FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Brenda Morrow
Chick-fil-A, Inc.
brenda.morrow@chick-fil-a.com
404.765.8064
Cindy Chapman
CP Communications Inc.
cindychapman@cpcommunicationsinc.com
678.546.0494/678.858.1325 (cell)
Ventura County’s Second Chick-fil-A Restaurant Opening Aug. 30 in Thousand Oaks;
First 100 in Line at New Restaurant to Win Free Year’s Supply of Chick-fil-A
Drive-Thru-Only Restaurant on E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard Will Create 50 New Jobs
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (Aug. 30, 2012) – Eight years after kicking off its California expansion by opening its first
stand-alone restaurants in Chino Hills and Irvine, Chick-fil-A® will celebrate the opening of its second Ventura County and 51st
California location on Aug. 30 by giving away a free year’s supply of Chick-fil-A to the first 100 adults in line grand opening
morning at its new Thousand Oaks restaurant.
Chick-fil-A’s “First 100 Celebration” quickly became a hallmark of each grand opening when the chain first held the event
in Arizona in 2003. More than 18 hours before the restaurant opened, the first person arrived and asked where to get in line.
Since then, the chain has given away more than $16 million in free food at almost 600 grand openings. The parking lot parties
attract Chick-fil-A’s loyal customers who come from around the block and across the country equipped with couches, TVs,
computers, tents and other gear. Even extreme weather conditions do not dampen the enthusiasm of the participants who often
arrive more than 24 hours in advance.
Californians will get their latest chance to participate at 3771 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake Village, where the chain will
award a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A® Meals (52 certificates) to each of the first 100 adults in line, ages 18 and older with
identification – a total of more than $26,000 in free food. The line officially opens at 6 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 29, with the free meal
cards being awarded Thursday, Aug. 30, about 6 a.m. The restaurant will open for business immediately thereafter. If there are more
than 100 people by 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 29, all 100 spots will be determined by raffle. For complete rules, see
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Locations/First-100.
Thousand Oaks’ new Chick-fil-A restaurant brings with it 50 new jobs and features the chain’s latest kitchen design, allowing
team members to quickly serve customers who drive-thru or request catered orders for larger off-site events. The restaurant’s design
and capacity illustrates the historic shift in consumer habits from 1967 when S. Truett Cathy opened his first Chick-fil-A restaurant
inside Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta, to 2011 when the chain opened its 1,000th stand-alone restaurant with the majority of business now
coming from customers on the go.
After operating in a few malls throughout California for many years, Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A launched its expansion into the
state in 2008, building stand-alone restaurants first primarily in Orange County and the Inland Empire. Since then the chain has
grown to 50 locations from San Diego to Sacramento and opened a West Coast corporate office in Irvine. The location in Thousand
Oaks is the second in Ventura County joining a stand-alone restaurant in Oxnard.
The Thousand Oaks restaurant is one of 11 new restaurants Chick-fil-A will open in California in 2012, out of a total of 96
locations the chain plans to open across the country, creating nearly 7,000 new jobs. Despite the challenging economy, Chick-fil-A
continued to grow in 2011, reporting record-setting annual sales of more than $4 billion, representing a 13 percent increase over
2010 and the 44th consecutive year of sales growth since the company began in 1967.
“We are thrilled to open our second Ventura County restaurant as we continue to grow across the state and the country this
year,” said Dan T. Cathy, president and COO, Chick-fil-A, Inc. “Our outstanding franchised Operators and their team members provide
both the freshly prepared food and excellent service on both sides of the counter that has our customers asking us to bring Chick-fil-A
closer to where they live.”
Founder Truett Cathy perfected his recipe for a boneless breast-of-chicken sandwich while operating the Dwarf Grill which
he opened in Hapeville, Ga., in 1946. The sandwich became the signature menu item when he opened the first Chick-fil-A, and it
continues to be the hallmark product of the chain as it has grown to 1,650 restaurants in 39 states and Washington D.C.
Franchised Chick-fil-A Operator Joseph Morris has been selected to operate the new stand-alone restaurant in Thousand
Oaks. Morris, a University of Oklahoma, Norman, graduate, joined Chick-fil-A as a teen, earning one of the chain’s Leadership
Scholarships while in college. A Chick-fil-A Operator since 2010, Morris is relocating from a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Arizona with his
wife, Lauren, and they are excited to open Thousand Oaks’ first Chick-fil-A restaurant.
“Chick-fil-A has come a long way since Truett opened that first tiny Chick-fil-A restaurant in an Atlanta mall 46 years ago,
but one thing has remained constant – our focus on providing top quality food in a friendly neighborhood environment,” said Morris.
“My team members and I share that same commitment at our new restaurant and can’t wait to welcome and serve our new guests.”
The new restaurant features outdoor seating for 40 and convenient, award-winning drive-thru service. The new restaurant is
open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving a full breakfast menu until 10:30 a.m.
Chick-fil-A offers a completely trans fat-free menu and was among the first national fast-food restaurant chains to do so.
This year the chain added grilled Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets as a Kids’ Meal option which, when paired with a fresh fruit cup or
Buddy Fruits® Pure Blended Fruit To Go applesauce, is one of the most nutritious children’s meal combinations offered among any
major fast-food chain.
To continue meeting a variety of customers’ menu needs, the chain recently launched a new line of desserts that include a
revamped Fudge Brownie without nuts, baked fresh daily Chocolate Chunk Cookie, and an Icedream ® Sundae that can also be
coupled with the brownie or cookie. And for a limited time, the chain brought back its Peach milkshake this summer.
Chick-fil-A continues to win industry accolades including coming out on top of the 2011 Top 10 Excellent Large Fast Food
Chains survey by Sandelman & Associates. The food service consumer research firm measured responses from almost 108,000 quick
service customers about food quality, customer service and restaurant environment. In addition, Men’s Health “Eat This, Not That”
2012 edition again gave the chain high marks (A-) and named it one of the top two restaurants providing healthier menu options.
Chick-fil-A topped large chain category in Zagat’s 2011 National Fast Food Restaurant Survey that measured the opinions of
6,000 consumers covering 103 chains. With each chain being rated on its quality of food, service and facilities, the survey scored
Chick-fil-A first in service and the chargrilled sandwich categories; and second in the areas of food, best drive-thru, most child
friendly, and facilities. In 2011, Chick-fil-A also received Consumer Reports Top Chicken Chain for food and service.
For more information on the first Thousand Oaks Chick-fil-A restaurant visit http://www.chick-fil-a.com/thousandoaksdto
or the restaurant’s Facebook page at Chick-fil-A at Thousand Oaks
About Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is the nation’s second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain (based on sales), with 1,650
restaurants in 39 states and Washington D.C. In 2012, Chick-fil-A will add 96 new locations around the country, including 79 stand-alone
restaurants, two mall restaurants, and 15 licensed locations. Credited with inventing the boneless breast-of-chicken sandwich and first introducing
the chicken nugget concept, Chick-fil-A serves nutritious and freshly prepared food products in mall locations, stand-alone restaurants, drive-thruonly restaurants, Chick-fil-A Dwarf House® and Truett’s Grill® full-service restaurants, and through licensed outlets in college campuses, hospitals,
airports, businesses and industrial sites. Chick-fil-A reached $4 billion in annual sales in 2011, reporting a 7 percent same-store sales increase and a
13 percent increase over 2010 overall sales performance. The record sales marked the 44th consecutive year of sales growth since the company
began in 1967. More information about Chick-fil-A is available on the chain’s websites, located at www.chick-fil-a.com/pressroom , or through
Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChickfilA or Twitter: www.Twitter.com/ChickfilA.