# Golden Chick

> Golden Chick is a Richardson, Texas-based quick-service restaurant chain built around hand-battered chicken that spends a full day in a secret marinade before it hits the fryer. Founded in San Marcos in 1967 as Golden Fried Chicken, it has grown to roughly 250 locations across the South, pairing its trademarked Golden Tenders and fresh-baked yeast rolls with a franchise-first growth model that is now pushing east against far larger rivals.

- **Founded:** 1967
- **Headquarters:** Richardson, Texas, United States
- **Founders:** Howard Walker (Co-Founder), Jacque Walker (Co-Founder)
- **Team size:** ~1,500 employees
- **Products:** Original Golden Tenders, Hand-Battered Fried Chicken, Golden Roast, Big & Golden Chicken Sandwich, Fresh-Baked Yeast Rolls
- **Notable:** Grew from a single 1967 San Marcos stand to roughly 250 restaurants across the South, Trademarked the Original Golden Tender in 1985, Ranked among Nation's Restaurant News Top 200 Restaurant Brands (#142 in 2022)

## Products & services

- **Original Golden Tenders** — Whole chicken tenderloins marinated for 24 hours, hand-battered and fried - the brand's trademarked signature product, marketed as 'the filet mignon of chicken.'
- **Hand-Battered Fried Chicken** — Bone-in fried chicken made from a secret marination process and batter mix, the original 1967 product.
- **Golden Roast** — Rotisserie-style roasted chicken offering a lower-calorie option while keeping the brand's flavor profile.
- **Big & Golden Chicken Sandwich** — A hand-battered chicken filet sandwich competing in the QSR chicken-sandwich category.
- **Fresh-Baked Yeast Rolls** — Signature fresh-baked yeast rolls that became a defining side, ordered by the dozen for family meals.
- **Southern Fried Catfish** — Hand-battered catfish, a Southern menu staple alongside the chicken.
- **Premium Salads** — A salad line including a Zagat-recognized chicken salad, added as a healthier menu option.
- **Family Meals, Party Packs & Catering** — Bulk chicken, sides, and rolls for families and events, plus full catering services.

## Achievements

- Grew from a single 1967 San Marcos stand to roughly 250 restaurants across the South
- Trademarked the Original Golden Tender in 1985
- Ranked among Nation's Restaurant News Top 200 Restaurant Brands (#142 in 2022)
- ~$155.4 million in annual revenue
- Record number of openings in 2025, finishing with nearly 250 locations (~9% year-over-year growth)
- Celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017

## Latest updates

- **2025-12** — Golden Chick reported a record year of openings, finishing 2025 with just under 250 locations, a nearly 9% year-over-year increase.
- **2024-08** — The brand celebrated a franchise milestone award recognizing operator growth.
- **2024-01** — Announced plans to open roughly 80 new locations across Houston and Beaumont.
- **2023-05** — Restructured its executive team ahead of system-wide growth.

## Links

- Website: https://goldenchick.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/golden-chick
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/GoldenChick
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GoldenChick
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldenchick/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/pages/Golden-Chick/81757688797

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/golden-chick
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13