Originally established in 1975 as Jerry's Krispy Chicken and then transformed to Hartz Fried Chicken in 1987, Hartz has been known in the local community as the place to go for southern-style cooking. Serving crispy fried chicken and an array of other tasty fried items and vegetables, you'll find everything you desire when it comes to southern style cooking. From home made yeast rolls, potato salad, and desert items like peach cobbler & bread pudding, Hartz is the place to enjoy a home cooked meal with your family and friends.
W. Lawrence Hartzog Sr. (February 1, 1930 - August 29, 2004), a personal friend of Colonel Sanders, started Hartz Chicken under Hartzog Inc. in 1972. He opened a total of 45 units, 13 of which were company owned and 32 of which were franchised, in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
He sold the lot in 1986 to a newly formed AJP Enterprises subsidiary, Hartz Chicken Inc.
The chain began international expansion with a store in Malaysia under the name Hartz Chicken Buffet. In the late 1990s the brand opened locations in Jakarta, Indonesia and Shanghai, China, both of which later closed.
Between 1986 and July 1994, the chain was managed by George N. Samaras (CEO/Director) under Hartz Chicken International Co. which voluntarily dissolved on July 13, 1994. After transferring the chain to Hartz Restaurant International Inc., Hartz Restaurants International Inc. and Gemini Investors Inc. formed Wingstop Holdings, Inc. in 2003 and acquired Wingstop from its founder, Antonio Swad. Wingstop was sold to Roark Capital Group in 2010.
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