Ridgeland, a neighboring community, gets a new restaurant, so we follow the crowds to Abner’s Famous Chicken Tenders. The idea of basing an entire restaurant around what is usually an appetizer intrigues me … and likely sets unrealistic expectations. I mean, if the chicken fingers are the restaurant’s raison d’etre, they better be pretty good chicken fingers.
The restaurant is aggressively bright, with high-glare gymnasium-style lights hanging just overhead. The noise level is equally harsh, with happy white families and their 3.5 children squalling and squealing and running in every direction. With its sports decor (photos of players and ceiling-mounted college ball banners abound), Abner’s isn’t exactly directed at the 35+ gay crowd. It seems to do well, though, with the more likely target market: high school kids and thirty-something up-and-comers in search of a cheap, greasy meal.
Given that everything at Abner’s can be prepared in minutes by tossing it in a fryer, service is amazingly slow. When our order does arrive, it is carried by a Sweet Young Thing in a tight, thin t-shirt stretched over her ample bosom.
The fries are frozen; they’ve gone straight from the Cisco truck and into the vat of heated oil. The fingers themselves are mildly peppery and very tender, but nothing to write home about. The dipping sauce — ranch dressing with a little paprika stirred in — is equally bland.
If you’re a straight man in his late teens or early thirties in need of a family-friendly, brightly lit alternative to Hooter’s, Abner’s may well be the place for you. Otherwise, when the occasional hunger for chicken digits stikes, you’ll get more satisfaction for your money by going to Sam’s for frozen fingers and a FryDaddy.
We tried the Ridgeland, MS Abner’s for the first time on the night they opened. Since then, we have been back numerous times, and we really enjoy the food. I am the mother of two teenagers, and I am quite mindful of fashion trends which are embraced by that age group. I am by no means a prude, but it offends me when while eating my dinner, I have to gaze at waitresses wearing very low-cut blue jeans and very tight, short t-shirts. You might say that I don’t have to look at them. Not true. Sunday evening, while one young lady was tidying the soft drink area, she had to bend over to pick up trash on the floor. We were seated right next to this area, and we had the unfortunate experience of her bare behind being shoved in our faces several times. She reached back to try to pull her blue jeans up, but wouldn’t you know it, they were just too low. Then, as luck would have it, the garbage needed emptying. While she tugged and removed the liner lifting her arms above her head, her bare stomach, back, hips, and once again, that rear end, were shining for all to see – and only about six inches from our table. This seems to be the dress code for all young ladies who work in that particular Abner’s. I actually happen to think that low-cut jeans are cute on most girls; however, when they are working as waitresses, couldn’t they at least wear a shirt that is long enough to cover the body parts mentioned above? My family eats out very often, and I have never seen waitresses dress this way at any other restaurant. Makes me wonder if I’m at Abner’s or Hooter’s.
Do you want the sauce recipe?
It seems that where taste (food) leaves off, he thinks he can pick up with sex appeal. The food is really no better than you can make yourself at home with the same recipes
what is the sauce recipe?
Hello Mark,I was Googling a recipe for abners sauce and hit this page. when I saw your name and picture I realized that I had you for freshman english at Southern Miss – fall 1987. Lot of water under the bridge since then. I thought you were a pretty interesting guy back then – and after looking at the info on this site I have decided I was right. I graduated from the Business school with a Marketing and MIS degree and now manage computer systems for SAIC in Vicksburg. My wife just walked by – she reminded me that she used to go to church with you at Kensington in Hburg. We are living in Clinton now. Anyway – just wanted let you know I was here.BTW – have not found the sauce recipe yet.