# Take-out Fried chicken--hot or cold? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 21, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902 "2010-01-21T22:00:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/1 "2010-01-21T22:00:38Z")
Exactly what it says on the tin, folks. When you order KFC (or Popeye’s, or Church’s, etc.) do you like the chicken fresh out of the bucket. Or do you like it better after it’s been in the fridge overnight? ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/2 "2010-01-21T22:09:15Z")
I definitely prefer it hot, but cold is also delicious, as is room temperature. Well, of course it shouldn’t be stored at room temperature all day, but it’s fine at a picnic. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/3 "2010-01-21T22:13:19Z")
I answered cold, but actually like it room temperature. usually I nuke it after putting it in the fridge, and then I let it cool back down to room temperature. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/4 "2010-01-21T22:41:59Z")
Hot when I buy it, cold the next day is fine if it’s got a spiced breading. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheField](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@LilyoftheField](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheField)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/5 "2010-01-21T23:03:18Z")
I want some… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/6 "2010-01-21T23:14:04Z")
Um, hot, of course. It just doesn’t have that crispy deliciousness when it’s cold. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/7 "2010-01-21T23:39:07Z")
Definitely hot. The next day is doable, but I prefer it straight from the grill. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/8 "2010-01-21T23:52:34Z")
The OP weighs in: I like 'em both, but I answered cold. To me, it tastes a little less greasy. ---
**Author:** ![meflin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@meflin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meflin)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/9 "2010-01-22T00:16:39Z")
Why is there no option for both are best? 🙂 Meflin Who always gets a big enough bucket for both. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/10 "2010-01-22T00:29:03Z")
I did not respond because there was no “yes” option. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/11 "2010-01-22T01:43:08Z")
Hot. I hate it when the grease clots. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/12 "2010-01-22T02:38:18Z")
> [@meflin](#): > > Why is there no option for both are best? 🙂 > > Meflin > > Who always gets a big enough bucket for both. I also like it both ways. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/13 "2010-01-22T02:42:28Z")
> [@meflin](#): > > Why is there no option for both are best? 🙂 meh, you can’t do a poll with both as an option. A both vote is worthless and messes up the division. A both vote, is simply better as a non-vote. I didn’t vote because I like mine hot when fresh, but cold when day old. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/14 "2010-01-22T03:11:15Z")
Let’s put it this way. I like a cold leg of my Dad’s Bake-Fried Chicken pulled out of the fridge late at night with a glass of pop. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/15 "2010-01-22T15:18:52Z")
Cold is good but hot is better ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/16 "2010-01-22T15:37:39Z")
My fried chicken is better cold than store-bought; well, it’s better hot, too, but for some reason, I’m not fond of cold store-bought chicken. It just doesn’t have the shelf life. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/17 "2010-01-22T15:45:08Z")
I like KFC hot right when I bring it home, but KFC isn’t that great re-heated, so I eat it cold, which is its own brand of delicious. Actually, most fast food fried chicken is like this: Great hot, when fresh, but thereafter best cold. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/18 "2010-01-22T21:18:42Z")
> [@Mindfield](#): > > I like KFC hot right when I bring it home, but KFC isn’t that great re-heated, so I eat it cold, which is its own brand of delicious. Actually, most fast food fried chicken is like this: Great hot, when fresh, but thereafter best cold. Totally agree! However, since I discovered reheating the chicken in the oven and not the microwave, it’s much much much more palatable. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/19 "2010-01-24T00:13:24Z")
I much prefer it hot. Cold chicken just tastes off to me, and the off taste persists even if the chicken is reheated. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902/20 "2010-01-24T00:23:56Z")
For me, happiness is a bag/bucket of cold fried, or broasted, chicken. When we lived in Wisconsin broasting chicken was very popular and one of our favorite restaurants usually had day-old cold bags you could buy to take home with you…heaven [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-out-fried-chicken-hot-or-cold/525902.md?page=2)