Official Fried Chicken has reopened as a brick-and-mortar operation across the Twin Cities suburbs, with three new locations now serving bone-in chicken dinners, tenders and sandwiches in Edina, Woodbury and Inver Grove Heights. The comeback marks a full-circle moment for a brand that started as a single South Minneapolis storefront, spent years cooking for stadium crowds, and is now betting on a suburban expansion model that stretches beyond Minnesota's borders.
According to Bring Me The News, the three restaurants are located at 5125 Edina Industrial Blvd. in Edina, 1960 Donegal Dr. in Woodbury, and 9043 Broderick Blvd. in Inver Grove Heights, all open daily from 10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Reporter Christine Schuster, a St. Paul-based writer for the outlet, notes that the chain — known by its abbreviation OFC — is also expanding beyond Minnesota, with plans to open a location in Tiffin, Iowa. The menu at the new stores includes dirty sodas, fruit refreshers, vanilla soft serve, and sides like mashed potatoes and gravy and mac and cheese alongside the signature bone-in chicken.
From a South Minneapolis Storefront to Stadium Concessions
Official Fried Chicken launched as a restaurant concept in 2022, the brainchild of Minneapolis restaurateur Jared Brewington, who had previously built the local southern comfort spots Funky Grits and Thigh Times Birdhouse, according to Heavy Table. The original standalone shop opened near Minnehaha Falls in South Minneapolis in May 2022 but closed in early 2023, after which the concept shifted to operating through a virtual kitchen at Curie Food Hall in downtown Minneapolis, as reported by Heavy Table and Racket MN.
During that gap between storefronts, OFC kept its name in front of hungry crowds by moving into Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium, per Bring Me The News. Concession listings from MLB.com and U.S. Bank Stadium show the chicken was served in Section 133 at Target Field and in Sections 238 and 313 at U.S. Bank Stadium, making it a rare bone-in fried chicken option among Twin Cities sports venues. That ballpark run paid off in local recognition — Minnesota Monthly named OFC among the state's top chicken destinations in a June dining feature, specifically calling out its Target Field concession as a favorite ballpark meal.
The Broaster Method Behind the Menu
OFC's kitchen model leans on Broaster 1800 commercial pressure fryers, a technique first developed in Beloit, Wisconsin, by L.A.M. Phelan back in 1954, according to a Heavy Table profile of the brand. Pressure frying cooks whole chicken faster while sealing in moisture, reducing grease, and eliminating the need for costly kitchen hood ventilation systems — a setup that lines up with the brand's lean, low-overhead approach to opening new stores. That same efficiency-first model appears central to how the chain plans to scale into new markets.
Franchise documentation from Tennyson Development LLC shows OFC has structured a national franchise expansion strategy, with a flagship location planned for Bloomington, Minnesota, at 98th Street and Lyndale Avenue, intended to serve as an operational blueprint for future operators. Beyond Bloomington and the Tiffin, Iowa location noted by Bring Me The News, OFC's own Facebook page announced plans to enter Naperville, Illinois, signaling that the suburban Twin Cities push is just one piece of a broader retail rollout.
Dirty Sodas Ride a National Trend
The addition of dirty sodas to OFC's menu taps into one of the fastest-growing beverage trends in fast-casual dining. Beverage Industry reported on Torani market research showing consumer awareness of dirty sodas — carbonated soft drinks mixed with flavored syrups and cream — grew from 56% to 75% between 2025 and 2026, with fast-casual menu penetration expanding 42% nationwide. That timing gives OFC's new suburban stores a beverage lineup built around a drink trend that's still climbing.
A Crowded Field for Fried Chicken in the Twin Cities
OFC's suburban debut also lands amid growing fried chicken competition in the metro. Chicago-based Harold's Chicken announced plans in July to open a sports bar and rooftop location in Uptown Minneapolis, a sign that both regional chains and homegrown Twin Cities brands are chasing the same fast-casual chicken customers.
Brewington, who sits on the Meet Minneapolis board of directors, has also been a vocal voice on restaurant industry policy. MPR News reported that in November 2024, he publicly opposed proposed Minneapolis labor standards regulations, citing existing labor shortages and rising operational costs facing small restaurant owners — a backdrop that helps explain why OFC's growth has landed in the suburbs and beyond rather than back in the city where it started.
