Food & Drink
California Crispy Chicken Chain Plans Seattle Debut
Starbird will open locations across Seattle beginning next year
By Rob Smith December 16, 2024

The chicken wars are heating up.
California fast-food crispy chicken chain Starbird is planning 15 locations across Seattle and two in Spokane, beginning next year. It joins several other chicken chains opening across Seattle, including Crimson Coward, Raising Cane’s, El Pollo Loco and Jollibee. Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken also recently opened in Climate Pledge Arena.
The Seattle locations and seven planned in Denver are Starbird’s first outside of California. Mehta Investment Group, led by Vin Mehta and his son, Rohit, is the franchisee. Mehta owns several hotels and restaurants in the Pacific Northwest.
Starbird, founded in 2016, says its chicken is free of antibiotics, is never frozen, and is also gluten-free. The chain last year was named the winner of Nation’s Restaurant News’ Chicken Showdown.