How CHKN BOX Is Redefining Fried Chicken in Chicago

July 16, 2025

Meet Keyatta Taylor, the streetwear-savvy food truck founder blending bold flavors with bigger dreams

On a warm Chicago evening last summer, a curious crowd gathered around a vibrant green food truck parked along the South Loop Night Market. No music, no megaphone – just word of mouth and the unmistakable scent of seasoned, crispy fried chicken wafting through the air. Customers weren’t just lining up for dinner. They were pulling out their phones, snapping photos of their meals served in custom-designed shoeboxes, and tagging a brand that looked and felt more like a hype sneaker drop than a food truck. The name on the side? CHKN BOX. The founder? Keyatta Taylor.

Keyatta, a participant in the 2025 Future Founders Fellowship, isn’t just building a food business – she’s creating a cultural moment. With CHKN BOX, she’s tapping into Chicago’s deep love of food, fashion, and music, and turning it into a brand that speaks to the city’s soul.

The Recipe Was in the House All Along

CHKN BOX didn’t begin with a business plan. It began with a husband who was a picky eater, a sneakerhead, and a DJ – all rolled into one. His go-to meal? Keyatta’s homemade chicken tenders. One night, in a blend of joking and genius, he pitched the idea: What if they served the chicken in a shoebox?

It clicked. The shoebox wasn’t just packaging – it was identity. “It was a fusion of food, Chicago culture, sneakers, and streetwear fashion,” Keyatta explains. “It was all the things we loved in one box.”

That spark of an idea became CHKN BOX, now one of the most buzzed-about food trucks on the South Side. It’s a business rooted in flavor, but powered by something deeper: personal expression, bold design, and a commitment to community.

The Real Grind: Seasonality and Cash Flow

But behind the sauces and sneaker vibes, there’s the reality of running a food business in a seasonal city.

“The hardest part has been managing cash flow,” Keyatta says. “We do really well in the summer and fall, but winters in Chicago? Brutal. Everything slows down. You have to be strategic, make sacrifices, pivot.”

This isn’t a glamorized entrepreneur story. It’s the truth behind most small businesses – especially those in food. It’s a balancing act between passion and planning, creativity and cash. And it’s a challenge Keyatta is determined to meet, with three years of experience now under her belt and plenty of lessons learned the hard way.

Building an Entrepreneurial Mindset with Future Founders

Keyatta’s journey took a sharp turn when she joined the Future Founders Fellowship. After years in corporate roles, she found herself shifting not just what she did – but how she thought.

“Future Founders has really helped reshape my mindset,” she says. “It got me out of that 9 to 5 thinking and helped me see myself as a true entrepreneur.”

Through mentorship, collaboration, and exposure to new ideas (like fundraising and exit strategies), Keyatta has expanded her vision for what CHKN BOX can become. And she’s not keeping that insight to herself – she’s eager to support other early-stage founders in the program, sharing resources, feedback, and inspiration.

Where to Find CHKN BOX This Summer

If you’re in Chicago, you’ve got two prime opportunities to experience CHKN BOX for yourself. Keyatta recently secured partnerships with both the Chicago Park District and the South Loop Night Market, where her truck will be posted weekly throughout July and August. Taylor Park on weekends. Roosevelt Collection on Thursdays. Look for the green shoebox – and maybe bring a friend who’s never experienced chicken like this before.

And if you mention Future Founders at the window? You’ll get a smile and a knowing nod from the team that helped bring this vision to life.

Why We Do This Work

At Future Founders, we believe the next generation of iconic entrepreneurs isn’t coming out of Silicon Valley boardrooms – they’re already building something special on the corners of cities and towns across America. They just need someone to believe in them, to challenge them, to connect them.

Keyatta is proof of what happens when you invest in talent. She had the creativity, the hustle, and the heart. We helped her unlock the roadmap.

Now, with CHKN BOX gaining traction and turning heads across the city, she’s not just selling chicken – she’s feeding a movement.

Want to support Keyatta?

Follow @chknboxchi and stop by their food truck this summer in Taylor Park or at Roosevelt Collection. And if you believe in building a more inclusive future through entrepreneurship, consider supporting the work we do at Future Founders.