The real reason I’m such a cheerleader for Bojangles’

Here at the Axios Charlotte, it’s been important for us from day one to work with partners we believe in. There’s just no incentive for us not to. We bank with Bank of America, we work in an office property managed by Trinity Partners, some of us have had babies with Atrium Health – you get it.

So when I write about how much I love Bojangles’, it stems from my real life. My coworkers and lunch-mates can attest to this.

Here are five reasons I love Bojangles’ on the surface, and the one real reason my loyalty goes deeper.

(1) Bojangles’ is one of the only foods my body will accept when I’m hungover. Many a college weekend morning started for me with an egg and cheese biscuit and a HUGE Legendary Iced Tea. I’m happy to say I don’t need it for that reason nearly as often in my late twenties, but on the rare occasion I do find myself needing the carbs, Bojangles’ is there for me.

(2) Breakfast all day means that I can sleep in and still get my brunch on.

(3) I’m an on-again, off-again vegetarian and because there’s breakfast all day, I’ve always been able to order something substantial at Bojangles’. Eggs can serve as a critical protein source, any time of day.

(4) Coffee, coffee, more coffee. 

(5) The surprisingly healthy and delicious Grilled Chicken Salad is a go-to work lunch of mine. I hate it when grilled chicken salads have cold, refrigerated chicken on them. Blech. The Bo Time version has warm, freshly grilled chicken on a bed of crisp lettuce and Monterey Cheddar cheese. At around $5 and 290 calories, it’s become a regular fallback for me on days when I can’t bring my lunch.

And here’s the real story.

My grandmother lived in Puerto Rico my whole life and her annual-ish visits were a Big Deal. She was a brilliant (Princeton Ph.D.), well-traveled woman with a pleasantly loud presence and a killer Scrabble game. She had expensive taste and she taught me from a very early age that certain splurges – especially when it comes to travel – are worth it.

Every time we picked her up from Charlotte Douglas, what was our first stop? To get a 2 Piece Dinner at the Bojangles’ on Old Dowd. I kid you not. She would always pronounce it Bo-HAN-glays, and she ate it with relish. Trust me when I say it left an imprint to watch a woman with Louis Vuitton luggage insist on a fried chicken dinner as her first meal on North Carolina soil, every single time.

The heart wants what it wants.

Granny passed away when I was in high school, but to this day when I leave the airport and pass that Bojangles’, I hear “Bo-HAN-glays” in my mind, smile to myself, and often stop for a meal or at least an Iced Tea.

Bojangles’ is a staple of Southern food culture but even more than that, it has staked a lovely, small claim in my family history.

Did Bojangles’ sponsor this story? Yes. Will I continue to be a Bojangles’ customer for life, even if they hadn’t?

Absolutely.

(Note: This content was co-created with Bojangles’.)