Chicken Wars: The Chicken Shops of Pittsburg, Kansas

Pittsburg, Kansas might not be known for fried chicken, but perhaps they should be.  

For nearly 80 years, two chicken shops have been serving home-style meals to customers in Pittsburg. Pichler’s Chicken Annies technically began first but was quickly followed by Chicken Mary’s. Yes, two similarly named restaurants with similar food options within a two-minute walk from each other seems a bit odd, but that is just the way it has been and will continue to be.  

This Facebook post highlights the "Chicken Wars" of today: online discussion.

It might be dramatic to call the modern-day relationship between these two restaurants one of war, but an article in The New Yorker from 1982 depicts a ‘battle’ that broke out when it was suggested that the county commission name the road that both restaurants are on “Chicken Annie’s Road.” The matter was later tabled, but the papers had already titled the discussion as the “Chicken Wars.” I encourage you to read this article for yourself – it is deeply fascinating.  

The families of the two chicken shops have had disagreements before, and as they told the reporter of The New Yorker article, both families hold nothing personal against the other. They simply let bygones be bygones.  

Chicken wars are definitely interesting, but the similarities of the two restaurants go beyond what they serve.  

Anne Pichler began serving chicken dinners from her home in 1934 after her husband, Charles Pichler, was severely injured in a mining accident in 24 Western.  

Charles was the son of Austrian immigrants and met Anne in 1914. After the mining accident, his leg was amputated, meaning Anne would now have to be the breadwinner of the family.   

Anne prepared all the food by hand, serving chicken dinners for only 75 cents. While Anne took care of the finances and cooking, Charles helped with food preparation, bartending, and running the register.  

Despite being located in the countryside, visitors were glad to make the trip for some of Anne’s fried chicken.  

Mary Zerngast and her husband, Joe, share a very similar story to the Pichler's. Joe was a German immigrant who began working in the coal mines around Pittsburg. He had to quit the mines once his health declined, so Mary began preparing fried chicken meals and serving them from their home in the early 1940s.  

Joe and Mary Zerngast

Mary did not post business hours and instead served guests as they came, no matter when. Eventually, they could not fit their growing customer base in their home, so they bought a building, then later built the place where Chicken Mary’s stands today.  

The coal mines created uncertain times for these two families, but Anne and Mary embraced what they already knew how to do – cooking – and served meals that people still turn to for comfort and familiarity.  

When faced with difficult situations, these two women took it upon themselves to support their families, and in turn they created legacies that would outlive them both. Perhaps some friendly competition is a good thing in the end.  

How can you use your skills to create your own legacy?