Bojangles was founded in 1977 in Charlotte, North Carolina, by Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas.
The founders opened the first restaurant on July 3, 1977. Their menu focused on seasoned fried chicken, made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits, and Southern-style sides. This combination helped distinguish the chain from hamburger-centered fast-food competitors.
Bojangles originally used the name “Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ’n Biscuits.” The apostrophe and longer wording appear in historical references and branding, while “Bojangles” is the commonly used modern name.
The chain’s early growth was concentrated in the southeastern United States. Its origin in Charlotte is separate from the later dates when it entered new states or changed ownership, so those expansion milestones should not be substituted for the founding fact.