Pioneer Chicken hopes to make comeback in LA's fried chicken scene
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2024
- At its peak, Pioneer Chicken had over 200 locations. Now, it is down to just two. However, two siblings are determined to revamp their grandfather's fried chicken chain. Nik Zecevic reports.
I remember Pioneer and it was absolutely the best! I've missed it!!
Their chicken's crust was both the crispiest and tastiest. The crust literally shattered when you bit into it.
I remember it too. Like a relic of my past. Crazy cause I haven’t even thought of the name pioneer chicken for like at least two decades.
Me too. That's the only reason I looked it up even though I have not had it in thirty years.
Eating Pioneer Chicken and watching WWF PPVs with my family was heaven.
Super nostalgic times 😢😭😭😭💯
It tasted better than KFC. My sister used to have an ice cream store next to one, and we used to trade ice cream and chicken pieces.
Everyone WINS!
There was a Pioneer Chicken my family used to hit up back in the day on Vermont & Florence. Went back this year to the two remaining locations and the food tasted just like I remembered from childhood, especially the spicy rice 😊
I just remember the Pioneer Chicken location in North Hollywood, California on Victory Blvd in the 80’s and 90’s. It brings back such great memories knowing that there are some still around today! ♥️😎👍🥰
I grew up near the one on Devonshire at Balboa in Granada Hills in the 70's. To this day it is the best fried chicken I have had anywhere, by far. Nothing even comes close.
Wait a minute... does that sign really say $72.99 for a 20 piece, they lost their damn mind
EBT accepted
I love pioneer chicken! Haven’t been in years. Gotta go again. Thank you guys. Peace and prayers up for y’all!
Stop with the prayers already you're insulting your intelligence
The Pioneer at Barranca Ave and Alosta (now Rte. 66) in Glendora was our go to back in the 70's/80's. The Monday Night Football dinner Special for sure ☺️
I used to go to that one too😁ROCK ON!!!!!!!🤘🏻🤙🏻✌🏻
I grew up going to the Pioneer Chicken in Rialto, California on Foothill. It closed down in the late 80's, they had the best Tartar sauce.
gaseous
When I lived in LA there was a Pioneer Chicken on Western Ave above Hollywood or Sunset Blvds. The best take out chicken. Much better than KFC.
Bring back the deep-fried clam strips and chicken gizzards.
Mmmmm clam strips!!!
they have gizzards. well, at the bell gardens one they do.
What are clam strips
@@chalinp4886 it's the 'landing strip' above the clam! 🤣
@@chalinp4886 deep fried tiny little clam strips.....so good!
About 10 years ago, I COULDN’T BELIEVE that a few of them still existed!!!… At the time, I was under the impression that they were all gone, and have been gone since the 90s! Every time I’m in the area, (Bell Gardens or Boyle Heights) I always stop and get some!🍗😋
I remember in the 80s we use to do laundry and there was a pioneer next to it, loved it. This was back in pacoima
I "worked" for Pioneer Chicken when they had a store next to San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara. But there was a miscommunication. After I had been there for a couple of hours, the Assistant Manager realized I was only looking for part-time work. I was a full-time high school student, you know. He thought that I was available for full-time work. Doh!
$72.99 for a 20 piece, 3 sides and 6 biscuits???????? BRUH, YALLS WILD. Best wishes with that.
I saw that price, and I kept taking a double take. I thought my eyes were deceiving me. What in the world
Get a better job if you can't afford it.
@@DiogenesOfCa Also better politicians, governor and president.
@@DiogenesOfCaI had a very good job and was able to retire a month before I turned 55, four years ago, with two houses payed off. One reason I was able to do that was I wasn't stupid enough to spend money on things like $73 fastfood chicken.
you can feed 5 or maybe 6 people with that 20pc.. but hey if ya'll obese then maybe 3
I loved Pioneer Chicken. There was a location in San Dimas near the Canyon theatre. I used to go there all the time
When I went to preschool in the early 80s in the Bay Area there was a Pioneer Chicken next to my old preschool and when we played on the swings whenever we saw the joint over the wall we would yell "Pioneer Chicken"
Oh man that was one of my favorite places in L.A. I cannot find the flavor that pioneer had!
Was that 20pc. $72.99? 😮
A family meal?
Gotta pay that $20 an hour somehow 😆
Went for the first time a week ago & 4pc tenders with two sides & biscuit is $17. With an extra dollar if you not paying cash 😂
"Hey, son. You want Pioneer Chicken?"
"Why would I want pie on my chicken?"
And that's my only memory of that place ❤
Great ! I member !
Hey guys, do you guys remember Pup-N-taco ?
Yes I do!
@@lindachew3929 huh I no I’m old .
Hey lindá Linda.
Yes indeed! Unfortunately Taco Bell bought them out, but they had the best slushy's...😊
What about Naugles?
Yes definitely! Great food! Growing up in the Valley, San Fernando. There was one in Van Nuys, California on Victory Blvd. I miss that so much. ♥️👍😎
I loved the one in Hawaii. From the dining area, you had the sunset over the ocean. Definitely loved the chicken.
Hell ya. Strips with pioneer sauce would be good rite now. After they left sj we enjoyed 2 locations in los angeles
Yes!! I grew up with the one in Echo Park, which was the original. You had to stand and order outside. Best chicken around!!
Hope they do! I made the trek out to the Boyle heights location couple months ago. After 30+ years, it tasted like nostalgia.. same great taste!
That crunchy crust! Remember that Pioneer Chicken at Sunset and Echo Park? Right behind it was Pioneer Market. Anyone know if that was coincidence or jointly owned?
There was an affiliation.
We grew up about a mile from a KFC! But, Pioneer was so good my Dad would drive like 8 miles across town to hit up Pioneer instead. SO YUMMMMMMY!
I remember pioneer chicken in highland park when I was a kid. Pops would buy us chicken and rent some movies for a family friday movie night
Pioneer Chicken in my neighborhood was on Crenshaw and Slauson 😊We loved that chicken 😅
Yup, THAT was the one my folks frequented back in the day! Fun times...
I remember growing up on it and I went to this location before and remember why I don’t go there. But each is their own.
Was ready to go, until I saw the prices. $72 dollars??? $8 dollars for 6 biscuits? Sorry, hard pass. 😂😂
Our favorite chicken place hands down!
Grew up in SoCal and enjoyed this as a kid. Live in NorCal now and no other chain or mom & pop chicken place even comes close!
Anyone remember the pioneer on Venice and western? That was my go to!
Me too!
Miss Pioneer chicken in SF!! Had to travel to LA just to satisfy my craving!!! Please Keep Pioneer chicken alive for many years to come!!!
Used to have a Pioneer in Sacramento.. I am going to make the journey to LA
There was one in the valley, off Roscoe when I was a little kid. Hope they make it!
🎶 Don't cook tonight, call Chicken Delight 🎶 Sorry, I had a sudden memory flashback. 😆
PIZZA MAN ✌😎👍
Decade ago there was one near my parents. I told a coworker and had to bring fried gizzards to her
Man I remember Pioneer Chicken in every direction you might be headed, man I don't remember the chicken as much as that seasoned crispy coating around the chicken ✌😎👍
Bet it's better than chick fil A
I miss Pioneer chicken, it was really good.
My friends and I always order for our gatherings. ❤
I've missed PC for sometime now. Growing up in the SFV, my younger brother and I would walk 2 blocks from our house to PC with our friends after games of street baseball!
Rinaldi Street and Laurel Canyon in the K-Mart parking lot. Our mailman at the time treated all of us to chicken lunches one summer afternoon while he/we took breaks from work/baseball game. It was awesome!
Now in Oxnard, I think I'll be making my way back to one of these PC's with my 10 year young son. I want a PC t-shirt! Lol
No way I remember that k mart I took pic there as a kid lol ... I eat at the Popeyes
@@leslienava3076 Lol..nice! I was a well known MC and member of a big party group (flyer parties, remember these?) from San Fernando when I was 17 and we used to meet at Popeyes on Wednesday nights and meet up again on Friday nights and caravan to either a backyard party we were hosting or roll to a party/parties within the Valley.
We got kicked out of Popeyes and met at Carls Jr on Laurel Canyon Blvd, less than a quarter mile from Popeyes.
I can still see/hear all the mini trucks, 4x4's, dropped 64 Impalas, VDub bugs and Suzuki bikes all on the boulevard. More packed than Hollywood & Whittier on Sunday nights. Memories! lol
Omg I remember Pioneer chicken as a kid in the 80s.
my pioneer chicken on fremont blvd. and paseo padre closed down in 1993 i believe... went to the bell garden location back in 2019 and it seems to still taste the way i remembered it
I remember the one in Hawthorne in the 80s
I miss Pioneer chicken and Shakey’s pizza .
This story can make a grown man cry 🥲
If I was going to open a restaurant, California is one of the last states I’d do it in.
by next year that 20pc gonna be almost a $100. tf is that
They still have their mascot Pioneer Pete😁ROCK ON!!!!!!!🤘🏻🤙🏻✌🏻
Used to buy the 3 piece dinner box substituting fries instead of mashed potatoes. Fries were always soggy from all the grease. Plus I would need to lie down after finishing the dinner. Consuming all that oily batter and fries gave me a tummy ache.
Bring OJ Simpson back to make the commercials.
Yes!! And offer free juice 🧃
Wtf with oj Simpson was as other destroy what that do .
Just found out that O.J. died.
RiP Juice
@@bacardim390 💐
WOW, thanks for fighting the good fight, as Pioneer Chicken was one of my favorite places to eat as a child, as we had one right down the street from where we lived. And we had all mater of options at the time(BK, McDees, KFC, etc.), but Pioneer was still my go to, as they had these killer "strips", and the sauce was to die for. I left Los Angeles in 95, but I still visit from time to time, hopefully I'll get a chance to try it again some day. All the best to the owner, as he seems like a good guy.
Was that $72.99 for 20 piece meal😮
Really loved their chicken livers.
Next time I'm in Boyle Heights I'm going from Arizona 🤘
70.00 yeah boy that yeah I used to go there. But yeah that's that's way too much buddy
Bring back GoldenByrd
Excited to see how they can shake it up
Pioneer, KFC, and Church's were THE 'Big 3' back in the day for me in my neighborhood growin' up ('80s). Can't believe there's less than a handful of Pioneer joints left, makes me sad...
I remember the one off Figueroa and York in Highland PARK Los Angeles.
$ 70 for a 20 piece is wild tho
I LOVE Pioneer Chicken. They were the best in San Jose.
I visited the Boyle Heights location late last year out of nostalgia. I ordered a tenders meal. The batter is beer batter style, really oily and just awful. I don't recall it being that way as a kid. If that's how it's supposed to be, I guess some people have a taste for it.
I miss pioneer chicken I used to live across the street from the one on sunset blvd ,Great chicken salad sandwiches
I grew up on this chicken in south central where Popeyes at on crenshaw
My dad used to take me there as a child I love it😊
My pop’s favorite in Boyle Heights!❤
Oh, man, I love Pioneer Chicken. My first job was at Pioneer Chicken when I was 19. I missed so much. Where are the last two stores located?
Boyle Heights/Los Angeles (Whittier & Soto) and Bell Gardens (Florence & Garfield)
@@hoodmistressreloaded Awesome, thank you so much.
@@avsiii7661 Anytime 😊
Come back?!? If more people knew there were still Pioneer Chicken storefronts in business, they'd be packed ALL THE TIME. People in the Facebook groups about "growing up in California" always have threads about PC. Many say they would drive hours if they knew where one was(most people think they are completely gone).
Especially since the food is the same--orange, crispy, and oh so tasty!
Hell yea!! Takes me back..
Bring it back to echo park!
Wow $72 for 20pcs of chicken 🍗.
The original first location in echo park is a little Caesars for a while now. It wasnt that great when i had it, but hopefully i get to try it out some time this year and hope it tastes better
They had one in pico Rivera on Whittier and durfee stuff was great
OMG I loved them.
How hope so. I love Pioneer Chicken.
We had them in San Diego, there are still a few of the barn style building still up selling tacos.
I know the taco store! I think it was Roberto's? Umberto's? Alberto's? Aliberto's? Umberto's? Humberto's? Berto's? Eliberto's? 😆🌮
Don't get it twisted, Bell Gardens goes through a lot of gizzards and livers because of me. Someone has to eat them!
Oh hell yeah... We want them to come back 😋
West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd near crescent heights
72.99 for a 20 piece???😂😂😂😂
If there is a picture of the Beastie Boys on the wall then I’m sure it’s good.
Thirty dollars for a piece of chicken in california nice
You have to do 10 car dates to buy a bucket of chicken.
@@sheckydiamond7533 lol
We had one one route 66 in monrovia. It's now a Popeye's and i hate it. It's really expensive and the service is bad. I've been to the Pioneer by the 710 a couple of years ago, the serve the chicken in a white box. It's far from where i live but I'm glad it's still there.
LOVE IT CANT GET ENOUGH!!!
The BEST
Yes indeed! Pioneer Chicken's were everywhere! Ive ate at both locations and nothing has changed. KFC, Popeye's, Churches, might have a stronghold, but there is still a market for Pioneer Chicken in southern California...
When i was a kid i LOVED ❤️❤️❤️ Pioneer chicken!!!
Best fried chicken ever!!!
Thick tasty batter, infinitely better than kfc.
Chicken is so good.
lower your prices and we will come
You member I member! Yes I spelled it wrong on purpose.
Come back to the Bay Area 🙏🏽
WTF. 26sec into this video. I see the sign in the back says "Jumbo 20 piece for $72.99". WTH HAHAHAHAHA!!! Who the hell can afford that and it's in Bell Garden!! Might get jack for them chickens!!!
Dang! I had to pause and see for myself.💰💰
Give me Jungle Chicken in City of San Fernando.
👍loved Pioneer when I lived out there.
I miss them soo much. I would pay for the old recipe.
They don't fall under the $20 minimum wage, right? Competitive advantage.
Aww, hell yeah!
My Mom would take me to the Boyle Heights location when I was little. Best treat ever from eating beans everyday 😂 Now I take myself to the one in BG or Boyle Heights! Favoritist Chicken 😋