In which US state is it illegal to eat fried chicken with a fork?

If you pay a visit to Gainesville, Georgia, don’t miss the chance to sample some of the city’s famous fried chicken; just make sure you eat it with your hands, or you could end up in jail.

Surely one of the more bizarre laws in the United States, the ordinance was enacted in 1961 to boost the town’s reputation as the “poultry capital of the world.” But what began as a public relations stunt became a law that’s still on the books today.

While most laws like this are never enforced, this particular one was. In 2009 a 91-year-old woman visiting from Louisiana was “arrested” and charged with violating the ordinance while dining at a local fried chicken restaurant. As it turned out, the whole event/ordeal was a prank; a practical joke organized by a friend of the woman for her 91st birthday.

The mayor was on hand to “sentence” the diner. Her penalty? “You are required to come back to Gainesville often and are required to eat lots of Gainesville chicken.”

One can only speculate as to why these laws were written. Better yet - why are they still on the books? That can be chalked up to the fact that these laws are typically not enforced, so lawmakers see no reason to repeal them.