Dallas has plenty of fried chicken. We have historic no-frills joints with red plastic trays, fancy dine-in restaurants with pricey plates, chains specializing in Korean fried chicken and many newcomers chasing the Nashville hot chicken trend.

The sheer number of options can cause decision anxiety, but if you’re a fried chicken lover, there is one Dallas classic you can’t pass up: Williams Chicken.

Serving Dallas since 1987, Williams Chicken is a Black-owned business that now hires more than 500 people across over 40 locations.

Every bag of Williams Chicken prominently features a quote: “Dedicated to Serve, Grow & Give Back to the Community,” and it’s not just a motto. Through a variety of service programs and donations, Williams Chicken has given back to communities across Dallas for years.

An example was July 15, when Williams Chicken provided 150 heavily discounted chicken and biscuit meals to a community clean-up event put on by Not My Son, a rising local group that has organized a number of protests, rallies, round-tables and community service events during this summers Black Lives Matter protests.

Although water and snacks were provided for the volunteers, the hot meals were reserved for the many people experiencing homelessness who live in South Dallas.

Tramonica Brown, the founder of Not My Son, says Williams Chicken stepped in just when they needed it.

“Our original plan for meals had fallen through last minute, so we called Williams Chicken only two days before the event … We couldn’t have fed the homeless without them,” she says.

Tim Williams, the director of operations for William’s Chicken, downplayed the generosity.

“It’s no big deal to us. We’ve been blessed, and as one of the largest Black-owned franchises in the country, we think it is important for us to share our blessing with the community,” he says. “We don’t advertise it widely, but if nonprofits or community groups reach out, we run a program that offers discounted or even donated food, depending on the need.”