Lettuce Entertain You launches a fried-chicken concept

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises is adding fried chicken to its offerings at Navy Pier.

The Chicago-based restaurant group tomorrow will open a new brand, Big City Chicken, adjacent to its two dining concepts at the tourist destination, Frankie's by the Slice and Big Bowl Chinese Express.

Big City Chicken, which will offer fried chicken strips and sandwiches, was developed by chef Tom Hockett, creator of Lettuce restaurant M Burger.

The brand joins a long list of additions to the pier's food court, which is in the midst of a major renovation and a massive turnover in food options.

Frankie's and Big Bowl were the first entrants into the renovated space in late 2014. Since then, the pier has announced contracts with other prominent Chicago-based restaurant groups in hopes of attracting a more local crowd to the pier.

Soon to debut in the new food court will be a 3,000-square-foot DMK Burger Bar as well as Goddess and the Baker, a baked goods and specialty coffee-focused version of Goddess Restaurant Group's Goddess and the Grocer deli and sandwich shops.

West Loop-based Southern food and whiskey restaurant Porkchop signed on for a 1,000-square-foot space in the 30,000-square-foot food court.

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