The interview
CRISPY SOUL answers
The 40 questions our customers ask most, and our clear answers. Halal fried chicken, waffle burger, ordering, allergens, hours, franchise.
01 What is CRISPY SOUL?
CRISPY SOUL is a premium American street food group born in Paris. We serve ultra crispy halal fried chicken, waffle burgers, handmade waffles and homemade lemonade. We draw on the chicken and waffle tradition of Harlem and on 90s US rap culture, reinterpreted in our own way.
02 Who created CRISPY SOUL?
CRISPY SOUL was founded by Houssine and Younes, two friends of more than fifteen years, passionate about American culture and 90s US rap. Inspired by the chicken and waffle of Harlem, they developed their own recipe to bring this food to France, with a high standard on quality.
03 What is a waffle burger?
It is our signature creation. Instead of bread, two soft handmade waffles, lightly sweetened with cane sugar and vanilla. Inside, a crispy fried chicken fillet, homemade coleslaw, cheddar and our sauces. This sweet and savoury pairing was singled out by L'Express as the 'best waffle burger in town'.
04 Is the chicken really halal?
Yes. All our chicken is halal, in all seven restaurants, from day one. It is a core commitment of the brand. For the detailed composition of each product you can check the menu on our ordering page, but as far as the chicken is concerned the answer is clear and the same everywhere: it is halal.
05 How many CRISPY SOUL restaurants are there and where?
We have seven restaurants. Four in Paris (2nd, 9th, 11th and 15th arrondissements), one in Boulogne-Billancourt, one in Vincennes (whose exact address is in Saint-Mande, 94160, on the edge of Vincennes) and one in Lyon, in the 2nd arrondissement. Exact addresses and opening hours are on each restaurant page.
06 Is there a CRISPY SOUL in Lyon?
Yes. Our Lyon restaurant is at 21 rue de Condé, in the 2nd arrondissement, right in the heart of the Presqu'île. We serve the same menu as in Paris: crispy halal fried chicken, waffle burgers, homemade waffles and lemonade. You can order online or come in.
07 How do I order at CRISPY SOUL?
The simplest way is through our online ordering page via the Order button. You choose your restaurant, build your basket, then pick delivery or takeaway. You can also order right at the counter in one of our seven restaurants.
08 Do you deliver to homes?
Yes, we offer delivery. The most direct way is to order via the Order button: you select the nearest restaurant and get it delivered. The zone and delivery conditions depend on the location, and everything is confirmed when you finalize your order online.
09 Can I order takeaway?
Yes. You can order takeaway online via the Order button and come pick up your order once it's ready, or order right at the counter on the spot. It's a handy option to take your waffle burger home or to the office without waiting for delivery.
10 How long is the wait for an order?
We cook to order, so nothing sits around in the kitchen. The real wait depends on how busy it is and, for delivery, the distance. The most reliable estimate shows at the time of ordering via the Order button. Our priority is that your order arrives hot and crispy.
11 Can I pay with meal vouchers?
In the restaurant you pay by card or in cash, on the spot. For online orders, payment is by card. As for luncheon vouchers, this can depend on the site: the safest thing is to ask the restaurant concerned, whose phone number is on its page.
12 Do you handle group orders or events?
Yes, we know how to feed a group. For a large order, a birthday or an event, the simplest thing is to contact the restaurant concerned directly, whose phone number you will find on its page. Together you can settle quantities and timing so that everything is ready at the right moment.
13 Do you do brunch?
Chicken and waffle is a great American brunch classic, and that spirit runs through our menu: handmade waffles, crispy fried chicken, sweet and savoury combinations. To find out what is available and at what times in your restaurant, check the opening hours on its page and the menu through the Order button.
14 How can I find out the allergens in your dishes?
Your food safety matters to us. Several of our products contain gluten in particular (waffles, breading), as well as milk or egg depending on the recipe. As we do not want to state anything at random on this subject, we invite you to check the allergen information on the ordering menu or to ask the team directly in the restaurant.
15 Are there vegetarian options?
Our core business is fried chicken, so our specialities are chicken based. That said, our sweet waffles, some sides and our drinks make it possible to enjoy yourself without meat. The full menu can be viewed through the Order button, where you can see exactly what is available.
16 Do you serve pork?
No. Our offer is centred on chicken, and all our chicken is halal. For the exact composition of each product and any ingredients they contain, the detailed menu through the Order button is the reference, and the team in the restaurant can also answer your specific questions.
17 Is it kid-friendly?
Yes. Our crispy Crispy Tenders with homemade fries are a crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike. For dessert, the sweet waffles are always a hit. Our restaurants are warm, laid-back spots, perfect for a family meal.
18 Are your dishes spicy?
It depends what you choose. We offer a range of homemade sauces, from the mildest (honey barbecue, curry mango, ranch) to the hottest. If you like heat, the Spicy X is for you. If you prefer something mild, that is entirely possible. The full sauce list is on the menu.
19 Is the waffle burger sweet?
The waffle that replaces the bread is lightly sweetened with cane sugar and vanilla, but the waffle burger remains a savoury dish. The sweet and savoury contrast is precisely what makes it a signature: the crunch of the chicken, the coleslaw, the cheddar and the sauces balance the sweetness of the waffle. The whole thing is indulgent without being a dessert.
20 Which desserts do you offer?
Our waffles are handmade, soft, sweetened with cane sugar and vanilla. We offer them in indulgent versions: Nutella, salted butter caramel, maple syrup, red berries, pecan nuts. It is the ideal dessert after a waffle burger. The full choice is available on the ordering page.
21 Is your lemonade really homemade?
Yes, our lemonade is homemade, it's one of our signatures. Fresh and tangy, it nicely balances the crunch of the chicken and the sweetness of the waffles, without being too sugary. For availability by restaurant and time, you can check the menu via the Order button.
22 For takeaway, does the chicken stay crispy?
It is one of our priorities. The chicken is fried to order and the packaging is designed to preserve the crunch as long as possible. One tip: avoid leaving the bag tightly closed for too long, moisture softens the breading. Eaten without too much delay, the chicken keeps all its crunch.
23 What's the vibe in your restaurants?
Our restaurants offer a warm and relaxed atmosphere, shaped by the American culture and the 90s rap that inspire us. It is a friendly setting, whether you come for a quick lunch, a dinner with friends or simply a craving for fried chicken. The idea is that everyone should feel at home.
24 What's the story of CRISPY SOUL?
It all starts with two friends, Houssine and Younes, close for more than fifteen years and passionate about 90s US rap and American diner culture. Fascinated by the chicken and waffle of Harlem, a sweet and savoury pairing still rare in France, they worked on the recipe for months. CRISPY SOUL was born of that shared passion.
25 What's the secret to your super-crispy breading?
We devoted more than a year of research and development to our breading alone. The chicken is first marinated, then breaded by hand, then fried to order. The result is a crust that cracks cleanly and holds over time. The exact recipe remains our secret, but nothing about it was left to chance.
26 Why isn't your fried chicken greasy?
Because we fry it to order, at the right temperature, with a breading worked on for more than a year to seal cleanly without absorbing oil. Well fried chicken is crispy outside, juicy inside and not greasy. That is the whole difference with badly handled fried chicken.
27 Which ingredients do you use?
The quality of the ingredients is the foundation of our cooking. Halal chicken marinated and breaded by hand, English cheddar matured for 7 months, avocado smashed every day, homemade coleslaw, cane sugar waffles, homemade sauces. We favour carefully handled products, because a premium dish starts with what goes into it.
28 Why a 7-month aged cheddar?
Because a 7-month aged English cheddar has character: it's deeper and more pronounced, and it holds up against the crunch of the chicken and the sweetness of the waffle. A cheese that's too neutral would get drowned out by the rest. This one brings real depth of flavor to the waffle burger.
29 What is the Joaquin Guzman Waffle?
It is one of our waffle burgers, designed for avocado lovers. It combines our avocado puree smashed every day, a crispy fried chicken fillet, cheddar matured for 7 months, mayonnaise and curry mango sauce, all between two handmade waffles. You will find it on the ordering page.
30 Are your tenders and wings worth the trip?
Yes. The Crispy Tenders are chicken fillet breaded by hand and fried to order, to dip in our homemade sauces. It is the ideal option if you prefer the crunch without the burger format, perfect to share or for children. The wings follow the same approach. Everything is on the menu.
31 Do I need to book a table?
For a table or a large group, the simplest thing is to call the restaurant concerned directly, whose phone number is on its page. As arrangements can vary from one site to another, a call will give you the most accurate answer. For delivery or takeaway collection, everything goes through the online order.
32 Are you open in the evening and on Sunday?
Several of our restaurants are open in the evening, sometimes late, and many are also open on Sunday. As opening hours vary from one site to another, we prefer not to put one forward at random. The right reflex is to check the page of the restaurant you are interested in, where the hours are listed day by day.
33 Where does the name CRISPY SOUL come from?
Crispy refers to the crunch, our signature. Soul refers to soul food, that American cooking full of soul, as well as to the soul music and US rap that fed us. The chicken and waffle of Harlem embodies precisely that crossing of crunch and soul. The name sums up our identity in two words.
34 Is eating at CRISPY SOUL expensive?
We position ourselves in premium street food: the investment goes into the quality of the ingredients. For exact prices, up to date and broken down by product, the best thing is to check the menu directly through the Order button. There you can see the whole range, from the slider to the signature waffle burger.
35 Which sides do you offer?
Our fries are homemade and come with matured cheddar, fried onions and jalapenos, or in a sweet potato version. We also offer our Mac n' Cheese Bombs for the greediest. Enough to accompany your chicken as it deserves. The full list of sides is available on the ordering page.
36 Is your coleslaw homemade?
Yes, our coleslaw is homemade. It plays a real role in our waffle burgers, bringing freshness and crunch, which balances the fried chicken and the sweetness of the waffle. It's one of those details that make the difference between an okay burger and one you want to order again.
37 What's the difference between a waffle burger and a chicken & waffle?
Chicken and waffle is the classic: fried chicken set on a waffle, in the manner of the Harlem brunch. The waffle burger is our revisited version: the waffle becomes the bread of the burger, with coleslaw, cheddar and sauces inside. We offer both, so you can choose between classic and signature.
38 What's CRISPY SOUL's reputation?
Our restaurants have gathered more than 14,000 customer reviews, with solid ratings across all our sites. L'Express also singled out our waffle burger as the 'best waffle burger in town'. The best way to form your own opinion is still to come and taste for yourself.
39 How do I open a CRISPY SOUL franchise?
We are growing our network through franchising and give serious consideration to applications from motivated project holders. To apply, go to the franchise page of our site: you will find the process, the presentation brochure and the application form. A franchise is a long term partnership, which we approach with high standards.
40 Are you hiring?
We are growing, and we regularly look for new people, in the kitchen as well as front of house. If the CRISPY SOUL adventure interests you, the best thing is to get in touch with the restaurant nearest you or to write to us through the site. Above all we look for motivated people, attached to the product and to service.
Another question?
Our team answers in the restaurant and on our socials. Otherwise, place an order, it's still the best answer.