Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken reopens in Spartanburg with Oct. 29 grand opening

Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken is opening a new Spartanburg location on Oct. 26, with a grand opening and ribbon cutting set for Oct. 29 at 2161 E. Main St. The return gives the city a renovated restaurant, a free meal offer for early guests and another expansion for longtime franchise owner Harris Mullis.

Why it matters: - Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken is bringing a familiar brand back to Spartanburg after a long run built on fresh, never-frozen chicken and Southern-style service. - The opening adds a renovated restaurant and another South Carolina location for franchise owner Harris Mullis. - The launch also gives local customers a limited-time opening-day giveaway and a new dining option in the East Main Street corridor.

What happened: - Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken will open its Spartanburg restaurant on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. - The official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony are set for Thursday, Oct. 29, at 10 a.m. at 2161 E. Main St. - Doors will open to the public at 11 a.m. on Oct. 29. - The first 50 guests in line on opening day will receive a free 2-piece Breast Strip meal.

The details: - The Spartanburg menu will include bone-in chicken, strips, spicy wings and chicken sold by the piece. - The restaurant will feature Lee’s hand-breaded, fresh, never-frozen chicken. - Whistle 100.5 FM will broadcast live from the restaurant from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 29. - The station’s remote will include giveaways for guests throughout the event. - The new restaurant is in a newly renovated building designed to feel modern and inviting while keeping the brand’s warm atmosphere. - Harris Mullis owns and operates the Spartanburg location. - Mullis has run the Rock Hill Lee’s location since 2010. - Lee’s named Mullis Operator of the Year in 2022. - Lee’s says the Spartanburg opening reflects continued investment in South Carolina communities.

Between the lines: - The Spartanburg opening is part of a broader push to extend a proven franchise model into more local markets. - Lee’s is leaning on its core identity — familiar recipes, a renovated space and community partnerships — to win back and keep customers. - The company also is using the opening to reinforce its local ties, including plans to build partnerships with area high schools. - The brand says its chicken recently ranked in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards top 10 for fast-food fried chicken.

What’s next: - The Spartanburg restaurant will operate daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. - The location is expected to expand Lee’s presence in South Carolina alongside the Rock Hill restaurant. - The Spartanburg team plans to develop community partnerships after the opening. - More information is available on Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken’s website and on the brand’s social channels.

The bottom line: - Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken is turning a Spartanburg reopening into a community event, a franchise expansion and a reminder of the brand’s long-running appeal.