The Chicken Sisters

Mae reveals Barbara’s Parkinson’s diagnosis to Amanda, and they argue over how they both have acted toward each other. The sign that Kenneth had placed over Mae’s attempt at ruining Amanda’s painting falls down, and the pair walk outside the restaurant. They apologize to each other, and Mae reveals that she thought she wanted her own reality television show, which is why she came to Kansas in the first place, However, she realizes that this is not actually what she wants. Instead, she tells Amanda that she thinks she will be moving back home.

Amanda claims that Nancy wants to pay Barbara back for the money that Frannie’s owes Mimi’s, but she also says that Nancy does not have the money to pay her back. They also banter over who will win Food Wars, and they decide that they will first show everyone the recipe to prove that it was not stolen. Sabrina tries to get Amanda to tell the cameras about the recipe mix-up, but Amanda instead hugs her sister and walks over to her mother’s patio, where the staff of Frannie’s and Mimi’s are sitting. She announces that Nancy found the lost recipe that Mimi had given Frannie regarding their fried chicken. Amanda apologizes to Barbara for her harsh words, and Nancy declares that they will pay back the money owed by Frannie’s.

Mae and Amanda talk to Nancy about what to do regarding the feud between the restaurants, and they discuss how both Nancy and Amanda are unsure about continuing to run Frannie’s restaurant. Mae proposes that they combine forces into one business, which would not only throw off the producers of Food Wars, but would also allow for the family to come together and have more time to pursue personal endeavors while maintaining their family legacy. Mae proposes that Jay would run the business side of the restaurant because he has been a restaurant consultant for years, and he reveals that he has actually just quit his job. Gus then reveals that he sent Amanda’s comic of Carleen to Bill Henderson, a popular cartoonist, and he worries that she will be mad at him, despite Bill wanting to talk to Amanda. She gives him a hug. 

Jay and Mae discuss his decision to quit his job, and they conclude that everything will be okay. Having decided to join forces with Frannie’s, Mae is worried about how her mom will react to the news. As they drink beers with Kenneth and Patrick, Mae looks to them, hoping they will provide moral support. However, they laugh and decide to hang back while Mae talks to her mom. Going into Mimi’s, Barbara asks Mae if she will be helping during dinner service. However, Mae tells her that she has an idea for their business. She tells her that Nancy and Amanda will take a step back from running Frannie’s, so Barbara and Andy can run the kitchen of one restaurant, which will combine Frannie’s and Mimi’s into one. Mae refers to Amanda and Nancy as partners, but Barbara claims she does not want partners. Mae tells her this will allow Amanda and her children to be more involved in all of their lives, and she promises that only Barbara and Andy will be in the kitchen, with the exception of Gus and Frankie. She also tells Barbara that Frannie and Mimi would have wanted this, and Barbara starts to give in to Mae’s idea.

Mae wakes Amanda to tell her that everyone will be going home to rest before springing the news on Sabrina that the businesses are merging. However, she also tells Amanda that she needs to paint a new sign for the restaurant. They call the new restaurant “The Chicken Sisters,” and Amanda gets started on painting. Andy apologizes to Amanda for accusing her of stealing the recipe, and she accepts his apology.

Arriving at the inn to hear the results of Food Wars, Mae and Amanda tell Sabrina that they will not be splitting up their groups on either side of the room. Before Sabrina reveals the winner, Amanda tells Sabrina that while there is room to have two fried chicken restaurants, they have decided to merge their businesses together and end the long-standing rivalry between the families. Sabrina, who is upset at the news, tries to maintain that there is a winner between both restaurants, and she asks the chefs to reveal their votes. One chef chooses Mimi’s, and another chooses Frannie’s. Simon Rideaux simply asks Amanda if chicken will still be her main purpose in life. Amanda claims that she will be going back to school. Simon tells the group that they decided “to do something new and offer [their] new venture—the Chicken Sisters—[the chef’s] ideas for taking the best of both Frannie’s and Mimi’s” (357). This further angers Sabrina, who wants to define a clear winner. However, the judges declare that both restaurants are winners. When the cameras turn off, Sabrina insists that there must be a winner, but Jay claims that he read through the contract. He says that while Sabrina can use the footage however she chooses, no one has to conform to what she wants. Right before they get back on camera, all the children are brought to stand with the family, and Mae gives Amanda and Barbara her tinted lip balm to put on. Barbara then asks Amanda if she wants a puppy, and she says yes. As the cameras start filming, Mae stands in front of Sabrina and declares that they are back on air.