PALMDALE – Palmdale’s first stand-alone Chick-fil-A restaurant will open Oct. 15, bringing 75 new jobs, the chance for 100 adults to win free Chick-fil-A meals for a year and the opportunity for community members to donate books that will benefit the Antelope Valley Boys & Girls Club in Palmdale, company officials announced Monday.
This month marks the 12-year anniversary of the chain’s First 100 event with more than $25 million in free food having been given away since it was first held in 2003 in Arizona.
Chick-fil-A’s “First 100” celebration continues to be the chain’s signature grand opening event, which transforms the restaurant parking lot into a 24-hour community friendly party as the crowd awaits the opening.
Located at 732 W. Rancho Vista Blvd., the Palmdale Chick-fil-A First 100 event will award more than $32,000 in free food. A digital offer card loaded with a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A Meals (52 meals with each consisting of a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Potato Fries™ and a medium beverage) 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. on Thursday, Oct. 15.
If more than 100 people are onsite when the line officially forms at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14, then all 100 spots will be determined by a drawing held that morning with those selected needing to camp out for 24 hours to secure their spot. This community event is open to guests residing in specific zip codes surrounding the restaurant. A complete listing of eligible zip codes and rules can be found at Chick-fil-A First 100 Promotion. [View it here.]
Chick-fil-A believes in partnering with organizations that enrich education, literacy and youth. In that spirit, Palmdale Operator Randall Brookshire is collecting new children’s books for the Antelope Valley Boys & Girls Club at his restaurant on Wednesday, Oct. 14, through Friday, Oct. 16, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The books collected during the grand opening celebration will be placed in a nearly three-foot Book House to serve as a free library exchange – allowing anyone to take a book after replacing it with one of their own. The Book House, created from old and thrown out wood, is one of several community programs and opportunities being made possible through the support of the Chick-fil-A Foundation.
Brookshire brings more than 13 years of Chick-fil-A experience to the new location, having started working with the chain during high school, with his twin brother and older brother all being hired at the same time. Brookshire earned a Chick-fil-A Leadership Scholarship, which he used to attend Georgia Tech, while continuing to work at Chick-fil-A, and graduated in business management. Following college, he worked for the chain’s corporate office as a grand opening supervisor, traveling the country for 2.5 years helping to open new Chick-fil-A locations. His hard work paid off when he was selected as the Operator for the Palmdale location, no small feat as the company receives more than 24,000 Operator applicants a year for roughly 100 opportunities.
“Personalized customer service and freshly prepared food have been the hallmarks of Chick-fil-A since the day founder Truett Cathy opened his first restaurant,” said Brookshire. “My team members and I are committed to those same ideas as we welcome our guests to our new Palmdale restaurant and provide them with a remarkable experience.”
The opening of Palmdale’s first stand-alone Chick-fil-A restaurant will create 75 new jobs. Featuring the chain’s newest interior and kitchen design, the new location can seat 110, which includes a community table for larger groups to sit together. The restaurant also includes dual drive-thru ordering lanes that enable motorists to place orders at separate screens and then merge into a single lane to pay and pick up their orders. With a majority of Chick-fil-A customers choosing the drive-thru, the ability for two drivers to simultaneously order will mean quicker service.
[Information via news release from Chick-fil-A.]
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keynes says
Question: of those 75 jobs, how many pay minimum wage? How many are close to having pay enabling an adult to provide for a family?
Observation: when well over 100 adults find it worth their time to spend 24 hours – 3 regular work days – camped out in a parking lot (community friendly – come again?) in the remote hope of scoring $300 in junk food – that is the sign of a failed society.
Linda says
Seriously.? Fast food is not a career, if you want to make more than minimum wage, get an education and get a real job. We have become an entitled society. Our ancestors did not sit around whining about how little they were paid,they figured out how to make more. Get off your butts .. i don’t owe you anything..
William says
Wow! Linda. If you could only hear yourself.
We found him. says
We found the fast food worker.
Greg says
The American Dream is not to work for others, slaving away for minimum wage. The American Dream is to create a business, to hire others.
Linda has a point, entry level jobs are jobs. They are meant to be learned from and then to move on, to move up, to move out and create your own.
Lack of jobs is partially the fault of industrial mechanisation. More so it is the fault of a mindset where branded corporations are the end all of living. There are opportunities out there if one is willing to learn, and take a few well educated risks.
Turd Ferguson says
A sign of a failed society is spending $90,000.00 a month on LEAPS.A sign of a failed society is spending $90,000.00 a month on LEAPS.It is a complete waste of tax dollars.It is a complete waste of tax dollars.We are on the hook for this piece of turd for 10 years.We are on the hook for this piece of turd for 10 years.That is $10,800,000.00.That is $10,800,000.00.For one of Rex’s political contributors.For one of Rex’s political contributors.For something that is as useful as an appendix.For something that is as useful as an appendix.No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.Yes to more Sherriffs.Yes to more Sherriffs.More boots on the ground.More boots on the ground.
Question Lancaster Authority says
I think it’s hilarious that a Christian company didn’t choose to open in Rex’s so-called “Christian” city. If Chick-fil-A’s executives are worth their salt, they probably did a lot of research on Palmdale and Lancaster and came to the conclusion that actions speak louder than words. Rex and his band of nitwits could drive a man dying of thirst back into the desert, with all the shenanigans, wacked out ideas, and general corruption. Besides, maybe with all the bird sounds on the BLVD, it would make people think twice about eating chicken…har, har, hardee, har, har!
10dog says
Rex does not go by the Blble, so he is like a lot of people who call themselves Christian. The Chick-fil owners are Christian that follow the Bible. John3:16
Diego Del Monte says
I’m sure they have no clue or interest in Rex as they picked a spot between the mall and the freeway.
Get al Job says
Except for teenagers, who the heck is going to go camp out in front of a fast food restaurant? Don’t people work? I always say the same thing about the people who camp out in front of Best Buy every year for Black Friday. So bizarre to me. I think it would be a fun thing for a teenager to do, but then they should be in school. So who the heck does this?
Carla says
Their chicken sandwich is no better then AMPM.
QHR says
Hopefully there is adequate space inside. The Habit Burger Grill and Dickey’s BBQ do not offer much space inside for their customers.
William says
I know. Isn’t it awful that Americans are so obese, they can’t fit into a fast food restaurant?
The cure for obesity in America??? Make the doorways to the restaurants really narrow and no take out.
dumbandblind says
Here’s one more suggestion William:
Foodstamps should be based on weight. The heavier the recipient, the less they get.
Tim says
That has more to do with the sheer numbers of people who eat there rather than the space itself. Barones on the BLVD was pretty small but never felt crowded.
Tim Scott says
That’s because it was on the BLVD and had nothing to do with the size of the place.
William says
The best thing about all those stores and restaurants in that corner of Rancho Vista Boulevard and 10th Street West is the couple of interior streets or private driveways that access them.
You can come the back way from the Lowe’s direction instead of all the traffic having to enter from RV Blvd to go to The Habit.
I think that’s what makes that area such a vibrant business location rather than a horrible traffic clusterfest even though there is probably the most traffic there than anywhere in the Antelope Valley.
You could enter by the Sport’s Chalet, shop there, then at Smart n Final, Staple’s or Best Buy and head on over to all the restaurants like Carl’s Jr., Numero Uno, Chick fil A all without ever having to be on the main thoroughfares
I make similar but fewer stops at that location all the time. It’s like one gigantic shopping center similar to the permeter road at the AV Mall or even the BevMO, Applebee’s center across the street.
Someone was on the ball planning all that way back when. The only thing that could make it better would be to connect the Lowe’s center with the Home Depot thru a freeway underpass but that’s asking for the moon.
And, that area is right off the freeway unlike the old Factory Outlet or the blvd in Lancaster which is probably why they both didn’t make it.
Location. Location. Location. They should have elected a real estate developer instead of a trial lawyer over in Lancaster.
AV Observer says
That is because Lancaster was developed where the good old boys owned the property, and Palmdale was developed with attention to creating synergy. This is why Palmdale has left Lancaster in the dust. But to the good old boys who have profited from this, and the political hacks like Parris who oversee this corrupt kingdom, they can care less. They have their money. To hell with the people of Lancaster.
SC says
I agree with that, but need to add one thing; coming towards the mall next to Applebee’s and making a right turn is terrible because the traffic coming out of the mall turning left never yields to you. They are supposed to yield to the cars turning right and many times don’t, causing a mess! There should be a green arrow installed for them before more accidents happen because some people don’t want to wait (or abide by road laws). Traffic on 1oth West near Rancho Vista has become terrible , as well as Palmdale Blvd.
Johnny Trece says
Chick-fil-A serves the best chicken sandwiches I have ever tasted. The chicken is very tasty and it is a lot healthier than beef. The Chick-fil-A that I used to go to in Oswego, IL is always closed on Sunday (which I think is a positive because employees can be with their families on that day). I wonder if this Palmdale Chick-fil-A will do the same? Because of it’s location on Avenue P (being close to the AV mall), it can gain a lot of profit on Sunday.
Just for those out there that hasn’t tried Chick-fil-A, give it a try. It’s worth it.
first says
Sunday is the first day of the week. It is a work day!
true says
True, the Sabbath is Saturday. Jesus was Jewish, his father worked on the universe for 6 days and took the 7th off, it was called Sabbath. But then again many Christians do not understand Jesus was Jewish and followed Jewish practices.
William says
Excuse me but how do we know that Jesus was jewish?
About 30% of republicans don’t think President Obama is a Christian, so how can trust hearsay from 2000 years ago?
I need better documentation that Jesus was jewish.
first says
Thank you true.
tom says
it’s owned by Mormons, of course it will be closed.
Heather says
Lol, Google Truett Cathy, he’s the owner and a Southern Baptist, not a Mormon. Mormons are awesome though!
first says
Sunday is still the first day of the week.
Diego Del Monte says
The chicken is healthy until they roll it in that powdered sugar batter. Might as well use a glazed doughnut for a bun. Sure it tastes good, healthy, not so much.
Tim Scott says
I had a hamburger on a glazed donut bun one time. Not the least bit healthy, and definitely too weird for regular consumption, but it was good.