Buffalo Family Turns Chicken and Waffles Into Thriving Business

Crenshaw's Chicken and Waffles started out of a home kitchen and has grown into a popular takeout and delivery spot.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 4:47pm

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Gregory and Dijonna Crenshaw started their family-owned chicken and waffles business in 2019, taking orders out of their home on Buffalo's West Side. As demand grew, they moved operations to a kitchen at their church before settling into a larger space on Chandler Street, where they now serve up signature dishes like red velvet, cookies and cream, and Cinnabon waffles, along with a variety of chicken options and sides.

Why it matters

The Crenshaws' story highlights the power of perseverance and community support in building a successful small business, especially in the food industry. Their journey from a home kitchen to a thriving takeout and delivery operation showcases the potential for family-owned restaurants to thrive in Buffalo's evolving culinary landscape.

The details

Gregory Crenshaw said his family has always loved to cook, and he and his wife Dijonna spent years perfecting their chicken and waffle recipes before starting the business in 2019. As orders increased, they moved the operation to a kitchen at their church, where they continued to grow their customer base. Today, Crenshaw's Chicken and Waffles operates out of a larger commercial kitchen on Chandler Street, offering a variety of waffle flavors and chicken dishes for takeout and delivery six days a week.

  • Crenshaw's Chicken and Waffles started in 2019 out of the Crenshaws' home kitchen.
  • In 2020, the business moved to a kitchen at Emmanuel Temple church on Kensington and Deerfield.
  • Crenshaw's Chicken and Waffles opened its current location on Chandler Street in 2021.

The players

Gregory Crenshaw

The co-founder of Crenshaw's Chicken and Waffles, who started the business with his wife Dijonna out of their home kitchen in 2019.

Dijonna Crenshaw

The co-founder of Crenshaw's Chicken and Waffles, who has worked with her husband Gregory to grow the business from their home kitchen to its current Chandler Street location.

Emmanuel Temple

The church that provided Crenshaw's Chicken and Waffles with a kitchen space as the business outgrew the Crenshaws' home in 2020.

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What they’re saying

“My family's always been cooking, I love to cook. Trial and error, just trying to perfect the recipes, over the course of years, and then having my wife as a taste tester.”

— Gregory Crenshaw, Co-founder, Crenshaw's Chicken and Waffles (wgrz.com)

“We moved from our house because it got just too busy. We went to our church on Kensington and Deerfield, Emmanuel Temple. The word just got out, a lot of people were coming in, pulling in the parking lot. We had some of the best chicken and waffles in town coming out of a church.”

— Gregory Crenshaw, Co-founder, Crenshaw's Chicken and Waffles (wgrz.com)

What’s next

With the Super Bowl this weekend, Crenshaw says fans can expect 30% off their chicken wings, which come in 13 specialty sauces.

The takeaway

The Crenshaws' journey from a home kitchen to a thriving takeout and delivery business showcases the potential for family-owned restaurants to succeed in Buffalo's evolving food scene, driven by a passion for cooking, community support, and a commitment to quality.