Big Chicken

Big Chicken
The Big Chicken in Marietta, Ga., as seen on Jan. 28, 2017. (Photo by Todd DeFeo/The DeFeo Groupe)

Overview

The Big Chicken, located along Cobb Parkway in southern Marietta, is a true Atlanta landmark.

Motorists reference the 56-foot-tall big chicken when giving directions. Radio stations mention it when describing traffic. Airplane pilots even use it as a landmark for navigation.

Today, the Big Chicken is a bit of an anomaly, something unique at a fast food restaurant. Cobb Parkway is a string of urban sprawl, one fast food joint after another. Originally built as more or less a marketing gimmick, the chicken has been embraced by locals and has remained a landmark for more than 45 years.

After it was damaged by a storm in 1993, KFC debated whether to rebuild the Big Chicken. The community seemed to be in agreement: The Big Chicken was a local landmark and needed to remain; KFC shelled out $700,000 to rehabilitate the restaurant and restore the giant bird to working order.

Today’s incarnation of this local icon features a moving beak and rotating eyes.

Quick Facts

Status
Existing
Locality or neighborhood
Marietta
State or province
Georgia
Address
12 Cobb Pkwy. South, Marietta, GA 30062
Postal code
30062
About Sightseers’ Delight 995 Articles
Sightseers’ Delight started publishing in June 2016. The site, published by The DeFeo Groupe, collects and curates content about places where historical events large and small happened. The site builds off the legacy of The Travel Trolley, which launched in June 2009. The site aimed to be a virtual version of the trolley tours offered in so many cities.