A New Chicken Joint is Moving Into a Former Cedar Rapids Chinese Restaurant

UPDATE: 3/12/26

We have an opening date!

Chicken Royale, Cedar Rapids' newest restaurant, is set to open its doors next week! A representative from the restaurant told me that Thursday, March 19th is the grand opening date, and regular business hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

The rep also revealed a little bit about the menu, telling me that the restaurant will serve chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, "Messy Fries," wraps, and more. The entire menu will be available for carry-out, but there will be some limited seating inside, too.

For more updates from Chicken Royale, check out the Facebook page HERE!

ORIGINAL STORY: 3/5/26

A longtime Cedar Rapids Chinese restaurant on Mount Vernon Rd has a new tenant! The former Yen Ching location will soon be home to a new business called Chicken Royale.

What Happened to Yen Ching?

Back in early May of 2025, Yen Ching announced on Facebook that they would be closing their doors at the end of the month because of "exorbitant rent hikes and excessive demands." The post explained that, "though we fought to stay, the harsh reality is that we can no longer sustain operations here."

The good news? Yen Ching doesn't plan on being closed forever. The restaurant explained that they were searching for a new home, and they promised to keep customers updated on their "next chapter."

Cut to January 26th of 2026. Yen Ching posted a long-awaited update on Facebook explaining that they have yet to find a new location, but they appreciate the love and support that they've continued to get since their closure. It reads:

"We’re sorry we still don’t have good news to share yet. We’re continuing our search for the right new home—every space we look at, we imagine it filled with your warmth and our shared memories.

Please hold on a little longer. We haven’t given up on the hope of reopening and seeing you all again. Every comment and word of encouragement from you gives us strength to keep going."

Yen Ching promises customers that any new information they have will be shared on their Facebook page, which you can follow HERE.

What's Moving In?

According to a recent article from the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the former Yen Ching location at 2317 Mount Vernon Rd SE will soon be home to a brand new restaurant called Chicken Royale. Signage has already gone up on the door and windows of the space, with the hours listed as 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

As of right now, that's about all the information we have on Chicken Royale. The business just created a Facebook page this week, and the first post reads:

"Opening later this month with mouthwatering chicken… and plenty more to tempt your taste buds! Stay tuned for the menu reveal and all the tasty details."

For the latest updates from the new restaurant, you can follow the Facebook page HERE. We can't wait to hear more!

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