Comet Chicken is a new restaurant in Fort Collins focusing on the use of locally sourced, “never-ever” chicken – which means it’s antibiotic free and never frozen. This fast casual concept restaurant is all about creating delicious food and serving it up quick. Comet Chicken, a Hot Corner Concepts establishment, serves up lunch, dinner, and all day snack breaks in between. The menu boasts items such as grilled or house-breaded tenders, salads, sandwiches, hand-cut fries and lots of made-from-scratch sauces. In this week's community connections we were excited to learn a little more about the new fast casual restaurant in town as we got to speak with Adam Vander Sande, General Manager of Comet Chicken.

Comet Chicken Tenders

What makes Comet Chicken unique?

Comet Chicken is the newest concept from Hot Corner Concepts. We are taking our experience from full service and taking fast casual to another level. We will be using natural ingredients to hand craft food and drink, delivering it in a fun and unique atmosphere. Our chicken is from Colorado and is all natural, never frozen, and hand breaded to order. Our made from scratch sauces and seasonal ingredients will always be top notch. From our keg cocktails to our hand cut fries, our main goal is to create a quality meal with a casual vibe.

What do you love about Fort Collins?

Fort Collins is such an amazing place. We have people from all walks of life with interesting backgrounds and ideas that help create our diverse and fun culture. 

What are some of your favorite things to do in Fort Collins? 

I love hanging in downtown with my family. It's such a great way to experience the heart of the city. My wife and I enjoy taking our daughter to the fountains on Oak Street and watching her play in the water. Downtown has so many things to do, we like to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere from a nearby patio- it's always a great time. Horsetooth Reservoir and the nearby canyons are some of my favorite spots. I enjoy riding my motorcycle through the canyons, fishing in the Cache la Poudre River Canyon, and enjoying the view from Horsetooth. Horsetooth has one of the best sunsets in the city. Two of my passions are food and beer; Fort Collins has both in spades. We have so many great breweries, with over 20 in town! Some of my favorites are Odell, New Belgium and Horse & Dragon. Their beers are world class and they really help drive the culture of giving back. We have so many great places to eat. As a restaurant guy, I love seeing how other people come up with new and creative ideas, it helps inspire me. 

Comet Chicken

Tell us about yourself...

I am from Southern California, where I was born and raised. I spent my youth playing sports with my brother and sisters- spending as much time outdoors as possible. Soccer was my favorite sport; I played on many teams year around, coached, and refereed. I am a competitive person and it taught me to work hard and to be a team player. I think it has helped shape me into who I am today.

I moved to Colorado in 2007 and starting working at the Moot House. I began as a busser and was immediately hooked by the fast paced environment of the restaurant. I moved to the kitchen shortly after and discovered my passion for food. It was so cool cooking during a dinner rush and hearing how the guests were enjoying the food. It’s a feeling I’ll never forget. I wanted to learn more about restaurants and moved to the front of the house where I learned to be a server and bartender before I went into the management program. Hot Corner Concepts has been a huge part of my life; I met my wife and some of my best friends while working there. Mark, Alan, Scott and Steve have been great mentors and role models for me. They have challenged me every day and taught me how to do things the right way in work and in life.

Above all else I am a family man. I have a beautiful wife and daughter, three sisters and one brother. I love getting together for family dinners and sharing stories with each other, it’s the best!

What do you want visitors to experience at Comet Chicken?

I would like all guests to feel our passion, from each chef inspired recipe to the simple ways our staff will make them feel when they walk in.  We will offer a full guest experience through food, drink, service and atmosphere. Every detail has been carefully planned and executed with only the best experience in mind. At Hot Corner Concepts, we love to have fun and my hope is that this is relayed to our guests every visit. We are lucky to be in Downtown Fort Collins and are super excited to add to the culture and charm of this amazing community.


Comet ChickenComet Chicken Logo

Address: 126 W. Mountain Ave.
Phone: (970) 689-3464
Email: comet@cometchicken.com
Hours of Operation: Sunday - Thursday 10 am - 10 pm | Friday and Saturday 10 am - 11 pm
Website: cometchicken.com
Twitter: @HotCC
Facebook: @cometchicken
Instagram: @cometchicken