For some time, one of my favorite places to eat has been Koo Koo Roo, a chain that I suppose comes under the broad classification of "fast food" but not exactly. The Southern California-based operation was founded in 1987 by two brothers who believed in offering non-fried, non-frozen fare…like their skinless broiled chicken, served with an array of mostly-fresh veggies and side dishes. They quickly expanded their menu to include rotisserie chicken and turkey, and expanded their reach throughout the state and to a few others. Eventually, there were 44 outlets and I ate in at least 18 of them.
But despite my patronage and that of others, it's been a rocky life for Koo Koo Roo. The company was briefly solvent enough to acquire the Hamburger Hamlet chain but went through a dizzying series of management shake-ups and takeovers. Not long ago, it was purchased by a different hamburger company, Fuddrucker's, which has downsized to eighteen stores. Rumors are that even they've been failing and almost every time I've walked into one lately, there's been a new experimental menu item like roast beef or burritos or some kind of weird toasted sandwiches that I never saw anyone order. Tonight, I walked into one and discovered it's now a combination Koo Koo Roo and Fuddrucker's. That's right: The Koo Koo Roo chain, founded on the idea that people want a healthy alternative to burgers and fries, is now selling…burgers and fries.
I'm sure the parent company is optimistic but this smells like the beginning of the end of Koo Koo Roo to me. The chain's been getting smaller and smaller and now they're even being squeezed out of their own shops. There's also a schizophrenic quality to the place encouraging, as it does now, a mix of people who watch what they eat and people who don't care. My guess is they won't come together; that we'll eventually see all the Koo Koo Roos close or turn into Fuddrucker's. Sure hope I'm wrong.