Chicken Kingdom & Seafood — Restaurant in Trent Hills

I’ve lived here forever and eaten here a 1,000 times (Shout out to the Dixie Lee era!!!) and never experienced the service we did tonight.

I decided to celebrate with some soft ice cream after soccer tonight with my young lad. Lord knows McDonalds makes more than enough and let’s be honest… B&C was always the best (RIP) so “the chicken store” it was. We walked in to a very overtired lady who is generally very nice. We had yet to have ice cream there this year so I politely asked - do you have ice cream yet? The response was “ya only for the last six weeks”, she was over it looking at the clock. I couldn’t understand what the attitude was for until she opened her mouth again: “we’re closed at 8, what did you want” again staring up at the clock. Admittedly it was 7:58, I wouldn’t have been thrilled myself as a worker. I honestly didn’t know they closed at 8 or I NEVER would have stopped. I replied we were just looking for two small cones. She looked at the machine, looked at me again and said ok we close at 8 I’m going to do this first and moved toward the dining room where she had been cleaning tables. No problem we will wait I thought but then she proceeded to again mutter they were closed at 8 and she had already worked 48hrs this week. I understood her frustration but I’d rather take my business somewhere that wanted it and decided to leave. I figured if anything she would be relieved so she could clock out. She moved to close the sign and lock the outside door, we entered the little hallway and she stood in-front of me. Admittedly, at this point I wasn’t thrilled. It was late, I was just trying to get a cone so I could get my son home happy after soccer. I said “move please, we’re going somewhere else”. Oh come on she said and wouldn’t move. I said no - we are leaving get out of the way - she had already locked the other door or I would have just turned around. I didn’t raise my voice, I matched her tone and imagine - she didn’t like it. I got into my vehicle and what happened next was absolutely insane, entirely over dramatic and quite honestly at this point, amusing. She proceeded to stare at my vehicle, mouthing my license plate to herself. She then went to get her cell phone to take a picture of my vehicle - I politely waited so she could get a good photo. I did nothing wrong aside from leave and tell her to move.

I’ve worked in the service industry for the vast majority of my life, this was not acceptable - even by Chicken Kingdom, small town standards. People are tired I get it, and I’m sorry I came in just before close I am but the experience...

My experience was terrible!!!! I ordered takeout, and was met with a scorned manager (MARY) accusing my teenage daughter of not fulfilling her duties on the job. Mary was combative and rude as I expressed this is a place of business. My daughter needed time off for surgery and was under the influence of narcotics and was pressured to get back to work. I am disgusted with this so called “manager “ I have ordered from this establishment for many years and this is the last time. Mary you state “you have no idea where I got that from “ in regards to my child returning to your establishment, however you seem to have a lapse in memory as I was present when we came in to this “ place of business “ after her surgery, and you questioned her on her ability to come back to work ASAP. You are a terrible “boss” and your ability to direct is disgraceful. You are a BULLY.... too bad this teenager had back up, as I am sure your cowardly self would never expect...

Chicken Kingdom is HILARIOUSLY out of place in 2025- it’s iconic.

Places like this just don’t exist anywhere else- it’s got to be the only privately owned fried chicken restaurant I’ve ever been to and the food is inarguably competitive with pop-eyes or KFC in terms of the fried chicken

The atmosphere is wild- I’m of an age where I remember when even McDonalds felt like this- a little microphone for the cashier to call back orders and being able to see the equipment they’re using hasn’t been updated in decades (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it).

It’s not like this is the best chicken youve ever had in a cool fun retro atmosphere but it’s damn good chicken in a very old fashioned family-fast-food place and it’s respectable for sticking to that.

It’s a funny little relic from an almost forgotten time and it doesn’t need to try hard because it knows...