The fuzzy line between the man Morgan Spurlock and his work results in a thorny legacy for the late, disgraced documentarian’s most influential film, Super Size Me, which turned 20 this year.
There’s an awkward scene toward the beginning of Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! — the unheralded sequel to the Oscar-nominated Super Size Me documentary — where Morgan Spurlock calls to inquire about procuring a bank loan to buy his own chicken farm. “Are you a filmmaker?” the bank manager asks, upon learning that the caller’s name is Morgan Spurlock. “Yes, I’m a filmmaker,” Spurlock answers, “and a chicken farmer. ” The audience is clued in on the joke; the plot centers around Spurlock raising chickens for his new farm-to-table fast-food restaurant, Holy Chicken. When the manager abruptly terminates the call, we all know why.
By the time he made the second Super Size Me movie, Morgan Spurlock was well-known, even to a loan officer in a small Alabama town. Also, America’s food consciousness had grown in the 15 years between the two movies. Spurlock became an unwitting prophet for a new generation of “foodies” who saw fast food and everything it stood for as the enemy. But after a public scandal over admissions of abuse and sexual harassment during the peak of the #MeToo movement in 2017, his career never recovered. Spurlock had remained largely out of the public eye for years before his death on May 23 in New York of complications from cancer at age 53. His passing came as a shock to many, myself included, who were unaware of his illness. In light of his problematic behavior, eulogies were few and far between.
When I heard the news, I had just finished an assignment for Eater that made me think a lot about Spurlock and his legacy. As a tribute to the 20th anniversary of the movie Super Size Me, I did his famous experiment with Sweetgreen salads again. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be to eat 30 bowls of Sweetgreen in a row. It was much easier on my stomach than a month’s worth of Big Macs and french fries were on his. The exercise left me with an even deeper appreciation for his self-sacrifice, all in the name of pushing the American food system outside its comfort zone. If I barely survived two weeks of salad, I doubt I could’ve survived a full month of McDonald’s.
I remember seeing Super Size Me in a crowded theater when it premiered in 2004 at the Angelika Film Center in downtown Manhattan. Americans were beginning to wise up to the dangers of processed food, but we needed a push. Super Size Me felt less like a documentary and more like an act of protest. It was eye-opening, and I never thought about fast food the same way again.
The film was a surprise hit, an unusual feat for a documentary, earning more than $22 million at the box office despite a shoestring budget of only $65,000 — and its impact on food, agriculture, and film is undeniable. “From the beginning, Morgan wanted to challenge what documentary could be in a time when the majority of the industry saw it as a singularly niche genre,” wrote Jeremy Chilnick, his former business partner, in a LinkedIn post commemorating his loss.
Along with other influential contemporary cultural documents, like Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation in 2001 and Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma in 2006, Super Size Me changed the way many Americans think about fast food by exposing the nefarious underworld that sustains it. Its success ran parallel to the ascent of “foodie” culture at a time when televised reality shows like Top Chef (whose inaugural season aired in 2006) transformed cooking into a spectator sport and feature films like Sideways (which came out the same year) depicted characters who cared deeply about food and wine. This very publication launched as a food blog in 2005, further fueling the public’s growing fascination with restaurants and food culture. A new generation of culinary enthusiasts had emerged, a more discerning (and, yes, sometimes haughty) audience whose rejection of fast food and pursuit of the “slower” variety became inextricably linked to its identity.
Having just spent so many hours immersed in the original Super Size Me movie in preparation for my Salad Size Me experiment, I was struck by the prescience of Spurlock’s self-conscious filmmaking style. Though the film preceded the launch of the iPhone by three years, many of the scenes in the movie feel like they could’ve been shot on one. By casting himself as the protagonist of his own misadventures, Spurlock was one of the first filmmakers (along with Michael Moore) to turn the camera on himself, delivering voyeuristic pleasures for audiences in a way that foreshadowed today’s TikTok and Instagram content.
Two decades later, McDonald’s is still raking in over $25 billion in annual revenue, fueled in part by the 115 million Americans who still consume fast food every day. But trends in quick-service restaurants have changed significantly. “Fast-casual” brands like Shake Shack and Sweetgreen have emerged with an eye on higher quality (or “healthier”) food, ethical sourcing, and sustainability. What I learned from replicating Spurlock’s experiment with Sweetgreen is that many of these burgeoning fast-casual concepts have evolved into mission-based lifestyle brands that meet today’s food-savvy consumers where they are. It’s difficult to imagine this seismic shift having happened without Super Size Me.
“Morgan Spurlock achieved what most artists only dream: he actually changed the world with his art,” read a post on X by Brett Morgen, a fellow filmmaker who directed the David Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream. Just months before Super Size Me’s official theatrical release in May 2004, McDonald’s retired the super-size option from all its restaurants. Though the company claimed the film had nothing to do with the decision, the buzz around its premiere at Sundance earlier in the year and fear of backlash likely spurred McDonald’s preemptive action.
Spurlock ultimately directed 23 films and produced nearly 70 over the course of his career, including POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold and Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? Following his #MeToo confession, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2017, was abruptly pulled from Sundance that year and summarily dropped by its distributor, YouTube Red, terminating a $3.5 million deal. It was released two years later with a new distribution partner, but by then, Spurlock had stepped down from his production company, Warrior Poets, and his reputation had been damaged irreparably.
In the aftermath of his death, questions still remain surrounding his most famous film’s authenticity. In his #MeToo confession, Spurlock admitted to struggling with alcoholism for years, including during the production of Super Size Me, casting serious doubts on the film’s revelatory health claims. But despite its unreliable narrator, the film deserves a place in the canon of influential documentaries that scrutinize the American food system, along with Food Inc. (2008) and Forks Over Knives (2011). “Super Size Me is yet one more example of how storytelling — even imperfect storytelling — has the ability to move mountains, at least a little,” wrote Tim Carman of the Washington Post after Spurlock’s death, “Mountains like McDonald’s.”
The chalkboards adorning the walls of every Sweetgreen that tout the company’s farmer partners are a legacy of Super Size Me, direct evidence of the impact of Spurlock’s work on our foodways. He crawled under the fast-food industry’s skin, exposing hard truths and creating the need for greater transparency. Even if there were holes in the story, it was a story we all needed to hear. Eventually, however, the truths he exposed about himself proved to be the most irreconcilable ones.
Sitting in that crowded movie theater 20 years ago, I may not have felt the winds of change blowing. But, when I walked out, I knew I would never look at a Big Mac the same way again. Thousands, if not millions, of people felt the same way.
Adam Reiner is a freelance food writer based in New York City. His first book The New Rules of Dining Out: A Guide To Enjoying Restaurants is due out in fall 2025.
When it opened in the early 2010s, Holy Chicken was a new fried chicken chain that looked like it was destined for success. With its focus on creative flavors, high-quality ingredients, and modern store design, Holy Chicken made a lot of noise and quickly spread across the Southern United States. But after only a few years, the brand went out of business and all of its stores closed. What went wrong with this restaurant idea that failed so quickly? Looking at the story of Holy Chicken can teach us a lot about how hard it is to succeed in the very competitive fast food industry.
The Promising Start of a “Divinely Delicious” Chicken Chain
Holy Chicken was founded in 2011 by a group of entrepreneurs who wanted to elevate fast food with a new take on fried chicken They sourced premium ingredients when possible, experimented with bold seasoning blends, and developed menu items beyond just chicken, like artisanal sandwiches and salads The first location opened in Atlanta, GA and quickly gained a loyal following of customers drawn to the juicy, flavorful chicken served in a sleek, modern environment very different from established chains like KFC or Popeyes.
Buoyed by positive reviews and word-of-mouth excitement Holy Chicken began an aggressive expansion primarily across the Southeast. Over the next 3 years, nearly 80 locations opened, including a mix of company-owned restaurants and franchises. For a time, the future seemed bright for Holy Chicken. Its focus on quality ingredients and innovative flavors appeared to fill an unmet consumer need in the marketplace.
Cracks Emerge in Holy Chicken’s Business Model
However, the brand’s rapid growth soon exposed some critical flaws in its business model. Here are some of the major issues that began plaguing Holy Chicken:
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Inconsistent quality and service: As more franchises opened, Holy Chicken struggled to maintain consistent food quality, customer service, and overall experience. New franchisees lacked training and corporate oversight was inadequate.
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Supply chain challenges: Securing a steady supply of high-quality ingredients became difficult as the chain expanded. Menu items varied widely between locations.
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Changing customer tastes: Instead of the heavy fried chicken that Holy Chicken was known for, people started to like grilled and lighter options. Competitors introduced healthier menus.
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Identity crisis: Holy Chicken lacked a distinct brand identity beyond its initial novelty. Marketing messages failed to resonate as the concept became less differentiated.
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High costs: The expense of premium ingredients and modern builds made it hard to keep prices affordable as other costs like labor increased. Profit margins suffered.
These issues created substantial headaches for Holy Chicken. As complaints from customers grew, sales dropped, stores closed, and the company had to start discounting to bring in customers, which made the brand even less valuable. Trouble was brewing.
The Sudden Collapse of the Would-Be Contender
Despite efforts to correct course by tweaking menus and backpedaling on aggressive expansion plans, Holy Chicken was unable to overcome its missteps. By 2014, only 3 years after its auspicious debut, the chain was in a downward spiral.
The final death knell came when Holy Chicken filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2015, sunk by unsustainable debts and liabilities. The company’s assets were liquidated and remaining restaurants were shuttered. A promising brand that once dreamed of competing with the major players in fast food was washed up.
So what went wrong with Holy Chicken? What can other restaurants learn from its sudden failure?
Key Factors in Holy Chicken’s Demise
Several pivotal factors came together to topple Holy Chicken. Examining them provides insights for restaurants seeking success in a risky industry:
Aggressive Growth Outpaced Infrastructure
Holy Chicken’s hastily executed expansion was plagued by problems:
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Many new franchisees lacked experience and strong unit economics know-how.
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Corporate support infrastructure was inadequate. Supply chains, systems, and training scrambled to keep up.
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Rapid growth overextended corporate finances, leaving little margin for error when problems emerged.
Inconsistency and Lack of Quality Control
Rapid growth resulted in extreme inconsistency between locations:
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Food quality and preparation fluctuated widely, frustrating customers.
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Customer service and hospitality also suffered without proper staff training.
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Weak corporate quality control failed to enforce standards as locations proliferated.
Failure to React to Shifting Consumer Preferences
Holy Chicken was slow to adapt as customer tastes evolved:
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Health-conscious diners sought out lighter, grilled options while Holy Chicken stuck to indulgent fried fare.
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Customers increasingly wanted transparency about ingredient sourcing and preparation. Holy Chicken fell short.
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New menu rollouts missed the mark. Efforts to innovate felt like too little, too late.
A Weak Brand Lacking a Coherent Identity
Holy Chicken’s brand positioning was fuzzy beyond its initial launch:
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The novelty of elevated fast food fried chicken quickly faded. Holy Chicken lacked a compelling second act.
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Its marketing messaging was inconsistent and failed to nurture a distinctive personality.
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On social media and other platforms, it had little engagement with customers post-launch.
Pricing and Cost Issues Squeezed Profits
Holy Chicken’s commitment to quality ingredients carried a hefty price tag:
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Food costs pinched profits as high-quality ingredients ate into margins.
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Labor costs increased over time, especially as service problems resulted in more staff churn.
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Their positioning prevented going low-cost to drive traffic as brands like KFC could.
Ambitious but poorly executed plans, shifting consumer preferences, and a weak brand crippled Holy Chicken. Its flameout shows the fine line between hot concept and cautionary tale in restaurants.
Could Holy Chicken Rise Again?
Though unlikely, some believe the basic idea behind Holy Chicken still has potential if executed differently:
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Focus first on nailing operational excellence in a small number of locations.
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Bring in experienced franchisees committed to the brand’s vision.
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Create a consistent customer experience by codifying and enforcing strict quality control from day one.
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Build a memorable brand identity with a strong social media presence and consistent messaging.
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Understand and cater to target customers’ preferences through thoughtful menu innovation and transparency.
For any resurrected version to succeed, the mistakes that torpedoed the first iteration of Holy Chicken would need to be studiously avoided.
Key Takeaways from the Cautionary Tale of Holy Chicken
The rapid rise and fall of Holy Chicken underscores the immense challenges of making it in the restaurant business. Its story provides several lessons for aspiring restaurateurs:
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Don’t let heady early growth cloud judgment – lay a solid operational foundation first.
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Quality control can’t be an afterthought – it makes or breaks customer loyalty.
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Understand who your customers are and what they want – don’t rely on gimmicks.
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Build a memorable brand identity with consistent messaging and service delivery.
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Adapt quickly but thoughtfully to evolving consumer preferences.
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Don’t expand too fast, too far beyond your ability to support operations.
Holy Chicken had potential but ultimately crumbled under the weight of its own missteps. Restaurants aiming for more than a flash in the pan need to heed the cautionary tale of this fried chicken upstart.
The story of Holy Chicken is a sobering reality check on just how difficult it is to achieve lasting success in the highly competitive restaurant industry. Their rapid demise underscores the need for strategic growth, sharp branding, adaptability, and operational excellence. While Holy Chicken is gone, the lessons learned from its failure can help guide the next generation of ambitious food service brands to execute better and fly higher. With careful planning and a laser focus on the customer, the right restaurant concept still has the potential to flourish.
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The Tragedy Of Super Size Me’s Morgan Spurlock Just Got Sadder & Sadder
FAQ
What happens at the end of Holy Chicken?
At the end of the film, Spurlock’s Holy Chicken pop-up restaurant opens in Ohio to much fanfare. Customers are greeted by a wall that explains the chickens’ real journey, from hatchery to farm to fast-food table.
Why did Holy Chicken close?
In recent years, Holy Chicken faced mounting financial challenges that ultimately led to its closure. Rising costs of ingredients, labor, and rent took a toll on the restaurant’s profitability. Holy Chicken did not benefit from economies of scale like larger fast-food chains did. This made it especially vulnerable to the effects of rising costs.
Is Holy Chicken coming back?
But as it turns out, Holy Chicken was just a four-day pop-up, and, aside from a similarly temporary run in Manhattan this month, there have been no announcements about plans to open any future iterations of the restaurant.
Where can I watch Super Size Me 2 Holy Chicken?
“Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” hits theaters nationwide Sept. 13 and is now available to stream through on-demand services like iTunes and Amazon Prime Video. Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock investigates the dark side of the chicken industry in his new film, “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!”.
Was Holy Chicken a good restaurant?
Yes, Holy Chicken had a dedicated following and a reputation for its delicious chicken sandwiches. **2. Did Holy Chicken face financial struggles?** Yes, Holy Chicken encountered financial challenges due to increasing costs of ingredients, labor, and rent.
What does Spurlock’s Holy Chicken Sandwich mean?
The sandwich itself is symbolic of what Spurlock and food industry experts call the “health halo” which surrounds a variety of foods being offered up by big companies these days. At the end of the film, Spurlock’s Holy Chicken pop-up restaurant opens in Ohio to much fanfare.
What happened to the Holy Chicken?
Spurlock released a sequel film, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, in 2017, to be distributed by YouTube Red, but it was dropped following Spurlock’s admission of sexual misconduct. Samuel Goldwyn Films instead distributed the film in September 2019.
Is Holy Chicken still a restaurant?
But as it turns out, Holy Chicken was just a four-day pop-up, and, aside from a similarly temporary run in Manhattan this month, there have been no announcements about plans to open any future iterations of the restaurant.
What did Morgan Spurlock pass away from?
A publicist named David Magdael said that Spurlock died Thursday, May 23, in New York of complications from cancer. He was 53 years old. Spurlock’s brother, Craig, was quoted in the statement. “It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” he said.
What happened to Holly Farms chicken?
