Golden Chick

A win for the menu and the team behind it. VP of Development Tony Eisermann talks about our new Fried Apple Empanada, from the craveability guests want to the ease of execution that makes it work across Golden Chick restaurants.

Queso just makes everything better. 🔥 Chief Marketing Officer Howard Terry is breaking down what makes our queso the perfect addition to the Golden Chick lineup: bold flavor, endless dipping possibilities, and a whole lot of craveability.

Why Gimme That Golden? Why now? President & CEO Mark Parmerlee breaks down what’s behind the campaign and what this moment means for Golden Chick. 💛

Golden Chick is proud to celebrate our CMO, Howard Terry, as a 2026 Dallas Business Journal C-Suite Leaders Awards winner! Howard’s leadership, creativity and commitment have helped shape Golden Chick’s continued growth and evolution. We are proud to see his impact recognized alongside some of North Texas’ most influential business leaders. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Howard! #GoldenChick #CSuiteLeaders #DallasBusinessJournal

A great Saturday night for this old guy: I spent it with several young people, which was both fun and inspiring. They even treat you like the cool guy when they know you’re paying! The evening turned into unexpected consumer research when I asked, “Where should we eat?” The answer was unanimous: “Let’s go to Golden Chick—they have queso for dipping our fries and chicken.” Later, I reflected on their choice and appreciated Golden Chick’s smart decision to add queso. Chicken restaurants are not simply trending: 2025–2026 data shows the category becoming a dominant force in the U.S. restaurant industry, a shift reflected in reports across the sector. Limited-service restaurant (LSR) chicken is now the fastest-growing segment among America’s top 500 chains. ·       4.4% unit growth in 2025—the highest rate of any segment ·       $55.24 billion in sales—up 4.2% year over year Consumers increasingly want greater variety, bolder profiles, and globally inspired flavors in sauces and beverages. Gen Z’s willingness to experiment, the rise of foodie culture, and demand for sensory, emotional, and customizable experiences are driving this shift. Golden Chick’s new queso directly addresses that need. Hats off to Golden Chick for giving customers what they want. Chicken is not just a hot trend—it is the hottest category in U.S. foodservice, propelled by favorable economics, changing consumer behavior, and rapid chain expansion. The industry consensus is clear: 2026 belongs to chicken. Tonight, also showed me that Golden Chick is winning not only with its chicken, but by understanding younger customers and introducing products that appeal to them. My dinner tab was excellent—thank you, Golden Chick. Then we headed out for evening cocktails, which offered more firsthand consumer research and plenty of lessons, though the bill was far less friendly than the one Golden Chick helped me cover.

Behind every rollout is a team working to make sure restaurant teams have the tools, training and resources they need to bring it to life. Hear from our Instructional Designer, Madison, to see how the Golden Chick team prepares for a successful launch before a new item ever hits the menu.

QSR Magazine is talking all things Golden Chick + queso 🧀 QSR Magazine recently featured our new limited-time Tex-Mex lineup, highlighting the launch as our “biggest flavor innovation of the year.” Rooted in our Texas heritage, the new lineup pairs queso with Golden Chick favorites including Spicy Golden Tenders, Lotta Zing-seasoned fries, and our signature Golden Rolls. As Chief Marketing Officer Howard Terry shared, “Queso may be new to Golden Chick, but pairing it with Spicy Golden Tenders, fries seasoned with Lotta Zing and our Golden Rolls feels unmistakably Texas and unmistakably Golden Chick.” Thank you to QSR Magazine for featuring the launch and sharing what’s new at Golden Chick! Read the full feature here: https://lnkd.in/gR_pY958

A new menu item that’s already earned a spot on Howard’s favorites list. 🏆 Howard shares what makes the new Tex-Mex Tenders Combo stand out, and why pairing the tenders with queso takes it to the next level. Hear why he considers it one of his favorite items Golden Chick has ever launched.

What does it take to build a successful training program across a growing system? Hear from Michelle, Golden Chick’s Director of Training and Operational Services, about how the Golden Chick training team approaches creating a strong foundation across locations while continuing to evolve alongside the brand.