Introducing Chook Chicken !
The business
Meet Chook Chicken
Chook Chicken is a Denver rotisserie chicken restaurant founded in 2018 by James Beard Award-winning chef Alex Seidel (Fruition, Mercantile) and Snooze A.M. Eatery co-founder Adam Schlegel. The idea came from Schlegel’s years in Melbourne, Australia, where “chook” is slang for chicken.
The kitchen keeps things simple and done right: whole chickens slow-brined overnight, rubbed with spices and cooked on a rotisserie over hardwood and mesquite charcoal. Alongside the chicken are veggies from the signature grill, house sauces like chimichurri, piri-piri and gravy, and sides built for sharing.
Chook is built for busy lives: a quick lunch, a family dinner that’s delicious, responsible and affordable, or a crowd to feed. Guests can dine in, take away or build catering orders online. Food is made without additives or preservatives and packed in compostable packaging, and the team now runs three restaurants across the Denver area, in Platt Park, Hale and Greenwood Village.
Chook opened its first shop in December 2018 and was a hit from the start. It’s fast casual with a sense of hospitality: guests order whole or quarter chickens at the counter, and everything is made from scratch in house, with plenty of allergy-friendly options. The Denver Post recently called Chook comparable to the city’s best chicken spots at a better price. Staff favorites include the quarter chicken with smashed cucumbers, mashed potatoes or charred mixed veg, the beets and berries salad, and the avocado chicken sandwich, which has been on the menu since day one.
Chook has stayed true to its sustainable ethos as it grows. Between 50% and 75% of the menu comes from local purveyors, a little over 1% of sales goes back to local schools and nonprofits, and the team promotes from within: today’s general managers and assistant general managers all started as line cooks or cashiers.
Business Overview
Chook Chicken
📍Denver, Colorado
“Our catering sales keep going up, and I just couldn’t deliver all the caterings myself. You guys have made it a lot easier for us.”
Challenge
Catering sales kept climbing, but Abby Sands, Chook’s Director of People and Culture, was delivering about 90% of catering orders herself. When two or three orders went out at once, the team had to say no or double up, and a gig app used in emergencies showed little accountability.
Solution
Metrobi gave Chook dependable drivers for every catering order. The rollout was quick and smooth, guests get live tracking and can reach their driver, and the Metrobi team responds quickly whenever Chook has a question.
Result
Catering orders arrive on time, guests have complimented how easy it is to track their food, and Abby has hours of her day back for HR, sustainability, events and operations across Chook’s three shops.
The Challenge
Why did Chook Chicken need a new delivery solution?
Chook’s corporate team is just two people, and catering deliveries fell to Abby Sands, the Director of People and Culture. She delivered about 90% of the company’s catering orders, on top of handling human resources, sustainability, catering and events and daily operations across the shops. As catering sales kept going up, multiple hours of her day were going to driving.
Busy days made it harder. When two or three catering orders went out at the same time, Chook either had to turn a delivery down or Abby had to take two at once, which meant one was always going to be a little late, and Chook prides itself on delivering on time. Asking in-house staff to drive wasn’t an option the team wanted, because of the wear and tear on employees’ cars and the insurance risk. A gig delivery app helped in a few emergencies, but drivers showed little ownership or accountability, and guests only got a rough delivery window.
The solution
How does Chook Chicken manage catering delivery with Metrobi?
Chook talked to several courier services before choosing Metrobi. Many were charging far more than expected, but Metrobi’s pricing was in line with what the team had anticipated, and it was the most responsive and the easiest to work with. Rolling out the partnership was quick and smooth, and the Metrobi team made sure every delivery went out without issues.
Now catering orders go to Metrobi drivers instead of Abby’s car. When Chook sets up a delivery, guests receive access to track their order and know how to get in touch with the driver if needed. The drivers have been some of the best Chook has worked with, and they show real care for every order.
The results
What changed for Chook Chicken after switching to Metrobi?
Guests see their catering arrive on time, and Chook has received compliments about how nice and easy it is to track an order. Knowing where their food is at all times, and being able to reach the driver, gives guests extra confidence. So far there haven’t been any issues with deliveries.
For the team, the biggest change is time. Abby no longer spends hours a day driving, and Chook doesn’t have to turn down catering orders when several go out at once. With delivery handled, the team can focus on great food, local sourcing and the guests who keep Chook busier year over year.
In their words
Abby Sands is the Director of People and Culture at Chook Chicken, a Denver rotisserie chicken restaurant with three locations in the metro area. On Chook’s two-person corporate team, she handles human resources, sustainability, catering and events, and daily operations across the shops.
