According to public filings, Golden Chick, a Texas-born quick-service chicken chain, is planning to expand to Salado. The new location is being developed by franchisee STN Chicken Group at 2317 Salado Center Loop. Golden Chick’s menu centers on its Original Golden Tenders, alongside fried and roast chicken, fried catfish, sandwiches, fresh salads, yeast rolls and a variety of sides.
The new restaurant will span 2,050 square feet, with construction projected to wrap in December 2026, according to public records. What Now Austin reached out to representatives of STN Chicken Group to inquire about an opening timeline but had not received a response by the time of publication.
The chain was founded in San Marcos, Texas, in 1967 under the name Golden Fried Chicken and began franchising in 1972. The name officially changed to Golden Chick in 1993, after the Parmerlee family — which acquired the business in 1989 — rebranded and modernized the chain.
According to QSR Magazine, in 2025, Golden Chick opened 23 new restaurants, setting a new all-time brand record for annual openings, and entered 2026 with a sizable number of additional locations already projected to open. The chain now operates more than 250 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Kansas, with openings also planned for Arkansas, Missouri and Arizona.
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