A Total of More Than $26,000 in Free Food Being Given Away

Chick-fil-A will celebrate the Elizabethton grand opening by awarding a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A® Meals (52 certificates) to each of the first 100 adults in line, age 18 and older with identification, at the new restaurant at 753 W Elk Ave.

The line officially opens at 6 a.m., Wednesday, April 6, with the free meal cards being awarded Thursday, April 7, sometime between 6 a.m. and 6:10 a.m. The restaurant will open for business immediately thereafter. If there are more than 100 people by 6 a.m. on Wednesday, all 100 spots will be determined by a raffle. See www.chick-fil-a.com/#insidersfirst100 for complete rules.

People usually arrive more than 24 hours in advance of an opening, carrying tents, lawn chairs, computers, TVs, couches and all kinds of other gear to make their wait more comfortable and entertaining. Wednesday will take on a tailgate type atmosphere complete with dancing, food, games, and prizes for those camping out.

Get Free Chicken for a Year at Chic-Fil-A

 

A Total of More Than $26,000 in Free Food Being Given Away

Chick-fil-A will celebrate the Elizabethton grand opening by awarding a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A® Meals (52 certificates) to each of the first 100 adults in line, age 18 and older with identification, at the new restaurant at 753 W Elk Ave.

The line officially opens at 6 a.m., Wednesday, April 6, with the free meal cards being awarded Thursday, April 7, sometime between 6 a.m. and 6:10 a.m. The restaurant will open for business immediately thereafter. If there are more than 100 people by 6 a.m. on Wednesday, all 100 spots will be determined by a raffle. See www.chick-fil-a.com/#insidersfirst100 for complete rules.

People usually arrive more than 24 hours in advance of an opening, carrying tents, lawn chairs, computers, TVs, couches and all kinds of other gear to make their wait more comfortable and entertaining. Wednesday will take on a tailgate type atmosphere complete with dancing, food, games, and prizes for those camping out.

 

Elizabethton’s First Chick-fil-A Restaurant Opening April 7;

First 100 in Line at New Restaurant to Win Free Year’s Supply of Chick-fil-A New Restaurant on West Elk Avenue Brings 70 New Jobs as Chick-fil-A Continues to Grow Across the Country

ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (March 29, 2011) – A quarter century after Chick-fil-A® grew from its shopping mall locations to open its first stand-alone restaurant, the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain will continue to make its award-winning drive-thru service and freshly prepared menu items more convenient when it opens its newest Elizabethton location on April 7, and will award a free year’s supply of Chick-fil-A to the first 100 adults in line that morning.

Seven years after it debuted at an Arizona grand opening, Chick-fil-A’s First 100 celebration ushers in each grand opening around the country. The parking lot party draws from miles around Chick-fil-A’s loyal customers who come equipped with couches, TVs, computers, tents and other gear as they count down to the newest restaurant opening. Extreme weather conditions don’t dampen the enthusiasm of the participants who often arrive more than 24 hours in advance.

A similar scene is expected in Elizabethton where Chick-fil-A will award a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A® Meals (52 certificates) to each of the first 100 adults in line, age 18 and older with identification, at the restaurant located at 753 W. Elk Ave. The line officially opens at 6 a.m., Wednesday, April 6, with the free meal cards being awarded Thursday, April 7, sometime between 6 a.m. and 6:10 a.m. The restaurant will open for business immediately thereafter. If there are more than 100 people by 6 a.m. on Wednesday, April 6, all 100 spots will be determined by a raffle. See http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Locations/First-100 for complete rules.

The opening of the first stand-alone Chick-fil-A in Elizabethton comes 25 years after the chain first moved from the malls, where it helped to pioneer the in-mall food concept, to the street with the opening of its first stand-alone restaurant in its hometown of Atlanta in 1986. With 90 restaurant openings planned in 2011, Chick-fil-A will reach 1,000 stand-alone locations in addition to the restaurants it operates in shopping malls and at licensed locations such as universities and airport.

Continuing to expand despite the country’s economic challenges, Chick-fil-A in 2010 opened 80 new restaurants, creating nearly 4,500 new jobs, and expanded into metro Chicago where restaurants opened to record-breaking sales. The chain anticipates creating another 5,000 new jobs in 2011.

After reaching $3 billion in sales for the first time in 2009, Chick-fil-A continued the positive trend in 2010 reporting that sales topped $3.58 billion. Marking Chick-fil-A’s 43rd year of consecutive growth, last year’s sales represented an 11.37 percent overall and 5.92 percent same-store performance over the chain’s sales performance the previous year. “We are thrilled to continue expanding and responding to the requests of our loyal customers to bring Chick-fil-A closer to where they live,” said Dan T. Cathy, President and COO, Chick-fil-A, Inc. “As we enter new regions and grow in established markets, we are grateful for our outstanding franchised Operators and their team members who provide the freshly prepared food and excellent service on both sides of the counter. Their efforts keep our customers coming back again and again.”

The First 100 event rewards and celebrates that loyalty with a 24-hour campout in the restaurant parking lot that includes music, contests, games, entertainment and, of course, plenty of Chick-fil-A. Since the event began in 2003, Chick-fil-A has given away more than $13 million in free food at its restaurant grand openings, with nearly $2.3 million slated to be awarded to First 100 participants in 2011.

This year marks 65 years since founder Truett Cathy opened his first restaurant, the Dwarf Grill, in Hapeville, Ga., in 1946. It was there that Cathy, who celebrated his 90th birthday in March, perfected his recipe for a boneless-breast-of-chicken sandwich which became the signature menu item when he opened his first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta in 1967. From the very beginning, Cathy’s focus on freshly prepared menu items and superior customer service have been hallmarks of the chain as it has grown to more than 1,545 restaurants in 39 states and Washington D.C.

Tommy Tipton will continue to extend that legacy as franchised Operator of the new Elizabethton restaurant. Tipton and his wife, Mary, are excited to return to the Tri-Cities area, where he was born and raised in Johnson City, and she in Elizabethton. They look forward to raising their three children in Elizabethton and serving the community. Tipton began working for Chick-fil-A in 1991 at the Johnson City Mall, and now brings with him 20 years of experience with the chain, including 12 years as an Operator, most recently in Chattanooga.

“Chick-fil-A may have grown to be the second-largest chicken restaurant chain in the country, but our ideals today are no different than those Truett Cathy exemplified when he started Chick-fil-A 43 years ago,” said Tipton. “We want our customers to enjoy our freshly prepared food in the same friendly neighborhood environment he created.” With the 1986 opening of its first stand-alone restaurant came Chick-fil-A’s drive-thru service which has become an industry leader, topping studies for six years running. In the most recent QSR magazine Drive-Thru Performance Study, Chick-fil-A ranked number one overall in the survey which measured order accuracy, speed of service, menu board appearance and speaker clarity.

The new Elizabethton Chick-fil-A features a 4,596 square-foot interior that seats 138 with additional outdoor seating and has warm colors and wood accents and a convenient, award-winning drive-thru while children will enjoy an indoor play area featuring an interactive section for toddlers. The new restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving a full breakfast menu until 10:30 a.m.

While the core Chick-fil-A menu stays firmly in place, the chain rolled out its most-requested menu addition last summer when it introduced its Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich across the country. The success of the sandwich led the chain to spice up its breakfast menu as well, adding its Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Biscuit in January of this year. Sensitive to rising health concerns, especially among children, Chick-fil-A offers a completely trans fat-free menu and was among the first national quick-service restaurant chains to do so. At no extra charge, parents may substitute a small fruit cup for Waffle Potato Fries® included in Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meals®.

In the December 2010 issue of Men’s Health, the publication discussed America’s Best and Worst Restaurants. It named Chick-fil-A as the best chicken chain. While touting Chick-fil-A’s healthier menu, the magazine stated, “Bottom line: You won't find a better meal at any fast food joint in the country.”