Frankenmuth, Michigan: Bavarian Chicken Rivalry

This chicken, Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, and Frankenmuth are essentially unofficial rites of passage for any young Michigander.

The food at both places is great. Endless family-style comfort food with a Bavarian twist. Unless you are a hipster health-nut, you should be able to enjoy it. Zehnder's also has excellent filet mignon with a mushroom-based sauce. Both restaurants rely on a faux-Bavarian or colonial atmosphere, complete with staff costumes.

The entire city is definitely full of Roadside goodness, such as Bronner's Christmas Wonderland.

Neither of us really enjoyed our very beige chicken dinner, but it's a very strange experience that's worth doing once. And never again.

Either one has great food. The town is a great place to visit; chicken dinners, fudge, and lots of shops to browse through.

Two rival all-you-can eat Bavarian fried chicken restaurants, Zehnder's and the Bavarian Inn (the latter with Frankenmuth-style(TM) chicken!) owned by cousins in the same family who have a clear hatred for each other. Each restaurant can seat over 1000 people simultaneously. The restaurants are basically identical but each have their own local Bavarian-style beer, local girls as waitresses in revealing Bavarian bargirl costumes, and of course the all-you-can eat fried chicken menus that certainly contribute more than their fair share of that famous Midwestern cellulite found throughout the region in copious sagging buttocks. Both restaurants have websites where you can admire the costumes and results.