PIONEER CHICKEN

'Pioneer Chicken' was originally a Southern California fast-food restaurant specializing in chicken, which operated in the western United States. The chain is now largely defunct in the United States, although a few franchises still exist in California; one in Bell Gardens and four in various parts of Los Angeles: Silver Lake, Boyle Heights, Miracle Mile and Echo Park (the chain's original restaurant). During the 1980s, Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hearn and former football great O.J. Simpson used to advertise for the restaurant.
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 Pioneer Market's original store (now a Walgreen's Pharmacy) on Echo Park Avenue and Sunset Boulevard. Due to considerable redevelopment activity in the neighborhood caused by gentrification, the long-term future of this restaurant is in doubt, although it continues to operate as of May 2007.
Today Pioneer Chicken operates in China under the name "California Chicken" because the Chinese there tend to pronounce "Pioneer" in a way which is socially undesirable in Chinese society. The chicken is still prepared with the original recipe.

Beginning in 2002, the Pioneer Chicken located on Olympic Blvd. has become the official restaurant of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3.
As of March 2007, the original owner of the Pioneer Chicken on Olympic Blvd is handing the management to his niece. This location now bags it's to go orders in the bags with the original Pioneer Chicken logo until their paper bag supplies last. They will gladly give you an unused bag if you want one as a collector's copy.
Current locations:
Bell Gardens
M-Su: 1100-2145
6323 Florence Ave
(at Garfield)
Bell Gardens, CA 90201-4731
(562) 927-9135
Boyle Heights
M-Su: 1000-2100
904 S Soto St
(at Whitter)
Los Angeles, CA 90023-1323
(323) 262-4562
Echo Park
M-Sa: 0900-2300
Su: 0900-2200
1321 Echo Park Ave
(at Sunset)
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3317
(213) 481-1232
Miracle Mile (could not contact to verify)
M-Su: ?
5970 West Olympic Blvd
(at San Vincente)
Los Angeles, CA 90036-4610
(323) 954-0454
Silver Lake
M-Su: 0800-0000
4376 West Sunset Blvd
(at Fountain)
Los Angeles, CA 90029-2155
(323) 663-2441