We love our local food trucks, and it was high time that I visited RNB FINZ N Chicks. This bright blue rolling kitchen hit the streets of Calhoun County on July 4th of 2022 and has built up a following of several thousand fans of their tasty soul-inspired fish and chicken dishes. The “RNB” represents the first names of the two owners–husband/wife team Ron and Britany Elston. The clever tag “finz” and “chicks” make up the main ingredients in the majority of their meat-inspired plates.
The Business
There’s a motto you’ll catch sight of if you take a closer look at this cool, sleek truck: ”Fuel the Soul.” Ron, who was manning the truck when I visited, explained that his wife, who was initially inspired to begin the business, came up with this slogan to represent their customer base. They tailor their price points to cater to families of 4 (or more) who can easily spend over $50 for an evening dining out at a restaurant. RNB’s menu items cut down on those costs, making it a family-friendly option for those on a budget.
The recipes, mostly developed by Britany, are a combination of those passed down through the family and her own creations. While Ron was a manager at Honda prior to the start of their rolling kitchen business, he had an extensive work history in the food industry before that. He shared that a medical diagnosis, leading to a major surgery, led to his leaving his managerial position. Operating the truck along with his wife (who is also a school teacher) has been a positive trade-off for him.
RNB FINZ N Chicks has not only served their popular street food at festivals and other events around Calhoun County, but they’ve also branched out beyond that range to areas like Wedowee, Sylacauga, and Birmingham. Additionally, they’ve secured contracts with some large companies in the area like BR Williams Trucking and Bridgewater Interiors, feeding hundreds of employees at a time on special occasions. If you attend any of JSU’s Gamecock homegames, you’ll find RNB FINZ N Chicks on site serving hungry football fans.
The truck owners update their Official Facebook Page with their weekly schedule, including a regular weekly location on Thursdays in front of The Shoppes at 1710, located at 1710 Hamric Dr. E. in Oxford, Alabama. Ron noted that their original page, which had over 3K followers, was hacked recently. While they work out the issue, their new page goes under the title RNB FINZ N Chicks (the original appears as RNB FINZ N CHICKS). If you followed their old page, you’re invited to like their new page to keep tabs on where they’ll be next.
The Entrees
If chicken is the specialty, you can’t go wrong with a hot, juicy chicken breast sandwich! RNB’s Jazzy Chicken Sandwich comes two ways–fried or grilled, topped with their original slaw, pimento cheese, and special sauce, accompanied by their fresh “natural” fries and pickle slice. Next on their menu are Rockin’ Tacos two ways–the main ingredient being either fried or grilled cod, or fried or grilled chicken. Either way, the tacos are also topped with crunchy, shredded cheese, and special sauce, and come with a side of homemade tortilla chips.
Another flavorful favorite served up hot (and spicy if desired) is the Whole Jumbo Wings plate. Their savory flavors include Garlic Parmesan, Dry Lemon Pepper, Teriyaki, Barbeque, Mango Habanero, Mild, or Hot.
For chicken thigh fans (count me in), they offer Homemade Tender Thighs (3 piece) with honey mustard sauce and natural fries. You can also opt for a Chicken Cheese Quesadilla, featuring shredded thigh meat, shredded cheese, and spicy ranch sauce.
If you’re just seeking a satisfying side, try an order of fried pickles, onion petals, natural fries, or their homemade chips.
Dying for desert? Dive into a taco of the sweetest kind. Their Delight Tacos consist of cinnamon sugar tortillas topped with whipped cream, chocolate or strawberry sauce, and nuts.
My Takeaway
I dropped by the truck on Thursday at the aforementioned Oxford location. After asking a couple of questions about the menu, I chose one of the two plates Ron said were among the most popular–the Classy Catfish platter (there’s also a sandwich version available). A 7-9 oz catfish filet, dipped in a seasoned cornmeal batter, is deep-fried and served over a bed of natural fries with a side of coleslaw.
Hints of pepper, salt, and other spices made the crispy coating crispy and flavorful, while the fish was flaky, yet moist. The portion was ultra-generous, and coupled with a large amount of fresh, lightly seasoned hot fries, and light, delectable coleslaw, this combination left me more than satisfied. I was also pleased with the hush puppies, which had a smattering of corn kernels in them. The pups had a sweet note to them, making them stand out from saltier recipes I’ve had.
Catching the Truck
RNB FINZ N Chicks shares their weekly schedule pinned to the top of their Facebook page. For the remainder of this week, they’ll be at the Lakeside Live Musicfest 2024 on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, and at The Lush Garden from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Sunday evening, Sept. 22. You can also expect them to be at their Oxford location (The Shoppes at 1710, 1710 Hamric Dr. E. Oxford, AL) on Thursdays from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.
To contact them to place an order, pinpoint their location, or book them for catering an event, call (256) 453-4410 or email rnbfinznchicks@gmail.com.
