Proceeds to Benefit New Hazel Danielle Clayton Foundation Launching February 1st in Honor of Beloved Employee, Supporting Adolescent Education in Washington and Oregon.

Seattle, WA. (Jan. 29, 2024) – Ezell’s Famous Chicken, a fast casual fried chicken restaurant with 16 locations in Washington and one location in Oregon, is proud to celebrate its 40th anniversary this February. Started by one sister and two sets of brothers from East Texas, today founders Lewis Rudd, Darnell Rudd and their sister Faye Stephens are still active in day to day operations, joined by an extended family of about 300 employees. The family-owned and operated business, which serves up chicken, sides and more made fresh from scratch at each location, first opened its doors on February 3rd, 1984 in Seattle’s Central District after waiting six years for initial funding. Since opening it has gained a loyal fan base, made many famous friends, and has established a strong tradition of giving back to the community.

In honor of its anniversary, Ezell’s is bringing back its first-ever staff uniforms from 1984, which current staff will wear throughout the month of February. The company will also launch a “40 for 40” campaign, a heartfelt initiative to raise funds for local youth programs focused on education in the Seattle and Portland areas through the Hazel Danielle Clayton (HDC) Foundation. The HDC Foundation carries forward her work and legacy by supporting the childhood-education-related causes that were her passion. Throughout the month of February, guests can add a 40-cent donation to their online orders, in-restaurant orders or directly through Ezell’s website, which will benefit the foundation of the beloved employee who recently passed in 2023.

“Our anniversary is more than just a celebration - it’s a reflection of our history, our supporters and community, dedicated staff and the mouthwatering dishes we’ve been serving for four decades,” said Lewis Rudd, co-founder of Ezell’s. “We’re proud to launch the Hazel Danielle Clayton Foundation, which was created in honor of Hazel after her passing last year. The foundation will carry forward her community-driven work and legacy by supporting the childhood educational causes that were her passion.”

Since its opening in 1984, Ezell’s has had many highlights - several of which include:

Recognition from Oprah Winfrey, Jesse Jackson, Quincy Jones, the Seattle Seahawks and more, also establishing a strong tradition of supporting its local community.

In 1987, the Seattle Sonics and Seattle Seahawks partnership launched, and Ezell’s began bringing meals to the players of both teams, sometimes on the airport runway. To this day, Ezell’s feed Seattle Seahawks players nearly every week.

In 1990, Ezell’s was invited to cater Oprah Winfrey’s birthday in Chicago. The company co-founders made the trip to hand-make Oprah’s favorite food for her special celebration.

Ezell’s has participated in helping to pave the way for BIPOC businesses in the Pacific Northwest, lifting and amplifying voices of color through a variety of community involvement. In August 2021, Lewis Rudd and his brother Darnell Rudd, along with sister Faye Stephens, introduced the Rudd’s R.U.B.B. (Raising Up Black Businesses) Initiative, a precedent-setting initiative designed to financially empower Black-owned businesses in the Pacific Northwest. Today, approximately 30 businesses have received grants from RUBB ranging from $2500 to $5000 each totaling over $75,000 to Black-owned businesses from the greater Seattle and Portland areas.

This August, in honor of #NationalBlackBusinessMonth, Rudd’s R.U.B.B. Initiative is thrilled to announce the 3rd Annual Black Business Leadership Conference on August 17th at the University of Washington Seattle Campus. The conference aims to educate and elevate black business owners with networking opportunities, mentor meetups, educational workshops and breakout sessions, headshots and much more.

About Ezell’s Famous Chicken

Ezell’s Famous Chicken is family-owned and operated restaurant in the Pacific Northwest, with 17 fast casual locations: 15 Seattle-area restaurants, one in Spokane, Washington and one in Tigard, Oregon. Founded in Seattle 40 years ago, Ezell’s serves fried chicken, sides and more, all made fresh from scratch at each location. Started by one sister and two sets of brothers from East Texas, founders Lewis Rudd, Darnell Rudd and sister Faye Stephens are still active in day to day operations, joined by an extended family of around 300 employees. After waiting six years for initial funding, the family opened their first store on February 3, 1984 in Seattle's Central District. Since opening, Ezell’s has made many famous friends including Oprah Winfrey, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Quincy Jones, Norm from “Cheers”, Danny Glover, George Foreman and the Seattle Seahawks, and has established a strong tradition of giving back to the community. In August 2021, Ezell’s introduced the R.U.B.B. (Raising Up Black Businesses) Initiative, a precedent-setting initiative designed to financially empower Black-owned businesses in the Pacific Northwest. More information on Ezell’s Famous Chicken can be found by visiting https://ezellschicken.com.

###