Golden Pride marked 50 years in business with a celebration at Glorieta Station in June 2022, honoring the founders, long-tenured employees, and the community that made it all possible.

When COVID-19 hit Albuquerque in March 2020, Golden Pride pivoted immediately — closing dining rooms, expanding drive-through operations, and keeping every employee on payroll. The team adapted with creativity and speed, adding a second drive-through lane at West Central and running outdoor cashiers to keep up with demand. The result was remarkable. May 2020 became the highest-revenue month in company …

Golden Pride received the Albuquerque Magazine award for Best Breakfast Burrito in the City five years in a row — a recognition that reflected what regulars already knew. In 2014, founders Larry and Dorothy Rainosek were honored with an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the University of New Mexico for their outstanding contributions to the community. That year, the company sold …

The East Central location moved into a brand-new building, opening October 21, 2003.

Golden Pride celebrated 25 years of serving Albuquerque on June 16, 1997. A quarter century in, the company had grown from a two-employee operation inside a motel to a multi-location institution woven into the fabric of the city.

On November 4, 1994, the company officially renamed itself Golden Pride Chicken — a name that better captured the pride the team put into every meal and the pride Albuquerque had come to feel for its homegrown restaurant. That same year, Golden Pride began large-scale green chile roasting operations at its warehouse, processing an average of 150 bags of fresh …

On August 20, 1990, Golden Pride officially launched breakfast service at the Lomas store, opening at 7:00 a.m. Eddie Montoya parked the company van on the corner with a handmade arrow sign pointing customers to the store. Breakfast spread to all locations in the years that followed. The same year, home delivery launched — decades before delivery apps existed.

BBQ products were introduced across all locations in 1987. In March 1988, the breakfast burrito debuted at West Central — a move that would ultimately transform the business. Today, breakfast is Golden Pride’s highest-volume category.

Golden Pride introduced the chicken filet sandwich (March 1985) and chicken nuggets (May 1985), expanding the menu to serve more customers and more occasions.

The day after Thanksgiving, November 23, 1984, Golden Pride opened its fourth location on Juan Tabo. Larry and Eddie spent Thanksgiving Day setting up the store — so caught up in preparations that they would have missed the holiday altogether if their wives hadn’t started calling. The Juan Tabo location would go on to become the company’s highest-volume store.