WALNUT CREEK, CA — Starbird Chicken, a crispy-chicken-obsessed, fast-food chain launched five years ago in the San Francisco Bay Area, next week is launching its newest location in Walnut Creek — marking the May 24 grand opening with a $5 deal for new customers.

The new site, at 2849 Ygnacio Valley Road, will be the second in the East Bay and the ninth Northern California location for the business, that began as a ghost-kitchen with high hopes to transform the fried-chicken scene.

Starbird founders set out in 2016 to create crispy-chicken perfection ("keeping all the good parts and fixing the bad") combining antibiotic-free, locally raised chicken, with hand-breading in a proprietary blend of gluten-free flour and spices, and served with house-made sauces.

The Walnut Creek street-side restaurant will celebrate its grand opening Monday by offering guests $5 off after their first in-app purchase. Find the app link here.

Among Starbird menu options are such sandwich specialties as the Nashville HotBird (Nashville Hot Chicken, slaw, dill pickles, Greek Yogurt Ranch, mayo), the Korean Fried Chicken (crispy chicken, gochujang glaze, honey miso slaw, cucumber, green onion, sesame seeds) and the Hot Honey Chicken (chicken, Mike's Hot Honey®, chipotle slaw, pique sauce, sweet pepper relish, mayo).

Taco selections include: the California Roll Taco (crispy chicken, slaw, avocado, sesame seeds, wasabi aioli); and the Señor Baja Taco (chicken, slaw, pimento cheese, green onions, taco sauce).

Also on the menu are hand-chopped salads, tenders, wings, and the plant-based concept, Gardenbird.

"Since the start of Starbird Chicken, we've been committed to upgrading the fast-food marketplace by creating a product that offers a level of quality, convenience and tech-driven customer experience that is unparalleled in the fast food landscape," said Aaron Noveshen, founder and CEO of Starbird Chicken.

Starbird Chicken stepped up during the pandemic, launching a "Match a Meal" program at all locations, allowing locals to donate lunches and dinners to Bay Area hospitals — an effort that resulted in more than 3,000 lunches and dinners served to regional healthcare and frontline workers.

The new Starbird Chicken in Walnut Creek will offer dine-in, carry-out and contactless delivery through its website, mobile app and third-party delivery. Hours will be Mondays to Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m., and Sundays 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Follow this link for more info and menu details.

The other East Bay site is a cloud kitchen in Oakland, at 2353 E. 12th St., offering takeout and delivery.

Other Bay Area locales are in: Campbell; Sunnyvale; San Jose; Foster City; Levi's® Stadium; SFO Terminal 1 Location; and San Francisco Cloud Kitchen. The brand plans future expansion in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, management said.

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