Golden Skillet

Golden Skillet is a fast-food chain that mainly sells fried chicken originating in Richmond, Virginia.[1] The first Golden Skillet chicken was sold in 1963 at the downtown Richmond department store Thalhimer's.[1] The fried chicken recipe was created by Clifton W. Guthrie, the original owner and founder of Golden Skillet.

The slogan for the chain was "Tender as Quail! Tasty as Pheasant!"[2] While the recipe was not officially published, it is known that the fried chicken was cooked in special pressure-cookers and with specific breading.[1]

History

In 1963, a vice president of a Thalhimers grocery store tasted Guthrie's chicken at a banquet; shortly after, it was sold at the Thalhimers' restaurant.[1]

Eventually, in Richmond, the first freestanding location opened in 1968.[1] By October 2, 1981, Guthrie's death, the chain had grown to 16 company-owned locations and 180 franchises worldwide.[1] It had affiliate firms with Puerto Rico, Canada, and Japan.[1][3][4] As of April 2024, the company operates 10 locations in Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Golden Skillet would be sold to American chain Dairy Queen sometime in the 1980s after Guthrie's death.[5]

Locations

Some locations of the franchise include Sandston, Virginia,[6] Plymouth, North Carolina,[7] Henderson, North Carolina,[8] Ahoskie, North Carolina,[9] Danville, Virginia,[10] Petersburg, Virginia,[11] and Richmond, Virginia.[12]

See also

• List of fast-food chicken restaurants