At least 100 people camped outside Tacoma’s new hot chicken restaurant. Was it worth it?

For several months, a Los Angeles-based chicken shop slinging combo meals of Nashville hot tenders and sandwiches promoted the heck out of its first out-of-state restaurant.

Locally owned by longtime Tacoma residents Burhan Saleh and Kasey Gano, the newest Al’s Hot Chicken shared tantalizing images of lunch trays brimming with deep-red fried poultry, coleslaw and pickles peeking from buns’ edge, sauces awaiting a cooling dip. The brand, founded by Abdad Al Masri in 2019, also advertised on Instagram, a move that catapulted its grand opening to camp-out level anticipation.

I purposely visited this hot new restaurant Sept. 30, during its soft opening. The drive-thru line was about a dozen cars deep for at least two hours, and sell-out crowds followed over the weekend.

There I met three Silas High School students — Daylin Jones, Landon Koltes and Mikui Shedore, all 16 — who had arrived 18 hours early to ensure they were one of the first 100 customers the following morning. They had done the math: around $600 worth of free food was on the line.

In April, Al’s Hot Chicken Tacoma announced that the first 100 customers on opening day would win free chicken every week for one year. More than 10,000 Instagram followers ensued.

A FIRST TASTE OF AL’S HOT CHICKEN TACOMA

Latisha Riel and her two nieces also visited on Friday. They tried a variety of spice levels and mostly enjoyed it, she said, adding they were surprised by how the heat of this dry-rub style lingers on your lips.

“I’d come back,” she said.

I overhead one customer order the L.A’s hottest, for which the restaurant has you sign a waiver.

The brief menu focuses on combo meals with à la carte add-ons.

▪ Combo No. 1, the most popular, includes a sandwich, one tender served classically over a slice of white bread and fries for $12.99.

▪ Combo No. 2 includes two sandwiches and fries for $13.99.

▪ Combo No. 3 includes two tenders and fries for $11.99.

▪ Mix and match your heat levels. I ordered the No. 1 with a hot (level 4) sandwich and one medium tender (level 3).

▪ Add a tender to any combo for $4.75, a sandwich for $6.75, a waffle or more fries for $4.95 each. I added a mild tender, bringing my bill to $22 with a medium fountain drink.

▪ The difference among the middle-three spice levels was nominal. I would order the extra-hot (level 5) next time and try the L.A’s Hottest (level 6). Stick with country (level 1) if you prefer a straightforward seasoned fried tender.

▪ Certain sauces come standard with certain spice levels. The hot, for instance, is paired with Al’s Hot Sauce. With medium and mild, it’s Al’s White Sauce, similar to tartar.

While I liked the coleslaw on the sandwich, I really enjoyed the thick, crinkle-cut pickle chips, which also arrived atop the tenders. The chicken itself could be crispier, and on the sandwich the serving could be bigger; it felt like another tender between a burger bun.

You can also opt for one tender and two waffles, loaded fries, salad or mac and cheese with your choice of chicken ($10.99-$13.99).

ABOUT THAT FREE CHICKEN...

“You’re going to stay here all night?!” I asked the trio of high-school students. Part of me was shocked that a new Tacoma restaurant had attracted such attention; the part of me that loves hot chicken and lamented its nonexistence here prior to this moment thought, “That sounds about right.”

Jones had caught wind of the giveaway on Instagram, and it spread like the juiciest of gossip through the school, he said. “We tried to keep it secret — we told people it was the 2nd,” he joked.

At least 20 of their friends would be joining them in a few hours. They assured me that in addition to tents, they had tables, games, food and water to power them through the night.

Around 10 p.m., Saleh and Gano launched a live video to show the growing line of about 50 people, according to Shedore. The owners posted another live video before signing off around midnight — it seemed the 100-mark had been met. They asked everyone to “show their face” and to be cordial to one another: no blocking the drive-thru lane or parking spots, and absolutely no cutting.

“We are the chicken people,” said one fellow in line with a friend. “We made it!” said another sitting on the trunk of their car, the last in line at that moment in time.

The sun shining over a blue sky Saturday morning, Saleh went live again to show the happy faces of 100 people about to win 52 free meals. “This is what missing out looks like!” he wrote.

Just before 10 a.m., Shedore messaged me with two photos: “Got our free chicken passes.”

Note that the chicken is fresh-never-frozen, hormone-free and halal, which was an important selling point for franchise owner Saleh, whose family is from Yemen. It’s also cooked to order.

AL’S HOT CHICKEN TACOMA

▪ 2102 Mildred St. W, University Place, 253-327-1783, hotchickenllc.com

▪ Daily 10 a.m.-midnight (or sell-out)

▪ Details: Nashville hot-style fried chicken tenders on bread, buns and waffles; fast-casual order at the counter or drive-thru, indoor dining and patio seating

This story was originally published October 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.