Sept. 25, 2026Updated Sept. 26, 2026, 6:54 a.m. ET
Built on chicken, rice and signature sauces, The Chicken & Rice Guys has grown from a single food truck in 2012 into a fleet of six, plus a restaurant and several takeout locations.
Now the company is moving its headquarters from Everett to 218 West Cummings Park in Woburn to support continued growth in suburban communities along Interstate 95 (Route 128) and Route 3, including Lowell, Framingham, Natick and Woburn.
Co-founder Jaemin Lee said the Everett headquarters has served the company well, particularly when much of its business centered on Boston, but increasing traffic made suburban trips more difficult.
“Woburn has direct access to 95 and will greatly shorten our travel time to those suburban areas that we want to expand to, while still allowing us to hit the Boston spots within 20 minutes of drive,” he said.
Growth of Chicken & Rice Guys
The Chicken & Rice Guys began with Lee and a college friend, Ian So. The two met at Babson College, where they both studied business. After graduating, they talked about starting a company, despite not knowing exactly what kind of business it would be.
So, who grew up in New York, told Lee about the chicken and rice made by The Halal Guys.
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“I actually took a trip down to New York City, had a bite and I was immediately amazed with the flavor that the plate offered,” Lee said.
It soon became the premise for a business.
“Why do we not have chicken and rice in Boston?” Lee recalled asking himself.
Lee and So partnered with Kevin Lau and Jenny Giang and co-founded The Chicken & Rice Guys.
Learning the food business from scratch
Neither Lee nor his partners come from culinary backgrounds. But they learned through experimentation and help from people they met while working from a shared commissary kitchen. Lee said they regularly brought their food to more experienced cooks and mentors for feedback.
“We weren't shy to bring our recipe and finished product to them and ask how we can make our plates more flavorful, more healthy and things like that,” he said.
They experimented with ingredients after work, tested dishes on friends, coworkers and relatives, and traveled repeatedly to New York to sample chicken-and-rice plates from multiple vendors.
A third partner was Kevin Lau, a childhood friend of So's. His arrival also inspired the company's name.
“We're selling chicken and rice and we're three guys, so why don't we just call ourselves The Chicken and Rice Guys?” Lee said.
What The Chicken & Rice Guys serve
The Chicken & Rice Guys' signature food is inspired by halal-style Middle Eastern street food but developed around the founders' own recipes.
Lee described the plate as chicken served with seasoned medium-grain white rice, lettuce and pita bread. Flavor and generous portions have been priorities.
“It has to be flavorful," Lee said. "It has to be amazing to our guests at the first bite."
The Chicken & Rice Guys is also known for its generous portions.
“A lot of our guests actually buy our plate and use it over two meals," he added.
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Sauces are particularly important to their concept. Lee discussed creamy garlic sauce, spicy sauces, barbecue, intense cilantro and a newer Chipotle option. He recommends creamy garlic for first-time customers, but said regular customers frequently experiment.
“A lot of guests actually mix two, three or even all five sauces together,” he said.
Smaller headquarters, but more kitchen space
The Everett location closes at the end of September, according to Lee, with everything moving to the Woburn location. And while there's less space overall (about 4,800 square feet vs. 9,600 in Everett), the new headquarters offers a bigger kitchen (4,000 square feet vs. about 2,500 square feet previously).
Most of the Woburn headquarters will support the company's food-truck and catering crews, while a smaller area in front will offer takeout and pickup, similar to the Everett model.
Future plans for Chicken & Rice Guys
Beyond geographic expansion, Lee sees the larger Woburn kitchen as an opportunity for The Chicken & Rice Guys to explore new recipes, sauces and presentations. He hopes to collaborate with professional chefs on versions of chicken and rice inspired by cuisines around the world.
“Every country has some sort of chicken and rice plate,” he said.
Ultimately, Lee hopes The Chicken & Rice Guys can become a place where customers experience different interpretations of the combination from around the world. And he believes the Woburn headquarters helps make that possible.
“I think it will definitely bring us a step closer with the much bigger kitchen space that we can play with,” he said.
Building a community around the brand
Lee said Chicken & Rice Guys' philosophy extends beyond selling food. The company also has its own charitable foundation, Chicken & Rice Guys Foundation, which partners with local nonprofits to help communities in need.
“The whole purpose of that is to actually partner up with local nonprofits and then to see how we can provide or offer help to the communities in need,” he said.
Where to find The Chicken & Rice Guys
If you're craving Middle Eastern halal street cuisine, visit cnrguys.com for truck schedules, restaurant locations, and catering.