Chicken fried steak gets its day

If a holiday can be declared for mangos and pancakes, why not chicken fried steak? After all, it’s a beloved part of Texas culture, so thought Jeffrey Yarbrough, a past president of the Texas Restaurant Association and marketing maven. After getting turned down by several commodity and government agencies, Yarbrough turned to state representative Ralph Sheffield, a restaurateur turned politician. “He said, ‘Podner, I think I can do that for you. It would be a great thing for our state and I can put it on as a special in my restaurant in Las Casas.’ A few weeks later, I received a signed House Resolution proclaiming October 26 Chicken Fried Steak Day,” Yarbrough recalls.

He prepared a press release and sent it out across Texas. Restaurateurs ran promotions and jumped on the free publicity, some garnering TV spots and newspaper coverage. “It turned out to be one their biggest days in terms of traffic and sales,” Yarbrough says. His advice to operators in other states: “See if there is a natural time or a slow period to celebrate your state’s iconic dish—whether it’s fish tacos or cheesesteaks. Then go to someone in the legislature that is a supporter of our industry and possibly a fan your restaurant.”