Lettie's Kitchen — Restaurant in Hockessin, Delaware

I ordered my food and drove down to pick it up. They didn't have a record of my order. I looked on my phone and was able to show I called 26 minutes earlier. They put the order in and said one price. I noticed the sign that said they preferred cash so I gave them cash. Then they told me that was the wrong price and asked for $6 more. I said okay and paid it. When the order came out, the one person told me I was already to go. The other person said I wasn't. Then they couldn't decide if they gave me the right amount of chicken. The owner came out and asked me what was the matter because I was just standing there. I told him my order had been screwed up 3 times. I wasn't yelling. I was matter of fact and I told him what happened. He started yelling at me that they are 15 years old and I need to cut the a break. He walked away, then came back and asked me my name. I told him. He looked the order up and started yelling at me again because he was able to get the chicken out in 8 minutes and they are 15 years old. I told him I understand but as a business owner, he should be aware when there are problems. The one person came out with my sides and I left. I got home and put the food out for my family only for my son to bite into a leg and have a very long hair fried into it. It wasn't even pulling out. I did notice that the person cooking the chicken had long hair that was not in a net. We got a picture of the leg because I know how much people rave about this place. I had a very poor experience.

Reply to owner. I did not give your staff a hard time. When they had to put the order in, I asked how long it would be. That is because I knew they said it would take 30 minutes when I called and they were telling other customers the same. When they asked for more money, all I said was okay. When they put the food down I asked if I should take it or not because there was a disagreement between them. There were 2 other customers , a couple sitting at the table. Another woman came in, got her order and left. You may not have realized your tone or level of your voice. I don't have a recording of the conversation. You asked me about what was going on. I wasn't going to say anything. I was going to take my food and leave. You came back at me a second time. I understand you were busy and you probably just took your stress out on me. I can bring you the chicken leg if you...

I will be back. Presently. I never take the time to review products or services online, im to busy and probably lazy, but Lettie's is the exception to my rule!!! The food here really is like something out of a dream. I called ahead, which is a good thing because i was told it would be about an hour wait for chicken (which was fine because i live about a half hour away and on a friday night with traffic i was there in less then that. I got there about 45 minutes later and was greeted by a very cheery young woman and the man i had spoken to on the phone who had graciously set a side of pasta salad for me til when i got there (i was concerned that it would sell out b4 i arrived lol, and so he put a pint to the side for me). Everyone was so friendly. It appears that the buisness might be ran out of their home? It is clean and warm and a feeling of nostalgia settled over me the second i was through the door. It has been converted into a small dining area featuring a huge coldcase with side dishs (potato salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, soups etc), a few freezers (one with sodapop and drinks, and another with frozen homemade soups that are to die for! I LOVE 💓 the maryland crab) and about 5 or 6 small wooden tables & chairs. Although it was busy with a few people hanging out waiting for their food and many customers walking in and back out with their orders, it didnt feel to crowded in the dining room and i was in and back out again within 15 minutes. I decided to take the food home to eat at my kitchen table this time but i want to stress that i would still come here during lunch and sit and eat at a table- its has the feel of a mom and pop type of shop. Quaint. The fried chicken is the best i have ever eaten. It is better then Walts chicken in Wilmington, DE, which used to be my favorite. Walts's chicken couldn't hold a candle to Lettie's chicken- im just sayin, it really is the best. Imagine the perfect equation of crispy, delicious, perfectly seasoned, not greasy, fried-chicken-crack! I will be a regular from now on! The blueberry cobbler was exquisite!...

I'd been hearing great things about this place and I love fried chicken so yesterday I gave it a try.

The service was terrible. The kitchen is open to the order area and that small space was packed with four people working on different foods, several other people came and went seemingly at random. Two people were assembling food-one a salad, the other twice baked potatoes- neither were wearing gloves.

It took a couple of minutes before anyone asked me about my order, which I had called in. The young man began assembling my order then unaccountably disappeared. After a couple minutes the young woman at the register realized what happened and finished gathering my order. As I exited, the disappearing man was found on the porch, chatting with another staff member.

After all that hassle, my fried chicken was very nearly too salty for me to eat, and I like salt. My kid's chicken parm sandwich (The North Star) was inedibly salty.

If you like rude, chaotic, noisy service, a kitchen that allows bare hands in your food, and more salt than the ocean, this...