The Chicken Basket, a fried chicken staple that has fed Anderson families for more than two decades, will close its doors for good on Friday, Sept. 18. The restaurant, located at 4110 SC-24, announced the shutdown on social media, saying unexpected financial obligations, repairs and other expenses had become more than it could take on.
The restaurant will keep operating during its regular hours through Friday while supplies last, according to a report from Fox Carolina. Staff warned that some regular menu items may become unavailable as remaining inventory is served, per the restaurant's social media post. In its announcement, the restaurant said serving customers and getting to know them and their families had been an honor, and it thanked patrons for the meals shared and support over the years.
A Family Restaurant Built on Fried Chicken
The Chicken Basket has served the Anderson community for more than 20 years, according to the restaurant's own social media post. Husband-and-wife founders Jeff and Jackie Pittman opened the restaurant in December 1999, with Jackie serving as co-owner and chief financial officer until her passing in October 2014, according to the McDougald Funeral Home. After her death, Jeff's role at the restaurant is not specified here.
Jeff Pittman had started his culinary career roughly 40 years earlier at the Southern chain Po' Folks before founding The Chicken Basket. Over the years, the restaurant built its reputation on pressure-fried chicken and traditional sides, as noted by MomSkoop.
New Owners Took Over Just Six Months Ago
New management took over operations at The Chicken Basket in March 2026, per the restaurant's social media announcement at the time. Just six months later, the new operators are the ones now citing overwhelming repairs and financial obligations as the reason for the sudden shutdown, according to the same Fox Carolina report.
That timeline underscores how quickly thin margins can catch up with an independent restaurant during a change in ownership. Nationally, food and labor costs for U.S. restaurants jumped about 35% between 2020 and 2026, squeezing typical 3% to 5% profit margins and pushing menu prices up more than 30%, according to a June 2026 industry report from NACS analyzing National Restaurant Association data.
Repairs Are a Multi-Billion-Dollar Burden Statewide
The pressures facing The Chicken Basket's new owners mirror costs seen across South Carolina's hospitality industry. The National Restaurant Association report lists $2.92 billion in indirect and induced output for real estate and $0.43 billion for repair and maintenance in connection with South Carolina eating and drinking places in 2025, per a state economic report from the National Restaurant Association.
That same 2025 report recorded 11,726 restaurant locations across South Carolina, projecting $24.81 billion in direct economic output and $40.04 billion including indirect and induced effects, along with 251,803 direct jobs and 325,135 jobs including indirect and induced effects. Regional price changes are another factor affecting restaurant costs.
Part of a Wider Wave of Closures
The Chicken Basket's closure adds to a string of recent shutdowns across the Upstate. Hoodline previously reported on Quaker Steak & Lube's exit after 18 years. Nationally, restaurant closures have also been part of the industry's recent challenges.
The Chicken Basket had long been part of Anderson's dining scene and is now closing.
For now, what becomes of the property at 4110 SC-24, or whether the Pittman family's recipes and name might resurface elsewhere, remains unknown. What is clear is that after Friday, the restaurant will serve its last basket of fried chicken.
