FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Chicken Salad Chick is set to debut in Fort Wayne. The Southern-style chicken salad restaurant will celebrate its first Summit City location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26 at 1715 Apple Glen Blvd.
Chicken Salad Chick serves full-flavored, Southern-style chicken salad made from scratch and served from the heart. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick’s robust menu offers something for everyone.
“Our first nine restaurants in Indiana have been so well-received by guests, and we look forward to continue growing across the area with our new Fort Wayne location,” said Chicken Salad Chick CEO Scott Deviney. “We’re excited to serve the Fort Wayne community our made-from-scratch food served with our signature Southern hospitality. With locations in Indianapolis and in the Chicago area, we’ve been excited come to Fort Wayne for quite some time.”
Chicken Salad Chick sprouted from founder Stacy Brown’s quest to find the perfect chicken salad. The stay-at-home mom set to work perfecting her own recipe, recruiting her family and neighbors to taste-test, before arriving at “the one.” Once Stacy had the chicken salad that made her family and friends say, “Mmm, yes ma’am,” she started dropping off samples of her creation in teachers’ lounges and hair salons, and then began selling door-to-door. Orders poured in; Chicken Salad Chick was born. One day, Stacy received a call from Stan with the Lee County Health Department, who told her the home business was illegal. With her chicken salad still in high demand, Stacy and her husband, Kevin Brown, were motivated to open up a carry-out only, humble yet honest-to-goodness restaurant where they could spread joy, enrich lives, and serve others. The rest, as they say, is history.
The company has grown to include more than 230 restaurants in 17 states, with plans to exceed 250 locations or more including additional states in 2023.
Lisa Opozda serves as the general manager of the Fort Wayne store, overseeing a team of more than 40.
Members of the public are invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony. In addition to cutting the ribbon, Chicken Salad Chick will present a check to the Community Harvest Food Bank of Fort Wayne from the donations the restaurant accepted during its Friends & Family event.
To celebrate the opening, the community is invited to experience Chicken Salad Chick’s Southern hospitality through additional giveaways and specials:
- Wednesday, April 26 – Free Chicken Salad for a Year: The first guest to arrive to the new Fort Wayne location and purchase The Chick will receive one large Quick Chick every week for 52 weeks. The next 99 guests to arrive to the new Fort Wayne location and purchase The Chick will receive one free large Quick Chick every month for 12 months. *
- Thursday, April 27 – Free Chick Tote Bag: The first 50 guests at 10 a.m. or 6 p.m. will receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick Tote Bag with the purchase of a Chick Trio! **
- Friday, April 28 – Free 24-oz. Chick Tumbler: The first 50 guests at 10 a.m. or 6 p.m. will receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick Tumbler with the purchase of a Chick Trio! ***
- Saturday, April 29 – Free Chick Cooler: The first 100 guests to purchase two large Quick Chicks will receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick Cooler. ****
Starting with the grand opening April 26, the Fort Wayne store will be open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
*The first 100 guests participating in the Free Chicken Salad for a Year on Grand Opening Day will line up in a ‘first come, first counted’ order at Chicken Salad Chick. It is required to remain on site until the store opens at 10 a.m. An early arrival is recommended for those seeking to be in the first 100 guests, and each guest will be assigned a number corresponding to their place in line by a member of the Chicken Salad Chick team, beginning at approximately 8 a.m. Then at 10 a.m., guests may make a purchase of a meal and enter a code on the Chicken Salad Chick app to officially secure their reward. Guests who leave before the 10 a.m. start will lose their spot to the next guest in line. Guests will receive their first free Large Quick Chick electronically in their Chicken Salad Chick App the Monday following Grand Opening Day.
**Must be 16 Years or older. Must purchase a meal. One Tote Bag per guest present.
***Must be 16 Years or older. Must purchase a meal. One Tumbler Per Guest Present. Does not include drink or unlimited refills on initial or future visits.
****Guests must be present & purchase 2 Large Quick Chicks in order to claim their cooler. Limit 1 cooler per guest. Must be 16 years or older. Not valid with any other offers.
About Chicken Salad Chick
Chicken Salad Chick serves full-flavored, Southern-style chicken salad made from scratch and served from the heart. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches, and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick’s robust menu offers something for everyone. Founded in Auburn, Ala., in 2008 by Stacy and Kevin Brown, Chicken Salad Chick has grown to more than 230 restaurants in 17 states. Today, under the leadership of Scott Deviney and the Chicken Salad Chick team, the brand continues its rapid expansion with both franchise and company locations. Chicken Salad Chick accolades include rankings in Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious for four consecutive years and placing in the top 10 for 2021, No. 3 on Fast Casual’s 2021 Top 100 Movers & Shakers, QSR‘s Best Franchise Deals, Nation’s Restaurant News‘ Next 15 in 2019 and Franchise Business Review’s Top Food Franchises in 2020. Learn more at chickensaladchick.com.
About Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
Greater Fort Wayne (GFW) Inc. serves Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana, as its primary point of contact for economic growth. GFW Inc. focuses on prosperity and community vibrancy through economic development, advocacy, programs, and resources that support business success, leadership development, graduate retention, and community engagement.
