Which Nashville restaurant is widely described as the oldest continuously operating hot-chicken restaurant?

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is widely described as the oldest continuously operating hot-chicken restaurant.

The Nashville institution traces its history to Thornton Prince’s family and is associated with the development of Nashville hot chicken. The restaurant’s chicken is fried and coated with a spicy paste containing cayenne and other seasonings.

Prince’s history is connected to the larger Nashville hot-chicken tradition, which became especially prominent in African American communities and later spread nationally. The business has operated at different Nashville-area locations over time.

Hattie B’s and Bolton’s are also prominent Nashville hot-chicken names, but they are separate restaurants and are generally newer than Prince’s. “Oldest” claims can depend on whether a source means continuously operating, founding date, or family origin.