George W. Church, Sr., a retired incubator salesman with more than 20 years in the poultry industry, conceived the idea of offering freshly cooked, quality fried chicken at a time when only hot dogs and ice cream were marketed fast-food style.

The first "Church's Fried Chicken to Go" was located in downtown San Antonio, across the street from the Alamo. George W. "Bill" Church, Jr. assumed chief operating responsibility for the family business in 1962.

In 1964 Church’s invented a domestic franchise program.

The Church’s family was bought out in October 1968, and in May 1969 Church’s Fried Chicken, Inc. became a publicly held company. At the end of 1969, over 100 Church’s restaurants were in operation in seven states.

At year-end 1974, there were 487 Church’s in 22 states with total revenues of more than $100 million. International expansion began in 1971 with the announcement of the first Church’s Chicken unit in Canada, followed by the formation of Church’s international division in 1979. Global growth of the Brand began in 1979, with the announcement of the first Church’s beyond North America. International franchisees initially established locations in Puerto Rico, Mexico and Indonesia, in addition to Canada.

By 1989, Church’s was the second largest chicken franchise organization in the United States. In 1989 Church’s merged with the number three chicken chain, Popeye’s® Famous Chicken & Biscuits. The Church's concept remained distinct and separate from Popeye’s®.

On November 5, 1992, America’s Favorite Chicken Company (AFC) – now called AFC Enterprises Inc. – officially became the parent company to Church’s Chicken®, and moved its operations to headquarters in Atlanta. AFC sold the Brand on December 26, 2004 to the global private equity firm, Arcapita Inc.

On August 4, 2009, Church’s was acquired by Friedman Fleischer & Lowe, a private equity firm based in San Francisco, California.