Drivers on South Frederica are familiar with traffic Chick-fil-A can create, but the lines to get into the restaurant were noticeably longer all day Monday.
To celebrate their ninth anniversary, Chick-fil-A of Owensboro gave away free meals for a year to every 100th customer served, bringing in substantially more diners according to owner Mark Whiteman.
“It’s really a fun day,” Whiteman said. “We love the opportunity to surprise our guests.”
According to Whiteman, the restaurant gave free Chick-fil-A for a year — 52 sandwich meals — to 26 customers.
“We were just short by 18 guests to give away 27,” Whiteman said.
This means that Chick-fil-A of Owensboro served 2,682 customers Monday. According to Whiteman, 60 percent of a day’s sales are through the drive-thru.
When looking for ways to celebrate their first anniversary in 2010, Whiteman said he was looking for not only a way to both celebrate the occasion, but also to recreate the excitement of their grand opening. Whiteman said the first 100 customers on that day received Chick-fil-A for year, which was enough incentive for restaurant fans to camp out for the deal. One of the campers that day was Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy, who camped out in the drive-thru.
“Some customers don’t even know there is a promotion going on. Others are regulars and are hoping to win,” Whiteman said. “We just love doing it as a way to celebrate and give back to our customers.”
Grace Bush, a senior at Apollo High School, was one of the lucky 26 winners.
“I did go for the promotion,” Bush said. “I planned out my weekly visit around it.”
Bush was actually at Chick-fil-A nine years ago for the grand opening celebration of Chick-fil-A, her favorite restaurant. She is confident she will redeem all of her free meals.
“Not sure 52 will last me a whole year,” Bush said.
