Don’t Cook Tonight, Call Chicken Delight! The History of a Classic Fast Food Slogan

The jingle “Don’t cook tonight call Chicken Delight!” is one of the most iconic and memorable slogans in fast food history. This catchy phrase helped make Chicken Delight a household name during the chain’s heyday in the 1960s and 70s. In this article we’ll take a nostalgic trip back in time to explore the origins and impact of this classic advertising slogan.

The Birth of a Legendary Slogan

In 1952, businessman Al Tunick started Chicken Delight in Illinois. This is where the story starts. He found a way to cook juicy fried chicken quickly in hot oil while experimenting with deep fryers he bought from a restaurant that was closing down.

Tunick started opening small Chicken Delight take-out and delivery places when he realized this cooking method could be used for fast food. But the clever slogan “Don’t cook tonight” really made the new chain famous when it was used in ads in the late 1950s of that decade.

With more women working outside the home after World War II the slogan tapped into a growing need for convenient home meal options. The phrase encouraged customers to let Chicken Delight do the cooking so they could relax and avoid the hassle of cooking dinner. It was an appealing message that made the brand stand out from competitors.

Soaring Success in the 1960s

The ploy worked incredibly well. Chicken Delight had grown to over 1,000 locations by the 1960s, thanks in large part to TV and radio ads with the slogan. At the time, it was the biggest chain of its kind in North America.

The restaurants served up tasty fried chicken, pizza, ribs, fries, and more for eating in, takeout, or delivery. But it was always the “Don’t cook tonight, call Chicken Delight” tagline that stuck in people’s minds and drove business.

In the United States and Canada, it became common for busy families to call Chicken Delight for dinner. The jingle was played everywhere, making it a pop culture icon of the time.

Changing Times in the 1970s

However, the 1970s brought challenges for Chicken Delight. Competition from bigger chains like KFC and McDonald’s ate into market share. Quality control issues across franchises also damaged the brand’s reputation.

A major legal battle resulting in Chicken Delight losing its franchise contract system led the company’s parent firm, Consolidated Foods, to abandon the American operations entirely in the early 1970s. The Canadian wing of Chicken Delight purchased the remaining U.S. assets in 1979.

Although still fondly remembered, “Don’t cook tonight” faded from its peak prominence as Chicken Delight downsized. But the slogan had already secured its place in the pantheon of great fast food taglines.

Legacy of an Unforgettable Slogan

Today, though Chicken Delight is just a small fraction of its former size, the “Don’t cook tonight” slogan remains one of the most iconic phrases in the history of the fast food industry. For a generation who came of age in the 60s and 70s, it evokes nostalgic memories of a revolutionary era in American dining.

The brilliance of the slogan is that it focused on the customer pain point Chicken Delight solved – the burden of cooking dinner – rather than just the food itself. It encouraged a behavior rather than simply touting a product.

So next time you don’t feel like slaving in the kitchen, think of that catchy Chicken Delight jingle that still resonates with so many decades later. Don’t cook tonight, order in, and enjoy a delicious meal from the comfort of your home. The slogan may be retro, but the convenience is timeless.