Business & Tech

Chick-fil-A Coming to Westborough

The Chick-fil-A Cows have found the perfect “spot” to begin construction on Westborough’s first stand-alone Chick-fil-A restaurant and will be hard at work at the construction site on July 15 as the countdown to the fall grand opening continues.

 Mike Lawson, who graduated from nearby Clark University in Worcester, has been selected as Owner/Operator of the new restaurant. He will be joined by community dignitaries at the restaurant site at 286 Turnpike Road, at 2 p.m. on July 15 where the ever-popular Chick-fil-A “Eat Mor Chikin®” Cow will be “assisting” in construction of the new restaurant as he attempts to save bovine hides by promoting the consumption of chicken. Community residents are invited to attend.

The new Westborough stand-alone Chick-fil-A restaurant is projected to open this fall and will offer interior seating for 135 with additional patio dining. The restaurant includes dual drive-thru ordering lanes to expand its award-winning drive-thru service.  Customers will be able to stay connected through the restaurant’s free Wi-Fi and parents will appreciate the indoor play area that includes an interactive section for toddlers.

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The new location, which will create at least 80 new jobs, will make it easier for area residents to “Eat Mor Chikin.” Currently the closest Chick-fil-A restaurant is about 45 miles away inside the Burlington Mall in Burlington and the closest stand-alone Chick-fil-A restaurant is about 60 miles away in Chicopee. Chick-fil-A first opened in Massachusetts inside Northshore Mall in Peabody in 1998 with the Burlington Mall location opening a year later. The state’s first stand-alone Chick-fil-A opened earlier this year in Chicopee.

Chick-fil-A will celebrate the grand opening of the new Westborough restaurant by giving away a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A meals (a digital offer card loaded with 52 free Chick-fil-A meals) to the first 100 adults in line on opening day. The “First 100” celebration draws Chick-fil-A’s most loyal fans who arrive up to 24 hours in advance with tents, TVs, computers, gaming systems and other gear to pass the time while camping out overnight. Since the event began in October 2003, Chick-fil-A has given away almost $21 million in free food.  For more information, visit chick-fil-a.com/Locations/First-100-Details.

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A New England native, Lawson earned his bachelor’s degree in American government and international studies from Clark University. His subsequent career in the car rental business brought him into contact with Chick-fil-A operators around the country, allowing him to gradually learn more about the brand and the Chick-fil-A operator opportunity. He became convinced the opportunity was a good fit for him especially when he learned he’d be able to open a restaurant in his native New England. Lawson and his wife, Katie, and their three children are thrilled to be opening Westborough’s first Chick-fil-A restaurant.

“Chick-fil-A provides the ideal opportunity to own my own business and have a positive impact on my community,” said Lawson. “I couldn’t be more excited to bring Chick-fil-A’s freshly prepared food and signature customer service to Westborough.”

The new Westborough Chick-fil-A is one of 88 stand-alone, in-line and drive-thru restaurants the chain plans to open nationally this year, creating more than 6,700 new jobs. Chick-fil-A continued to grow in 2013, increasing the number of new restaurants initially planned for the year and reporting record-setting annual sales of more than $5 billion.

Chick-fil-A’s signature chicken sandwich was last week named the tastiest chicken sandwich in Consumer Reports 2014 Fast Food Survey of 32,405 readers, repeating the results of the magazine’s last fast food report in 2011. Respondents, who were asked about their experiences at 65 fast food chains, not only said Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich was the best tasting but also rated Chick-fil-A as number one overall out of all the surveyed chains in customer service and cleanliness. In addition, the chain was a 2013 winner of Nation’s Restaurant News’ annual recognition of “the best the restaurant industry has to offer.” The annual award, given to five industry recipients this year, honors chains who have a proven track record of leadership, operational excellence, market performance, innovation and community involvement.

Chick-fil-A fans can stay up to date on construction and grand opening activities by visiting the restaurant’s Facebook page at Chick-fil-A at Westborough.

Submitted by Chick-fil-A. 


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