Will you try this new State College restaurant?

Stacy Lee hasn’t advertised or made a social media account for or talked about her business yet.

Lee said she might not have to the way that word-of-mouth has made Waker Chicken popular in the week that it’s been open.

The State College location at 129 Locust Lane is her third restaurant, and it’s the seventh Waker Chicken in the United States since it debuted in the county in 2016.

“It’s a Korean brand that has penetrated into the American market, and it’s growing fast because we use fresh chicken and special sauces,” Lee said. “Everything we make is from scratch, it’s healthy and has a unique taste, but we didn’t expect it to blow up like this. We had a soft opening, so I don’t know where everyone is coming from so rapidly.”

Lee’s husband graduated from Penn State and their daughter attends the university, which they felt presented an opportunity to open the eatery one block from campus.

The restaurant, she said, is not a fast food joint. Customers order their food at the front counter and are seated, a slight twist on the traditional eatery set-up.

“We really want to have something for families and for students that makes them feel at home,” Lee said. “We hope that everyone feels like they can relax in here and enjoy fresh food.”

This story was originally published January 24, 2018 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Will you try this new State College restaurant?."