If you walked into the corner of Peachtree Street and 10th in mid-2000s Atlanta, you weren't just going for lunch. You were going for a pilgrimage. The smell of frying oil and yeast hit you before you even saw the sign. Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles was more than a restaurant; it was a vibe, a landmark, and a piece of soul music history served on a plate.
It was loud. It was crowded.
People didn’t mind the wait because the Empress of Soul had her name on the door, and the food actually backed it up. You had celebrities sitting next to college kids from Georgia Tech, all of them tearing into thick, Belgian-style waffles and fried chicken that had just the right amount of seasoning.
But things changed. Honestly, the story of this place is as much a cautionary tale about business and family as it is a success story about comfort food.
Why Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles Became a Legend
Before the drama and the legal battles, there was the food. Most people think "chicken and waffles" and they think of Roscoe’s in LA or maybe Wells Supper Club in Harlem. But Gladys Knight—along with her son, Shanga Hankerson—brought that specific Harlem-born tradition to the South in 1997 and made it an Atlanta staple.
It worked. Boy, did it work.
The flagship location on Peachtree Street became the go-to spot. You’d see the "Midnight Train" special on the menu, a nod to her 1973 hit, which usually consisted of four jumbo wings and a waffle. It wasn’t fancy. It was just right.
The secret was the contrast.
You had the salty, crispy skin of the chicken hitting the sweet, syrup-soaked ridges of the waffle. It’s a flavor profile that shouldn't work on paper but feels like a hug in practice. They didn't reinvent the wheel; they just greased it with better butter.
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Success led to expansion. They opened locations in Lithonia and a smaller spot in the Cascades area. For a while, it seemed like the brand was invincible. It was even featured on the Travel Channel's Man v. Food, where Adam Richman tackled the "Midnight Train." That kind of national exposure turned it from a local favorite into a "you have to go there" tourist destination.
The Downfall Nobody Saw Coming
Everything looked great from the outside. Inside the books? That was a different story.
Around 2016, the Georgia Department of Revenue stepped in. This wasn't just a small clerical error; it was a massive investigation into Shanga Hankerson’s business practices. The state alleged that millions of dollars in sales and withholding taxes had been collected but never paid to the government.
It was a mess. A total disaster.
Agents actually raided the restaurants. They walked in, shut the doors, and hauled out records. While Gladys Knight herself wasn't accused of any criminal wrongdoing, her name was the one on the sign. Her reputation was at stake.
The legal fallout was swift and brutal. Hankerson faced felony charges. The state eventually took over the business through a receivership to try and recoup the $1 million-plus debt.
The Battle for the Name
The saddest part for fans wasn't just the tax issues; it was the public rift it caused. Gladys Knight eventually sued her own son. She wanted her name and likeness removed from the business. Imagine being a global icon and having your brand tied to a tax evasion scandal you didn't even start.
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She won that fight.
In 2017, the court ordered that the restaurants could no longer use her name. The signs came down. The "Midnight Train" effectively left the station. The remaining locations were rebranded simply as The Chicken and Waffle or similar variations, but the magic was gone. Without the Knight name and the family connection, the soul of the place evaporated.
By the time the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the remnants of the empire were already on life support. The Peachtree location—the heart of the whole operation—finally closed its doors for good.
What We Get Wrong About the History
People often think Gladys was in the kitchen. She wasn't. While she provided the star power and some of the family recipes, Shanga was the operator. This distinction is important because it highlights the risk of celebrity licensing.
Also, many people assume the "chicken and waffles" combo is a Southern invention. It’s actually not. Its roots are firmly planted in the Jazz Age of Harlem, specifically at places like the Wells Supper Club in the 1930s. Musicians finishing late-night sets at 3:00 AM couldn't decide if they wanted dinner (fried chicken) or breakfast (waffles), so the kitchen combined them. Gladys and Shanga were essentially bringing that Northern-urban tradition back down to Atlanta, which makes the restaurant's rise even more interesting from a cultural standpoint.
The Legacy of the Peachtree Street Era
If you go to that corner today, the building is different. The vibe is different. But you can still talk to almost any long-time Atlanta resident, and they’ll have a story about a late Saturday night at Gladys Knight’s.
They’ll talk about the "Midnight Train." They’ll talk about the cornbread.
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It served as a bridge. It was a place where Black excellence was celebrated through hospitality. Even though the business ended in a legal quagmire, the impact it had on the Atlanta food scene remains. It paved the way for dozens of other upscale soul food concepts that now dot the city.
How to Recreate the Experience (The Right Way)
Since you can't go there anymore, your best bet is to look at the foundations of what made their food good.
- The Chicken: They used a dry-brine method. Salt and pepper your chicken at least four hours before frying. This ensures the meat is seasoned all the way to the bone, not just on the skin.
- The Waffle: Use a malted waffle mix. That slightly nutty, toasted flavor is what separates a diner waffle from a frozen one.
- The Heat: Don't just use syrup. Use a spicy honey or a dash of hot sauce in your syrup to get that sweet-heat contrast that the original restaurant perfected.
Moving Forward From the Legend
The era of Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles is officially over, but the lesson remains: a brand is only as strong as its back-office operations. For travelers and foodies looking for that same energy in modern Atlanta, you have to look toward spots like The Busy Bee Cafe or Old Lady Gang, which carry on the tradition of high-quality soul food with celebrity ties.
If you're looking for the best way to honor that legacy today, stop by a local, independent soul food spot. Don't just go to the chains. Find the place where the owner is at the register and the recipes have been passed down for two generations.
Actionable Steps for Foodies and Entrepreneurs
- Research the Operator: Before investing time or money into a celebrity-backed venture, look at who is actually running the day-to-day. The "name" is the marketing, but the "operator" is the longevity.
- Verify the Taxes: If you own a small business, automated tax withholding tools are non-negotiable. The downfall of the Knight-Hankerson empire was entirely preventable with proper accounting.
- Support Legacy Businesses: Seek out "Legendary" status restaurants while they are still open. Many historic soul food spots are struggling with rising rents in urban centers.
- Master the "Sweet-Salty" Ratio: When making this dish at home, use salted butter on the waffle to balance the sugar of the syrup and the savoriness of the poultry.
The "Midnight Train" may have stopped running, but the flavor profile it popularized in the South isn't going anywhere. It’s baked into the DNA of the city now.
Next Steps for Your Search:
- Check out the current menu at The Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta for an authentic alternative.
- Look up the history of Wells Supper Club to understand the Harlem origins of the dish.
- Review the Georgia Department of Revenue’s public filings if you want the deep technical details of the 2016 tax case.