by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Just about every Sunday, Chuck Jensen sets aside a couple hours to eat dinner.
That’s not a trip to the grocery store, purchasing the goods, the ride home, time spent cooking, eating and then cleaning up.
It’s two hours of hardcore, sit-down, bring your wet-naps, pull-up-a-chair-and-stay-a-while eating.
Jensen’s meal of choice?
Barbecue chicken — dark meat — and a couple sweet potatoes that waitresses keep replenishing as he downs piece after piece and disposes in a basket within tossing range.
Yes, Jensen — also known as “The Chicken Guy” — is a big fan of the all-you-can-eat chicken special at Woody’s on Sundays.
“I can eat forever,” said Jensen. “I really don’t get full.”
Jensen works for the City in its Information Technology Department, but any potential stigma attached with those who work on computers, servers and the like is quickly dispelled once they see him.
A bodybuilder, Jensen needs the massive amounts of protein and calories — between 10,000–15,000 a day — to compensate for his frame and workout regimen. Without such intake, he rapidly loses weight, he says.
Eating out can be expensive for him, but when Jensen isn’t packing his own lunch (in numerous containers) he eats out, though it is difficult to find places that can compensate for his need to feed.
“I’ve tried just about every all-you-can-eat place in town,” he said, noting that he has been asked to leave a couple establishments during his culinary travels.
Woody’s is happy to oblige, though, and he’s become a regular to both the original location at University Boulevard and the Durbin Crossing location (with his family) off U.S. 1.
“Chuck has become a regular and is pretty famous around here,” said Tammy Poudrier, Woody’s marketing director. “We’re happy to have him.”
The first time he visited the original location and much to the surprise of the staff on hand, Jensen ate faster than the cooks could prepare his meals.
“All jokes aside, the first time he came in, he ate 13 whole chickens,” said waitress Shontrell Washington.
It’s part of Woody’s mantra of “giving the customer what they want” said Poudrier, which the longtime local barbecue staple has done for 30 years now. It celebrated the milestone earlier this month with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the original location followed by a spare ribs eating contest — which Jensen won by downing around 22 in a 10-minute time frame.
“I like the chicken,” he said of the accomplishment, “but I like the ribs, too.”
The Woody’s brand has been cutting more meats than employees and services in the down economy, too, and actually has expanded. Stores in Raleigh, N.C., South Carolina and an August opening in Palatka will expand the company’s reach even further in the Southeast.
“For the way the economy is, we’ve grown slowly but smartly,” said Poudrier. “When it picks back up, it’ll be even better.”
All franchise owners are required to train in Jacksonville at the original store to adhere to quality standards. That means everything from waiting tables and cooking to the financial books and cleanup.
“They all come down here,” said Poudrier, “to learn everything ‘from soup to nuts.’”
Just because they’ve successfully expanded doesn’t mean they haven’t been cost conscience. Internal steps such as energy efficiency lights and fryers along with waste practices have been employed to save.
While they’re known for the traditional barbecue fare, Poudrier also noted the efforts to expand the menu with items that might not traditionally be on barbecue menus. Items like steaks, an array of salads, burgers and fried seafood are available and are popular, she said.
For customers like Jensen, though, if it’s not the chicken, it’s the ribs or the beef or any of the menu items he can find and enjoy.
Lucky for him, a lot of the menu items can be upgraded to all-you-can-eat for an additional $2 — and he usually gets his money’s worth.
356-2466