Dixie Chicken (bar)
Encyclopedia
Depression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
since 1974," and is notable for its role in Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
tradition. "Nationally known," the Dixie Chicken claims to serve the most beer per square foot of any bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Overview
“One of the most recognizable restaurantRestaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s in College Station,” the Dixie Chicken is known as Texas A&M's "favorite local watering hole." The Dixie Chicken is the oldest and most famous bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
in the Northgate district, has a live snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
on the premises, and is home to a weekly domino tournament. The Dixie Chicken was founded by Don Ganter, a businessman who was involved with several organizations related to Texas A&M. Ganter died in 2004, just days after the Dixie Chicken had its 30th anniversary.
Ring dunking
In the late 1970s, the Aggie tradition of "ring dunking" began at the Dixie Chicken. In this tradition concerning Ring Day, a student drops their class ringClass ring
A class ring is a ring worn by students and alumni in the United States and Canada to commemorate their graduation, generally for a high school, college, or university.-History:...
into a pitcher of beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
which is then chugged on the back porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
of the Dixie Chicken. This is not a university-sanctioned tradition, though some estimate that anywhere between 25 to 75 percent of students dunk their rings. Along with a drinking provision that went into effect on April 3, 2005, instead of pitchers, students are only allowed to buy 32 ounce (950 mL) mugs of beer on Ring Day at the Dixie Chicken. Ring Dunking elsewhere, however, remains unregulated. In his comments to the Texas A&M graduating class of Fall 2008, President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
stated that, "Back in my day, I think I would have enjoyed dunk [sic] my ring." The president also joked about the absence of his Secretary of Defense (and former president of A&M) Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
from the ceremony by stating, "It's not like he's over at the Dixie Chicken.”