Golden Chick has built its reputation on hand-breaded chicken and Southern-inspired sides, growing to more than 240 locations across six states, primarily through a franchise model.
A 2026 Food On Demand Outstanding Operator, Golden Chick uses technology and data to support off-premises growth.
The brand’s drive-thru business dominates its sales mix, with digital ordering continuing to expand.
“We treat our off-prem as one ecosystem, not separate channels,” said Cynthia Loscher, vice president of information technology at Golden Chick. “Our POS, our online and our in-store all workflow through the kitchen, so the experience and execution is the same, regardless of that channel.”
Standardized workflows and real-time visibility helped streamline execution and improve order accuracy across channels.
Golden Chick offers pickup, delivery and catering, working with DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub and ezCater, while investing in first-party ordering.
“We are using third-party for new guest reach, but we’re trying to focus those guests that we get to our first party for more profitability for franchisees,” Loscher said.
The brand’s tech stack includes Olo as its integrator, with Spendgo for loyalty and its mobile app.
Catering is a growing focus, with efforts centered on improving order flow and kitchen visibility through Olo Catering. The brand offers party packs for groups of 15, 25 or 50, with portions scaling by size and including items like 30 pieces of chicken, 15 rolls and two half-pan sides.
“We want to make sure those orders get straight to the kitchen and that operations know what production will look like ahead of time,” Loscher said.
Marketing and guest engagement are increasingly driven by loyalty data and customer behavior insights.
“We’re trying to get the right offer at the right time based on what guests have told us they need or want,” Loscher said. “We’re using that data to re-engage and focus on the right areas.”
The company has invested in improving its mobile app and reducing friction in the ordering experience.
“Loyalty is really table stakes at this point,” Loscher said. “We’ve focused on improving the app experience and layering that into our overall tech rollout without creating extra friction for the customer or operations.”
As competition increases across categories, Golden Chick is focused on using first-party data to gain insight into its customers.
“COVID forced franchisees and QSRs to adopt new technology. Now we’re using those tools to better understand customer behavior, which helps us streamline operations and spend marketing dollars more effectively,” Loscher said. “It’s a highly competitive environment across all channels, and understanding the customer experience is where we need to focus as a brand.”
The Outstanding Operators Program highlights 20 innovative brands taking creative paths to success with all things off-premises. Each winner receives a $1,000 charitable donation to their organization of choice and will be recognized on-stage at the 2026 Food On Demand Conference. Register today!
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