Chick-fil-A's first 100 fans
In the early hours of the Wednesday morning avid Chick-fil-A fans began to gather in the parking lot of the new Chick-fil-A, 3041 W. Camp Wisdom Rd. for the restaurant’s grand opening the next morning. Each fan brought provisions to spend the night in the parking lot so they would be one of the first 100 customers Thursday morning and win a year’s supply of combo meals.
Chick-fil-A calls this their First 100 Fans promotion.
Launched in 2003 to mark the opening of the chain’s first stand-alone restaurant in Arizona, the First 100 Fans promotion continues to draw Chick-fil-A fans from all over the country. They bring their tents, computers, games and even swimming pools, campers turn each grand opening event into an all-night tailgate party.
“When we started the First 100 Fans promotion we were stunned when someone arrived 18 hours in advance and asked to wait in line,” said Chick-fil-A, Inc. President Dan Cathy, who has camped out at dozens of openings. “Almost five years later, we’ve given away more than $7 million in free Chick-fil-A food across the country to raving fans who’ve braved snow, wind, rain and triple-digit temperatures to help us celebrate the opening of each new Chick-fil-A.”
Clint Simmons of Arlington was the first to arrive for the opening of the Grand Prairie Chick-fil-A. “I got here about 3:45 a.m. Wednesday morning,” he said. “I stopped by Wal-Mart, bought a tent before I came here, went straight here, set-up camp and got started.”
Simmons said this is the ninth First 100 Fans promotions he has attended, his first to be number one in line. He said it will probably be his last though because he will soon be moving to Boston.
Five graduating seniors, Stephen Wallace, Andrew Chifari, Mikaela Dennison, Brent Stahlman, and Salil Desai, from Rice University made the trip from Houston attempting to be the first in line.
Wallace, the driver for the group, said they did not get started as early as planned due to some car problems. Then ironically he was stopped in Rice, Texas and issued traffic citation. All these delays put the group’s arrival about ten minutes after than Simmons.
