Chick-fil-A Opens Oct. 20 in Ashburn

UPDATE 9 a.m. Oct. 19: More than 150 people showed up at the Ashburn Chick-fil-A at George Washington University to try to win free meals for a year.

On Thursday, Chick-fil-A opens it new in Ashburn at University Center and plans are set to give away a year’s worth of food to new patrons and to collect food for the Good Shepherd Alliance.

Eight years after Chick-fil-A’s First 100 Celebration debuted at an Arizona grand opening, the event continues to usher in each grand opening around the country. The parking lot parties draw Chick-fil-A’s loyal customers from miles around 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 Ashburn 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, 44835 Lakeview Overlook Plaza. The line officially opens at 6 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19, with the free meal cards being awarded Thursday, Oct. 20, 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, Oct. 19, all 100 spots will be determined by raffle. See http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Locations/First-100 for complete rules. Working with Good Shepherd Alliance Inc., the new Chick-fil-A at George Washington in Ashburn will collect nonperishable food items for the homeless and those in need. Items may be brought to the new restaurant from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. Donors receive one free Chick-fil-A® breakfast entrée of their choice.

“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 on March 14, 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 almost 1,600 restaurants in 39 states and Washington D.C.

Bill Digges will extend that legacy as franchised Operator of the new Ashburn restaurant while continuing to operate the Chick-fil-A at Dulles Town Crossing in Sterling as he has done for nine years. Having had a positive experience working for Chick-fil-A as a teenager in Annapolis, MD, Digges returned to Chick-fil-A as an operator in 2001. He and his wife, Anne, have seven children. Active in several local organizations, Bill and his family look forward to continuing to serve the community at their newest Loudoun County restaurant. 

 “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 Digges.  “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 Ashburn Chick-fil-A seats 136 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®.