From Food Truck To Storefront: That Mother Clucker Opens First Location In Hesperia
HESPERIA, Calif. (VVNG.com) — After spending nearly seven years building a loyal following through food truck events, breweries, festivals, and pop-ups across the High Desert, That Mother Clucker officially opened its first storefront location in Hesperia on March 14.
The couple said the journey to opening their restaurant inside the Chevron station at 13188 Main Street began long before the business itself existed.
Before launching That Mother Clucker, Michael and Kori operated Phantom Pig Barbecue, a food truck business they started in 2018. After purchasing their food truck in 2019, they spent years traveling and trying barbecue from different regions while developing their own menu.
The inspiration for Nashville hot chicken came during the couple’s honeymoon trip to Tennessee following a difficult period in their lives.
About three months before the trip, Kori was involved in a crash while shopping for clothes for a Cody Jinks concert. The night after the concert, she suffered a seizure, which led doctors to discover a brain tumor.
The couple postponed their honeymoon until after surgery and recovery. Once Kori recovered, they continued with the trip and attended a Cody Jinks concert in Knoxville.
While visiting Tennessee, the couple tried Nashville hot chicken for the first time at Martin’s BBQ before visiting other well-known spots including Hattie B’s, Prince’s, and Bolton’s.
“We completely fell in love with it,” Michael Gates said.
On the flight home, Michael told Kori he wanted to add Nashville hot chicken to their barbecue menu.
“She laughed and said, ‘That’s not BBQ,’” Michael said. “I told her, ‘It’s Nashville BBQ,’ and we both laughed about it the whole flight home.”
Once back home, the family spent nearly a year testing recipes while continuing to operate the barbecue truck full-time. Michael said they experimented with brines, dredges, spice blends, and chicken cuts before finally introducing Nashville hot chicken to the menu.
The response quickly reshaped the business.
“Within about three months, Nashville hot chicken completely took over the business, and that’s when That Mother Clucker was born,” Michael said.
The family officially opened their storefront in March 2026 after years of operating solely through the food truck.
Michael said the transition from mobile kitchen to restaurant was one of the most difficult parts of the journey.
“With a food truck, you already expect long hours, but a restaurant adds a whole new level of pressure,” Michael said. “There’s construction, permits, inspections, equipment costs, staffing, inventory, and much higher overhead.”
The owners also said maintaining the same food quality customers experienced from the truck remained a priority.
“Our chicken is hand-breaded and cooked fresh to order, so we never wanted to sacrifice quality just to push food out faster,” Michael said.
The opportunity to open their first storefront came unexpectedly.
The family had recently purchased a new trailer when the restaurant space inside the Chevron became available. Michael said he only discovered the vacant location after stopping at the neighboring Starbucks with Kori.
“There was no parking available, so I parked at one of the gas pumps while she ran inside,” Michael said. “I felt bad taking up a pump spot without buying anything, so I walked into the Chevron to grab a soda. That’s when I noticed the empty restaurant space.”
After speaking with the manager, plans for the storefront quickly moved forward.
The owners acknowledged some customers may initially be surprised to find a Nashville hot chicken restaurant operating inside a gas station but said the quality of the food speaks for itself.
“The biggest thing we want people to know is not to let the location fool them,” Michael said. “Some of the best food spots are hidden gems, and we think that’s part of what makes the experience unique once people find us.”
The restaurant’s most popular items include its Nashville hot chicken sandwich, jumbo tenders, Cluckin’ Fries, Cluckin’ Tots, and smashburgers.
Michael said one thing customers frequently mention is the balance between heat and flavor.
“A lot of hot chicken places focus only on making things painfully spicy, but we wanted ours to still be balanced and craveable at every heat level,” he said.
The business also remains deeply family-operated. Michael said Kori, their sons Brennen, Thomas, and Wyatt, daughter Freya, and Kori’s mother Kim all help run the business.
“This business represents years of sacrifice, hard work, and sticking together through some really difficult times,” Michael said.
That Mother Clucker is currently open Wednesday through Sunday inside the Chevron station located at 13188 Main Street in Hesperia.
Customers can follow the business on Instagram at @tmclucker, Facebook under That Mother Clucker, or order online through tmclucker.com.
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