A new generation reopens Dalton’s
Published 6:15 pm Tuesday, March 16, 2021
- Restaurants are a family tradition for the Dalton Family. Here, grandparents R.L. and Ida Bell Dalton pose with their grandchildren in 1984. R.L. and Ida Belle Dalton owned Embers Restaurant; R.L. Dalton and Patsy Dalton Akridge owned Dalton's Chicken; and Kelly Dalton — second from left in the top row — now owns Dalton’s, which opened Monday on Rowland Drive. Top row from left are Robi Jursik, Kelly Dalton, Ida Bell Dalton, Jennifer McDowell, R.L. Dalton, Melissa Tatum and Angie Cooper. Bottom row, from left, are Allen Dalton, Betsy Kingsbbury and Brad Dalton.
MOULTRIE, Ga. — The grandson of the founder of Dalton’s Chicken is carrying on his family’s legacy with the opening of a restaurant in the former Dalton’s Chicken location on Rowland Drive.
Kelly Dalton and his wife, Amy, opened their restaurant, simply named Dalton’s, on Monday.
Dalton’s Chicken was closed in 2013 after many years in Moultrie, Dalton said, but he felt “the timing was right” to reopen the restaurant.
Kelly Dalton’s grandfather, R.L. Dalton, and his aunt, Patsy Dalton Akridge, opened Dalton’s Chicken in 1990. R.L. Dalton and his wife, Ida Belle Dalton, also owned Embers Restaurant before they retired, when Bobby and Pat Dalton took it over.
The original Dalton’s Chicken location on South Main Street at 11th Avenue was sold to make way for CVS Pharmacy, which opened in 2005. Dalton’s Chicken was closed for a while then reopened in a brand new building at 715 Rowland Drive in 2006.
Since Dalton’s Chicken closed in 2013, the building has housed several other restaurants. Kelly Dalton said it’s been under renovation for months.
“We added glass to the porch for more dining space, redid the paint, gave it some uplifts and got some new kitchen equipment,” he said.
The new version of the restaurant features a drive-thru window, new seating areas and a new menu that includes recipes from both Embers Restaurant and Dalton’s Chicken as well as steaks and seafood.
During its soft opening, the restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. After the grand opening, Dalton’s will feature a counter and drive-thru only service from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. before a full service dinner will be available at 5 p.m. The drive-thru is open until closing time.
