by
Anne-Claire Siegert
Staff report
The Robesonian
Aug 19, 2012 | 2031 views | 1
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The Chick-fil-A restaurant at the corner of Khan Drive and Jackson Court will celebrate its grand opening on Thursday. The restaurant will be open Mondays through Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Anne-Claire Siegert | The Robesonian
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LUMBERTON — The Chick-fil-A restaurant at the corner of Khan Drive and Jackson Court will be opening its doors to local chicken lovers Thursday.
Mike Morse, the owner and operator of the restaurant who began working for the chain 10 years ago, said the business is expecting about 4,000 customers on its grand-opening day. The restaurant will be open Mondays through Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.
“The public is overwhelmingly excited,” Morse said. “I think the mayor has even given me a hard time about having more phone calls about Chick-fil-A than anything else.”
The 4,500-square-foot restaurant will have a seating capacity of 136 inside, as well as 24 seats outside. According to Morse, the restaurant will employ more than 80 full-time and part-time employees.
The chain restaurant, which was established in 1946 in Hapeville, Ga., has more than 1,500 restaurants in 39 states. The Lumberton location marks the 144th in North Carolina.
Famous for its slogan, “We Didn’t Invent the Chicken, Just the Chicken Sandwich,” the chain sells a variety of fried and grilled chicken sandwiches, nuggets and wraps, along with its famous waffle fries and an assortment of desserts and milkshakes.
For a free chicken sandwich voucher at its grand opening, customers can bring gift cards of any value, or toys or clothes to benefit the family of Jeremiah Goodson, a Lumberton police officer who was shot to death on July 17. He is survived by his wife and three children. Clothes appropriate for boys 6 to 18 months old will be accepted for Josiah Malachi, and for girls 3 to 4 years old for his daughter, Jurnee Amiah.
Mrs. Sonja Anderson, former Red Springs resident.