CONTRIBUTED BY GUTHRIE’S
AUBURN – Guthrie’s, the original chicken finger restaurant, is celebrating its 60th anniversary on Thursday, July 31. To mark the milestone and show gratitude to its loyal fanbase, Guthrie’s will be offering Original Box Combos at the discounted rate of $6 (tax included) on July 31, in-store only.
The first Guthrie’s restaurant opened its doors in 1965 in Haleyville. Hal Guthrie perfected the “Southern golden fried” chicken recipe in 1968, which is still in use across the nation today. From there, the “The Original Box” was created in 1978, which included five golden fried chicken fingers, crinkle cut fries, freshly cut coleslaw, Texas toast and the sauce that started it all.
Cementing the legacy in 1982, the Guthrie family opened their second location in Auburn and downsized the menu to only sell the Original Box, making Guthrie’s the world’s first chicken finger restaurant. Guthrie’s then opened subsequent locations in Athens, Georgia, in 1984, in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1992 and in Tuscaloosa in 1993. What started out in a small town grew into college towns and now operates more than 70 locations across 11 states, with aggressive plans for continuing expansion.
“My family and I are honored and blessed to have been bestowed with this incredible brand and concept,” said Guthries CEO Joe Kelly. “We are so thankful for our fans that have supported us over the last 60 years!”
Along with celebrating the 60th anniversary, Guthrie’s has partnered with Nashville-based agency GS&F to launch a brand-new creative campaign, The Original Obsession. This campaign capitalizes on Guthrie’s unique position as the original chicken finger restaurant and features the Guthrie’s Super Fan, who is just as obsessed with eating Guthrie’s chicken fingers as Guthrie’s is with perfecting every Box. The brand refresh ensures that Guthrie’s legacy and traditions live on while attracting new generations of customers.
“From the ideation of this campaign, we knew the concept had to demonstrate not only Guthrie’s commitment to making the best chicken fingers around, but also the fans’ existing commitment to their obsession with Guthrie’s,” said GS&F Executive Creative Director Melvin Strobbe. “This creative campaign reinforces what sets Guthrie’s apart — the quality, focus on one specific category and legacy — while updating the marketing assets and messaging to resonate with modern audiences.”
The Original Obsession campaign will be brought to life across a robust mix of programmatic and paid social tactics. Designed to reach millions of people across the country, the campaign will strategically engage chicken finger lovers wherever they may be.
For more information above Guthrie’s, visit www.guthrieschicken.com.
