An Oak Cliff staple is closing after decades of serving what many customers call the best chicken in the metroplex.
On Tuesday, customers lined up for hours outside Rudy’s Chicken on Lancaster Road in Dallas to get one last meal before it closes.
Almost everyone waiting in line had a story.
“I’ve been coming out here every weekend since I was fifteen,” said Julius Greene, a North Texas Fort Worth native.
For others, the memories stretch back even further.
“Seventeen years I’ve been eating Rudy’s Chicken,” said Edward Brewer, a dessert chef.
Old habits die hard. Brewer said he often goes to Rudy’s three times a week.
“Ain’t no doubt,” he said. “I don’t want that commercial stuff. I want some Rudy’s Chicken. I ride the train over here.”
Long lines are not unusual at the restaurant, but this week felt different. After about 30 years in business, the restaurant announced it is closing. A sign posted on the window states the final day of operation will be Saturday, Feb. 28.
“It hurts that it’s going away, you know. I hope that it’s going to go, and then reappear,” Greene said.
News of the closure spread quickly on social media, even drawing a reaction from Olympic sprinter and Dallas native Sha’Carri Richardson, who responded in disbelief.
Customers said they were willing to endure the wait.
“I waited for three hours, and I got two whole chickens,” said Dana Brooks. “My back hurts, my feet hurt, everything hurts. But it was worth the wait.”
In 2013, Rudy’s Chicken received nearly $900,000 from the City of Dallas to help fund a new building, citing its popularity and impact in southern Dallas.
For many, the restaurant represents more than a meal.
“Rudy’s to Dallas is like grandmother and grandpa down there in the country when we go down to see them,” Brewer said. “We’re glad to go. We want to go see them because they paved the way for us.”
NBC 5 briefly spoke with founder Rudolph Edwards’ nephew. He declined to say why the restaurant is closing but acknowledged its longstanding role in Dallas’ food scene.