321 E. Emmett StreetIs it possible for me to pass up gas station chicken?
I don’t think it is.
I was in Battle Creek earlier this week kind of driving around aimlessly. I needed gas, a bathroom and a Pepsi. Not sure how I found all of those things plus a chicken place.
Cooper’s Express is a “branded food program” based in Missouri….like so many other gas station chicken places. The only places in the area that has a Cooper’s Express is the Marathon C-Store on Emmett and McKinley in Battle Creek. This Marathon underwent a major overhaul over the last couple of years taking it from a small run down building to a large new building that dominates the corner.
The gas station is much larger than what’d you expect in a neighborhood. This place looks more like a right off the highway gas station than in the middle of the neighborhood gas station. I grabbed my drink and tried to hit the bathroom after getting gas but the bathrooms are locked. I put the pop back, went to the cashier to get the key, used the restroom then grabbed the pop again and headed towards the chicken counter.
The chicken area is next to the cash register kind of tucked in to the corner. The menu is kind of at a weird angle on the wall behind the glass case but it’s easily readable. The case was full of chicken, potatoes and sides and it all looked pretty fresh which is always a crapshoot with chicken from a gas station.
I ordered the Three Piece Tender meal which came with a side. I picked the Jo-Jo’s (potato wedges). The cost just for the food was right around $8. I added on a bottle of Pepsi and a bottle of CORE water so it was a little more expensive. All the food was tossed in to one box so it made eating on the go a little easier.
I started with the Potato Jo-Jo’s as I drove away from the gas station. They were pretty typical wedges for gas station food. They’re crispy on the outside and light and airy underneath. There is a bit of seasoning on the outside but they probably would have been betting with dipping sauce. I knew I was going to be eating in the car though and I struggle to keep sauces off my shirt when I do that so I just went at them as they are.
The three chicken tenders in the box were quite large and very juicy. The menu says they have some Cajun seasoning on them but it wasn’t super noticeable. The only thing I really look for in gas station chicken is a crunchy breading covering up juicy meat and these tenders did that. Like the fries, there wasn’t a ton of flavor and they would have really benefited from some hot sauce but as an on the go meal, they were quite tasty on their own.
I don’t have super high expectations when I buy chicken from a gas station. It’s not meant to be restaurant quality chicken. It’s meant to be something quick and filling. Cooper’s Express was both and it was good. It would definitely benefit with some sauce but I didn’t want to chance it. It was good chicken without it and filled me up for the rest of the night.