant left of the MFC, which had closed by 1978, because that year, the entire building was uprooted and transported to Cocoa, FL. MFC's Merritt Island neighbor, Burger King, built a new bigger location where MFC had been, whereas the MFC building that was transported away at a cost of $15,000 was expected to be reused for another restaurant.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 934 Dixon Blvd., Cocoa, FL

Seen on a 1969 newspaper ad. Unclear when it closed, but was operating as a Subway and then Big Mike's Bar-B-Que before fittingly returning to the chicken game with Krispy Krunchy Chicken. Unclear if the sign posts are reused from the MFC days because they aren't I-beams.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3670 N Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach, FL

This location opened in '69 and stuck around through at least 1974, but had been replaced by a bank by 1976. That building looks totally plausibly original, but it has since been torn down for a new unit split between Jimmy John's and Harley Davidson.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1218 W Vine St., Kissimmee, FL (1967-1981)

Mayor Russell Thacker cut the ribbon at Kissimmee's Maryland Fried Chicken when it opened in 1967. The original franchisees were Mr. & Mrs. Bert Di Giacomo and Mr. & Mrs. Richard Anderson. The restaurant was later sold and is last mentioned in 1981 when its new owner, Antonio C. Santana, was arrested for firing a 9mm handgun at another man in the restaurant. Santana claimed that the other man pulled a gun first after some sort of argument between them. The gunshot didn't hit the other man, who police did not identify. It seems probable that the scandal forced the restaurant to close.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1620 Missouri Avenue N, Largo, FL

Located at a strip mall formerly known as Missouri Mart but today has the clearly more inspired name, Town Center Plaza. Seen in a 1971 ad.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1765 Gulf to Bay Blvd. Clearwater, FL (1970-???)

Formerly a Wagon Ho Drive-In, MFC opened up shop at this address in 1970. The building was demolished in 2007 for a Dollar Tree.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 5603 N Armenia Ave., Tampa, FL

Referenced in '67 as a sister location to the Busch Boulevard store.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 4430 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL

Found in 1971 job listing, this store was closed by April of 1972. The I-beam sign posts are original, and surprisingly the building seems to be as well. I can't imagine that MFC needed that much space; maybe this was a small strip mall in the day.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 7534 W Hillsboro Ave., Tampa, FL (1969-Mid 1970s)

Open at least as early as 1969 and as late as 1975, the restaurant was demolished & replaced by a Wendy's by the early 80's. Today a Wawa occupies the land.

† Chickenman's Maryland Fried Chicken - 3025 E Busch Blvd., Tampa, FL (1963-1972)

This was a very old location, opening in 1963. It's across from Busch Gardens Tampa.

Here it is today. It was last mentioned in the news in April 1972 when a vandal smashed its front window. Another business took over this address in 1975.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Pinellas Park, FL

This MFC did an ad blitz in 1976 trying to sell the business, stating that the owner "must" sell the well-established, 9-year-old restaurant. They weren't big believers in giving out the address, though...

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1177 Main St., Dunedin, FL

Found in a 1983 job listing. This restaurant has been long-since demolished.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 10655 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL

A MFC was at this address, but the highway was later expanded, paving over wherever the building originally was.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1601 34th St. S, St. Petersburg, FL

Seen in a 1977 newspaper ad. The sign is the giveaway here, as the building itself doesn't look too familiar.

† Chicken Jim's Maryland Fried Chicken - 2331 4th St. N, St. Petersburg, FL

Seen in a 1971 ad. There's a chance that the sign is reused, but not much is left here to see.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2621 Cleveland Ave., Fort Meyers, FL (1967-1977)

Opened in January of '67, owned and operated by Robert Decker and Lew Bacher. In April of 1974, a kitchen fire ravaged the restaurant. It was last referenced in 1977. The sign looks plausibly like it might have MFC bones inside it.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2040 S US 1, Fort Pierce, FL (1970-1975)

† Gene & Wally's Maryland Fried Chicken - 214 State Rd. 60 E, Lake Wales, FL

This building is not reminiscent of Maryland Fried Chicken, but rather of Kentucky Fried Chicken. The former old-school KFC became an MFC in the 70s. This is another case where an uppity city council outlawed signs that are large enough to read, leading to a battle with the MFC restaurant owner in '79. In the 80's, it was one of four "Gene & Wally's" MFC's, and it remained in business through at least '86. Check this link to see what this place would have looked like as a KFC.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 3350 S Washington Ave., Titusville, FL

Found this location from a 1970 job listing. Looks like they just slapped a ton of stucco over both the MFC sign frame and the restaurant itself to make it look more stereotypically Mediterranean.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1114 Hwy. A1A, Satellite Beach, FL

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 13675 W Colonial Dr., Winter Garden, FL (1966-2023)

MFC prepared to open in Winter Garden in 1966. The franchisees were Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Bartholow and Jim LaCoste.

Douglas Bartholow stands in front of Winter Garden's MFC for its one-year anniversary in '67

Here it is in modern times. In August 2021, the Winter Garden City Commission approved demolition and redevelopment of the restaurant into a barber shop and possible 2nd tenant, sparking an online petition to save the MFC. The owners, Kyle and Sarah Sleeth, announced in March 2023 that their last day would be April 1st, 2023. The sign is very interesting because it appears to be pretty much all-metal, using round sign posts rather than the usual I-beams, has those black triangles pointing towards the restaurant, and has neon tubes outlining the chickens, the "Complete Dinner To Go" lettering, and the triangles. These are all unique features that seem to be pretty much all original, according to the above newspaper photo. Check out this blog post to read a little more about the location. Check out this link to read about the closure of this location.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 748 21st St., Vero Beach, FL

Apparently this place has been in operation since 1964, making it easily one of the oldest ones. It's a shame the building & sign are so nondescript.

Maryland Fried Chicken - 1821 E Sample Rd., Pompano Beach, FL

Original Maryland Fried Chicken - 708 N 14th St, Leesburg, FL (Early 1970s-present)

This one had an original sign until 2015. Not pictured is the KFC next door or the Popeye's across the street. This location is on a piece of land that was formerly leased to Burger Queen. The original MFC franchisees here were Cecil and Mary Harris, who opened it sometime in the early 70s. Since 1979, the restaurant had been owned by Richard "Dick" Costantine and wife Theresa "Terri" Costantine. As both have since passed away, two of their sons, Anthony "Tony" Costantine and Michael Costantine, are the owners.

Maryland Chicken - 315 N Alexander St., Plant City, FL (1969-present)

This one intrigues me. The sign certainly looks the part, but how and why did the word "Fried" get dropped out of the name? And where it normally says "Complete Dinners To-Go", it instead says "Pressure Cooked in Pure Peanut Oil".

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1301 Pasadena Ave. S, South Pasadena, FL (1963-1966)

Found this location in the classifieds of a 1965 newspaper, along with a slogan I'd never encountered anywhere else: "The Taste Is Right In Every Bite". Turns out it was open by 1963, making it one of the oldest locations. I don't know if this building is original to MFC or if it was rebuilt. This became a Carvel by '67.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 760 N Wickham Rd., Melbourne, FL

The sign said "Closed for remodel" for years. It became Jimmy John's in 2017.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 100 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne, FL

Restaurant was last referenced as a MFC in 1971, and got demolished in the early 2000's.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 1901 NE 168th St., North Miami Beach, FL

Found this location from a 1974 job listing. While not the most obvious former MFC, it does still look the part. The Subway has since closed and converted to a private attorney's office, but the building still looks quite the same.

Maryland Fried Chicken Rice Bowl Chinese Cuisine - 904 E Hinson Ave., Haines City, FL (1968-present)

Paul Chapman, originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, lived in Orlando in the 60s and moved out to Haines City in '68 to launch a MFC franchise that he then operated for 19 years before selling the business. At some point after that it ended up adopting a very curious secondary identity as a Chinese restaurant.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 2222 SW 27th Ave., Miami, FL (Late 1960s-1974)

MFC liquidated all assets at this store in January '74. The restaurant at this address was demolished within a few years.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - 10416 NW 7th Ave., Miami, FL (Early 1970s)

Seems to have been a strip mall location. Only ever referenced in 1971 job listings for managers.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Hwy. 41, Sarasota, FL (???)

Location was open in the early 70s, but I can't find the address.

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Location Not Known, FL (???)

This unlabeled photo of a MFC restaurant is found in a newspaper clipping from 1967, and a framed version of this same photo is seen hanging on a wall behind Al Constantine and J. R. Miller that same year when the two reached their business deal. It had to be in Florida because it appeared before any outlets opened out-of-state, but I have no idea where it was.

Bahamas

† Maryland Fried Chicken - Nassau, Bahamas (1970-???)

Two MFC restaurants were under construction in Nassau, expected to open within "a few days" of a February 23rd, 1970 newspaper article that briefly discussed them. They seem to have since closed, and I can't find any other information about them.

...