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Chick-fil-A makes New York City debut

Chic-fil-A's first New York City store is the chain's largest in the country.

October 2, 2015

Chick-fil-A announced that its first New York City restaurant will open Saturday at the corner of West 37th St. and Sixth Ave. in Midtown’s Garment District.

The three-story, 5,000-square-foot restaurant is Chick-fil-A’s largest in the country and designed for the busy lifestyle of New York customers by focusing on increased ordering, production and assembly capacities in order to meet high demand, according to a company press release. To expedite the ordering process, restaurant team members will use iPads to take customer orders, ensuring meals will be ready once guests reach the counter.

The franchise will be locally owned and operated by Chick-fil-A Operator Oscar Fittipaldi, who recently relocated with his family from Philadelphia, where he operated a Chick-fil-A franchise for the past five years, the release stated. Fittipaldi will oversee day-to-day activities of the restaurant and will be responsible for serving local guests, as well as making all employment and community involvement decisions for the restaurant.

The new unit is the first of several Chick-fil-A restaurants slated to open in Manhattan, with a second location to follow at West 46th and Sixth Ave. in early 2016. The company plans to open several restaurants in Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs in the next two years, as well as a franchised location opening Oct. 7 in Port Jefferson on Long Island, the release stated.

As part of the grand-opening event Saturday, 100 adults will have the chance to win free Chick-fil-A meals for a year. Chick-fil-A’s "First 100" celebration will transform the restaurant exterior into a 12-hour community-friendly party as the crowd awaits the opening and a chance to win 52 free Chick-fil-A meals, the release stated.

The First 100 event at 37th and Sixth (1000 6th Ave.) will award more than $32,000 in free food to 100 local residents. A digital offer card loaded with a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A meals will be given to each of the first 100 eligible adults, ages 18 and older with identification, in line when the doors open at 6 a.m. If more than 100 people are onsite when the line officially forms at 6 p.m. today, all 100 spots will be determined by a drawing held that evening. Those selected will camp out on the sidewalk for 12 hours to secure their spot. The event is only open to guests residing in specific zip codes within an 11-mile radius of the restaurant. A complete listing of eligible zip codes and rules can be found at NYCCFA.com. The First 100 participants will be given a camping chair and blanket and should not bring their own camping gear. Two Chick-fil-A meals and all-night activities will be included in the campout, which will wrap around the restaurant on 6th Ave. and onto W. 38th Street.

The Chick-fil-A at 37th and Sixth is built to LEED specifications, with water and energy efficiency features, air quality control and waste diversion efforts, among other initiatives, the release stated. It will feature an InSinkErator food-waste disposal system, which spins and separates liquid from solids, reducing the volume of organic waste disposed by 80 percent. The restaurant will also recycle all cardboard and plastic used in back-of-house operations, and provide napkins, tray liners and Kid’s Meal bags made from 100-percent recycled materials. All beverages will be served in compostable paper cups. The restaurant will also partner with New York Common Pantry, a local organization committed to reducing hunger in New York, to eliminate food waste by donating surplus food.

With seating for 84, the new restaurant features the brand’s latest "Heritage" design, which incorporates subway tile and metals in a variety of finishes. The interior includes features such as light fixtures made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles and peach baskets, the release stated.

Following its grand opening, the restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., serving a full breakfast menu until 10:30 a.m. Like all Chick-fil-A restaurants, it will be closed on Sunday.

Chick-fil-A at 37th and Sixth will partner with regional farmers and suppliers to source locally grown ingredients for its menu, the release stated. The majority of produce for salads will be grown on farms in New York and New Jersey. The restaurant’s bread will be delivered daily from Automatic Rolls of New Jersey, based in Edison, New Jersey, and all of the restaurant’s flaxseed flour flatbread, used to make Chick-fil-A’s low-calorie wrap, will be made by Brooklyn-based Damascus Bakery.

Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A Inc. has more than 1,900 restaurants in 41 states and Washington, D.C.