- 2025 Franchise 500 Rank
-
#92 Ranked #86 last year
- Initial investment
-
$810K - $1.9M
- Units as of 2024
-
231 12.7% over 3 years
Does your mouth water at the sight of warm, crunchy, golden chicken? Then opening a Golden Chick franchise might be for you!
Golden Chick first opened under the name Golden Fried Chicken in 1967 in San Marcos, Texas. In 1996, the name changed to Golden Chick and new menu items, including golden roasted chicken, were added. There are over 175 Golden Chick outlets across the U.S., with franchise opportunities available in different locations.
Why You May Want to Start a Golden Chick Franchise
Many Golden Chick franchisees consider investing in this company to be a golden opportunity. Golden Chick franchisees come from different backgrounds: there are military veterans, owners with franchise experience, and corporate professionals, each adding unique experiences to their franchises.
Besides the delicious Golden Chick meals that patrons may have come to love, customers tend to enjoy the friendly atmosphere at Golden Chick franchises. The quality service found at Golden Chick may be something that keeps hungry customers coming back for more.
Golden Chick educates its customers on various dining options, potentially allowing you to serve the great tasting chicken via dine-in, drive-thru, delivery, and take-out.
What Might Make a Golden Chick Franchise a Good Choice?
Through the marketing and advertising programs, Golden Chick will likely support you, and the marketing team may inform the community of the products you have to offer. Golden Chick may provide franchisees with support and training during the pre-opening and opening stages of the business. This is usually followed by continued support for your Golden Chick franchise from regional management. The Golden Chick team has decades of experience and is typically happy to help you get your franchise off the ground.
To be part of the Golden Chick team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should ensure that you do not forget about ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.
How To Open a Golden Chick Franchise
To get started with Golden Chick, you'll first want to evaluate the restaurant market in your current area. Most branches are currently located in southern states or the Midwest. Is your community dying for some fresh, hot chicken?
During the process, a franchise representative will likely provide you with more information about the Golden Chick brand, the opportunity, investment, and timelines as you progress in the process. The franchise representative often provides franchisees with the Franchise Disclosure Document, as well.
This may be a great time to come prepared with questions and concerns. You'll want to ask to speak with existing Golden Chick franchisees, as well. If your net worth and available liquid capital match the brand’s requirements, you may qualify to open a Golden Chick franchise, and you can get started with an initial investment. When it comes to serving up chicken, are you ready to go for the gold?
Company Overview
About Golden Chick
Business Overview
| Franchising Since | 1972 (53 years) |
|---|---|
| # of employees at HQ | 35 |
| Where seeking |
This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide. |
| # of Units | 231 (as of 2024) |
|
|
|
Information for Franchisees
Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Golden Chick franchise.
Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees
Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.
|
Initial Franchise Fee
|
$30,000 |
|---|---|
|
Initial Investment
|
$810,250 - $1,852,800 |
|
Veteran Incentives
|
33.3% off franchise fee |
|
Royalty Fee
|
4% |
|
Ad Royalty Fee
|
2% |
|
Term of Agreement
|
20 years |
| Is franchise term renewable? | Yes |
Financing Options
Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.
| Third Party Financing | Golden Chick has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll |
|---|
Training & Support Offered
Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.
| On-The-Job Training | 98-168 hours |
|---|---|
| Classroom Training | 27-28 hours |
| Ongoing Support |
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
|
| Marketing Support |
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App
|
Operations
Additional details about running this franchise.
| Is absentee ownership allowed? | No |
|---|---|
|
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
|
No |
|
Can this franchise be run part time?
|
No |
| # of employees required to run | 12-15 |
|
Are exclusive territories available?
|
Yes |
Franchise 500 Ranking History
Compare where Golden Chick landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.
Additional Rankings
Curious to know where Golden Chick ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.
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