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{{Short description|American fried chicken restaurant chain}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Pioneer Chicken Take Out Corporation
| trade_name = Pioneer Chicken
| foundation = {{start date and age|1961}}
| area_served = {{unbulleted list|
| defunct = <!-- How is it defunct if three stores are still open?? Now only two as of 2017. It's defunct because the current franchisees cannot upgrade equipment or remodel or anything. That's why they're both cash only. --> <small>Open in Los Angeles at 904 S. Soto Street, Los Angeles CA 90023 and in Bell Gardens at 6323 E. Florence Avenue, Bell Gardens, CA 90201</small>
| location =* [[LosBell Angeles CountyGardens, California]], U.S.
{{coord* missing|[[Los Angeles County, California}}]]▼
}}
| industry = [[Restaurant]]
| products = [[Fried chicken]]
| website = https://pioneerchickenpioneerchickenla.orgcom
}}
The '''Pioneer Chicken Take Out Corporation''', (or[[doing business as]] '''Pioneer Take OutChicken''', as it is officially named) is an American [[fried chicken]] restaurant chain which was founded in [[Echo Park, Los Angeles]]<ref name=lat-2009mar24>{{cite news |title=Pioneer Chicken kicks the bucket |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2009/03/closings-and-op.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=2009-03-24 |first=Jessica |last=Gelt}}</ref> in 1961 by H. R. Kaufman. During the 1970s, several locations operated in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, [[Hawaii]]. When Kaufman sold the chain in 1987, there were 270 restaurants operated by 220 franchisees.<ref>{{cite news |title=A Takeover That Ended a Friendship: Pioneer Take-Out Founder, Purchaser at Odds Over Terms |url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-19/business/-fi-37127_1_pioneer37127-headquartersstory.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=1988-01-19 |first1=Jesus |last1=Sanchez |first2=Nancy |last2=Yoshihara |name-list-style=amp}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pioneer Chicken Tries to Emerge From Its Second Bankruptcy |url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-09/business/-fi-370_1_pioneer370-chickenstory.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=1991-04-09 |first=John |last=Medearis}}</ref> In 1993, Pioneer Chicken was taken over by AFC Enterprises, the parent company of [[Popeyes]]. Almost all Pioneer Chicken locations were then converted to Popeyes.<ref name=lat-1993jun10/> The franchisees of two locations resisted the change, retaining the Pioneer Chicken branding: [[Los Angeles]] and [[Bell Gardens, California]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jonh |first=Adam |title=Pioneer Chicken The Best fried chicken near me |url=https://pioneerchicken.org/ |website=Pioneer Chicken}}</ref>▼
 
▲'''Pioneer Chicken''' (or '''Pioneer Take Out''', as it is officially named) is an American [[fried chicken]] restaurant chain which was founded in [[Echo Park, Los Angeles]]<ref name=lat-2009mar24>{{cite news |title=Pioneer Chicken kicks the bucket |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2009/03/closings-and-op.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=2009-03-24 |first=Jessica |last=Gelt}}</ref> in 1961 by H. R. Kaufman. When Kaufman sold the chain in 1987, there were 270 restaurants operated by 220 franchisees.<ref>{{cite news |title=A Takeover That Ended a Friendship: Pioneer Take-Out Founder, Purchaser at Odds Over Terms |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-01-19/business/fi-37127_1_pioneer-headquarters |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=1988-01-19 |first1=Jesus |last1=Sanchez |first2=Nancy |last2=Yoshihara |name-list-style=amp}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pioneer Chicken Tries to Emerge From Its Second Bankruptcy |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1991-04-09/business/fi-370_1_pioneer-chicken |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=1991-04-09 |first=John |last=Medearis}}</ref>
 
During the 1970s, several locations operated in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, [[Hawaii]]. As of January 2024, the company operates 2 locations in [[California]]. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Jonh |first=Adam |title=Pioneer Chicken The Best fried chicken near me |url=https://pioneerchicken.org/ |website=Pioneer Chicken}}</ref>
 
==Origins==
It was named after Pioneer Market, a now-defunct small chain of supermarkets in Los Angeles. The original location in Echo Park was located next to the Pioneer Market (the original 1932 market was razed in the 1980s due to the [[1971 San Fernando earthquake|Sylmar earthquake]]) at Echo Park Avenue and [[Sunset Boulevard]], which was replaced by a [[Walgreens]] Pharmacy in 2004.<ref name=lat-2004aug01>{{cite news |url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/2004archives/la-xpm-2004-aug/-01/local/-me-pioneer1-story.html |title=Lox, Stock and Pickle Barrel Go as Old Market Closes |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 1, 2004 |first=Nita |last=Lelyveld}}</ref> Due to considerable redevelopment activity in the neighborhood, the original Pioneer Chicken location was shut down in March 2009<ref name=lat-2009mar24 /> and replaced by a Little Caesar's Pizza the following year.<ref name=lat-2010mar16>{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2010/03/crazy-bread-pioneer-chicken-in-echo-park-to-become-a-little-caesars-pizza-.html |title=Crazy bread! Pioneer Chicken in Echo Park to become a Little Caesars pizza |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=2010-03-16 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref> During the 1980s, [[Los Angeles Lakers]] announcer [[Chick Hearn]] and former football player [[O. J. Simpson]] advertised for the restaurant.
 
[[File:Pioneer Chicken Meal.jpg|260px|thumb|right|A common meal from the chain.]]
Pioneer Chicken wasis remembered for its bright orange deep fried chicken, menu option of gizzards and livers as appetizers, and Pioneer Pete,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lamag.com/askchris/pioneer-pete-rides-off-into-the-sunset/|title=Pioneer Pete Rides Off Into The Sunset - Los Angeles Magazine|date=2011-06-23|work=Los Angeles Magazine|access-date=2018-04-12|language=en-US}}</ref> the company mascot and protagonist in comic books that were provided with their kid's meals.
 
==Bankruptcy==
In 1988 founder H. R. Kaufman and business associate Terrence P. Goggin filed for Chapter 11 in Federal Bankruptcy Court. At that point, Pioneer Chicken had 220 franchise owners and 270 stores. The company faltered under competition pressure from Kentucky Fried Chicken.<ref >{{Cite news|url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-19/business/-fi-37127_1_pioneer37127-headquartersstory.html|title=A Takeover That Ended a Friendship : Pioneer Take-Out Founder, Purchaser at Odds Over Terms|last1=SANCHEZ|first1=JESUS|date=1988-01-19|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2018-04-12|last2=YOSHIHARA|first2=NANCY|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}</ref>
 
==AFC Enterprises acquisition==
In 1993, [[Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits]] owner [[AFC Enterprises]] purchased the franchise and converted most locations to Popeyes.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=June 9, 1993 |title= Pioneer Chicken joins Popeyes chain |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/06/09/Pioneer-Chicken-joins-Popeyes-chain/7264739598400 |publisher=[[United Press International]] |work=[[United Press International]] |location=Los Angeles |access-date=December 10, 2022}}</ref><ref name=lat-1993jun10>{{cite news |title=Pioneer Chicken Switches to Popeyes |url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-10/business/-fi-1785_1_pioneer1785-chickenstory.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=1993-06-10 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref>
 
==Locations==
[[File:Pioneer Chicken.jpg|260px|thumb|left|One of the last two operating locations of the chain.]]
There are two remaining locations in the Los Angeles area: 1) 904 S.South Soto Street, Los Angeles; 2) 6323 E.East Florence Avenue, Bell Gardens.
 
===In Indonesia===
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==Further reading==
* {{cite web | title=Pioneer Chicken in Bankruptcy; Most Stores to Remain Open | work=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=January 27, 1991 | url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-01-27/news/-mn-433_1_pioneer433-chicken-in-bankruptcystory.html | access-date=March 22, 2015}}
* [http://www.lamag.com/askchris/vintage-pioneer-chicken-sign-heading-to-museum/ Vintage Pioneer Chicken Sign Heading to Museum] Los Angeles Magazine March 2, 2016
 
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{{Fast-food chains of the United States}}
{{chicken chains}}
 
▲{{coord missing|Los Angeles County, California}}
 
[[Category:1961 establishments in California]]
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