Pick Up Stix, Inc.
Laguna Hills, California restaurant company operating the Pick Up Stix fast-casual Chinese chain, owned by Lorne Goldberg's Mandarin Holdings since 2010.
Company Type
private
Founded
1989
Headquarters
Laguna Hills, California, USA
Employees
Approximately 1,000
Primary Market
United States
Pick Up Stix, Inc. Timeline
About Pick Up Stix, Inc.
Who owns Pick Up Stix?
Pick Up Stix is owned by Mandarin Holdings, controlled by Lorne Goldberg, who acquired it from Carlson Companies in 2010.
Is Pick Up Stix a franchise?
Most Pick Up Stix restaurants are company-operated. Licensed units exist in airports and Las Vegas casinos, operated by partners such as Feel Good Brands.
Where is Pick Up Stix headquartered?
Laguna Hills, California, in Orange County.
How many locations does Pick Up Stix have?
More than 70, mostly in Southern California, plus licensed airport and casino units.
Who founded the company?
Charlie Zhang, a Chinese immigrant who arrived in the US in 1982 and opened the first restaurant in 1989 in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Is Pick Up Stix related to Pei Wei?
Yes. Both are owned by Lorne Goldberg's restaurant platform, operating as separate brands under shared private ownership.
History of Pick Up Stix, Inc.
Charlie Zhang founded the company in 1989 in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Zhang immigrated to the US from China in 1982 and built recipes adapting traditional Chinese dishes to American tastes: less oil, more wine, vinegar, and soy-based sauces.
The chain grew through Orange and San Diego counties in the 1990s before Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, owner of TGI Fridays, acquired it in July 2001. Zhang remained president until retiring in 2003.
Carlson sold Pick Up Stix to Lorne Goldberg's Mandarin Holdings in 2010. Goldberg has held it since, an unusually long private ownership tenure. Under his control the company kept its regional focus, added licensed casino and airport units, and invested in its owned food-processing facility.
As of 2026 the company operates more than 70 locations with about 1,000 employees, led day to day by COO Linda Nelson.
Brands Owned by Pick Up Stix, Inc.
Pick Up Stix, Inc. owns 1 brand in our database. Explore the ownership tree below — click categories to expand and see individual brands.
Pick Up Stix, Inc.
private · Founded 1989 · Laguna Hills, California, USA
1
brands
Pick Up Stix, Inc. Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +15-plus years of stable owner-operator stewardship under Goldberg
- +Vertical integration through owned food-processing facility
- +Strong Southern California brand loyalty built over 35-plus years
- +Shared platform resources with Pei Wei and sister brands
Considerations
- -Single-region concentration limits growth ceiling
- -No public financial disclosure
- -Overlaps with sibling Pei Wei in the same category
- -Exposed to California labor and occupancy costs
Frequently Asked Questions About Pick Up Stix, Inc.
Who owns Pick Up Stix?
Pick Up Stix is owned by Mandarin Holdings, controlled by Lorne Goldberg, who acquired it from Carlson Companies in 2010.
Is Pick Up Stix a franchise?
Most Pick Up Stix restaurants are company-operated. Licensed units exist in airports and Las Vegas casinos, operated by partners such as Feel Good Brands.
Where is Pick Up Stix headquartered?
Laguna Hills, California, in Orange County.
How many locations does Pick Up Stix have?
More than 70, mostly in Southern California, plus licensed airport and casino units.
Who founded the company?
Charlie Zhang, a Chinese immigrant who arrived in the US in 1982 and opened the first restaurant in 1989 in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Is Pick Up Stix related to Pei Wei?
Yes. Both are owned by Lorne Goldberg's restaurant platform, operating as separate brands under shared private ownership.
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