EXHIBIT 5.1

                                 December 9, 1997


The Krystal Company
Krystal Aviation Co.
Krystal Aviation Management Co.
One Union Square
Chattanooga, Tennessee  37402

          Re:  The Krystal Company, Krystal Aviation Co. and
               Krystal Aviation Management Co.
               Registration Statement on Form S-4
               $100,000,000 10 1/4% Senior Notes due 2007
               ---------------------------------------------

Gentlemen:

          We are acting as counsel to The Krystal Company, a Tennessee
corporation (the "Company"), and Krystal Aviation Co., a Tennessee corporation,
and Krystal Aviation Management Co., a Tennessee corporation (each a "Guarantor"
and together the "Guarantors"), in connection with the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount
of 10 1/4% Senior Notes due 2007 (the "Exchange Notes"), pursuant to a
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement").  The Exchange
Notes will be issued pursuant to the terms of an Indenture, dated as of
September 26, 1997, between the Company and SunTrust Bank, Atlanta, as trustee
(the "Trustee"), as supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 1, dated as of
September 26, 1997, among the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee  (the
"Indenture"), in exchange for the identical principal amount of any and all of
the Company's outstanding 10 1/4% Senior Notes due 2007 (the "Private Notes,"
which with the Exchange Notes are sometimes referred to collectively as the
"Notes").  In connection with the foregoing, we have examined the Company's and
each Guarantor's Charter, the Company's and each Guarantor's Bylaws, the
corporate proceedings taken by both the 

 
Company and each Guarantor to authorize the offering, sale and issuance of the
Notes, the Indenture (including the form of the Exchange Notes), and the
Registration Statement. We also have examined and relied upon such other
records, documents and instruments as in our judgment are necessary or
appropriate in order to express the opinions hereinafter set forth.

          Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

          1.   The Company and each Guarantor is a corporation duly organized,
               validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state
               of Tennessee.

          2.   The Exchange Notes have been duly authorized and, when issued and
               exchanged for the Private Notes in accordance with the terms of
               the Exchange Offer described in the Prospectus included in the
               Registration Statement, will be validly issued and binding
               obligations of the Company.

          We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and further consent to the reference to us under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus included in the Registration
Statement.

                              Very truly yours,


                              /s/ Miller & Martin
                              -----------------------------------------------
                              MILLER & MARTIN



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