Eat At The Historic Dell Rheas Chicken Basket On Illinois' Route 66

In the late 1930s or early 1940s, Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket started as a lunch counter in an old gas station. Two women from an area farm ventured in one day and presented an incredible fried chicken recipe to the owner, promising to teach him how to make it if, in turn, he bought chickens from them. He agreed. The fried chicken gained so much popularity that the gas station’s car repair areas had to be turned into a dining room. The restaurant kept growing and so a new restaurant was built next door to accommodate its growing customer base. The year was 1946 when the Chicken Basket first opened its new doors at its current location along Illinois’ Historic Route 66. In 1963, it was purchased by local resident Dell Rhea and the restaurant thus became known as Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket.