Dame’s Chicken and Waffles, a popular Black-owned restaurant chain in Greensboro, North Carolina, is hoping to add on “famous” to their name with their unique twist on the trend. 

Randy Wadsworth and Damion Moore, UNCG alumni and owners of Dame’s Chicken and Waffles, opened their first Dame’s in 2010. While the first location was in Durham, they went on to open two more locations in Greensboro and Cary within the past 10 years.

The eatery has become a local favorite and serves residents and visitors classic breakfast and soul food, with their own twists on flavored waffles and butters. 

Asia Smith, N.C. A&T business administration alumna and manager of Dame’s, acknowledges that there is stiff competition in regards to chicken and waffle restaurant chains. She says their signature menu gives customers an unmatched experience, as compared to other restaurants.

“A lot of chicken and waffle places serve only one [kind] of chicken and don’t offer a variety of choices,” Smith said. “We have wings, drumsticks, and chicken cutlets, which is like a boneless chicken breast that you can get grilled, panko-crusted or fried.” 

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Along with the chicken the restaurant offers five waffle flavors on the menu, which are classic, sweet potato, organic blueberry, vegan, or gingerbread. Their signature flavored butter “shmears” will make you forget about syrup with flavors like strawberry-crème, vanilla- almond and peach-apricot. 

Smith also says she is aware of the common stigma surrounding black-owned businesses and shares how she experienced it first-hand prior to managing Dame’s. 

“[Dame’s] is very committed to good customer service and I believe it’s because of the stereotype with Black-owned business,” Smith said. “Customers can seem a little negative when it comes to the [Black] customer service. Dame’s [owners] always stress great customer service, because they want to stand out from the Black-owned restaurants that get negative feedback.”

Additionally, there are seven side dishes that range from their spicy ‘Mean’ collard greens, cheesy ‘Ceci’s’ macaroni and cheese and southern potato salad. Their seafood house specialties like Mimi’s Sassy Shrimp and signature breakfast creations like ‘The Barnyard Honcho’ are great for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Even though the chicken and waffle restaurant trend has become a favorite here, as well as across the nation, Smith says that the “odd” pairing of chicken and waffles is what she’s heard many customers confess to when they would explain what has kept them from eating at Dame’s. 

“[I would just encourage newcomers] to come and try it! — as we serve other items [besides chicken and waffles],” Smith said. “I always say don’t knock until you try it. I haven’t had anybody I’ve offered to come and sit at Dame’s that hasn’t liked the food here.”

N.C. A&T students and alumni who haven’t tried Dame’s Chicken and Waffles can find them in downtown Greensboro on 301 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Due to  COVID-19 precautions, dine-in service is closed at 3:15 p.m. with to-go orders proceeding until close. 

Since the announcement of North Carolina going into Phase 3 by Gov. Roy Cooper, the hours of operation are:

• Tuesday-Thursday from 11 am- 9 pm
• Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., 
• Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and
• Mondays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.