Frisco Enterprise > News
Chick-fil-A fans camp out for restaurant opening
By Ann Marie Shambaugh, Staff Writer
Camps - not cars - filled the parking lot of the new Chick-fil-A restaurant in Frisco Wednesday as the first 100 customers lined up to receive meal coupons and meet other Chick-fil-A enthusiasts.
The 4,074-square-foot restaurant will open Thursday morning after the 100 campers receive 52 meal coupons between 6 and 6:30 a.m. The 100th camper signed in at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, leaving those who arrived after him to hope someone else drops out of line.
The Howell family from North Richland Hills was the last group to arrive in time to sign up for the coupons. This is Betty Howell's sixth Chick-fil-A campout, and she brought her husband, brother, and father- and mother-in-law, who are in their 80s. Other family members turned around when they realized they would not make it to Frisco on time for the coupons.
"You meet all these people, and it's like one big family, because you see the same people over and over (at different openings)," Howell said. "The 52 free meals, it's like a $350 value, and it's fun and they make it fun all night long."
Chick-fil-A will provide music, games, and other festivities around 6 p.m. Howell said that they usually wind down by 2 a.m., which gives the campers a few hours to sleep before the restaurant opens. Throughout the event, restaurant officials perform line checks to make sure that everyone who checked in for the coupons is still around. If anyone is missing, his or her number is given to someone else.
Cindy Noyes of Tulsa, Okla., and her daughter, Stephanie Brotherton of Springfield, Missouri, arrived about 10:30 a.m. Noyes' son, Ryan Noyes of Plano, arrived about an hour later. Ryan Noyes invited his mother and sister for a visit when he heard about the opening, and the family spent several days in the Metroplex before heading to Frisco for the campout.
The latest Chick-fil-A opening marked the fifth campout for Brotherton, who brought supplies for the entire family after enduring her first one in freezing weather with a chair and a cup of hot water. She said that the Frisco event is the busiest one she's seen.
"This is the earliest I have had to come," Brotherton said. "The ones around where I live fill up around 8 or 9 p.m. at night."
Cindy Noyes said that the campout was bigger than she was expecting, but she was enjoying the beautiful weather and opportunity to visit with her family.
"This is a good opportunity for me to spend some time [with my children]," she said.
Chick-fil-A started the First 100 Fans promotion to celebrate the opening of its first stand-alone restaurant in Arizona in 2003. Since then Chick-fil-A fans across the country have planned road trips to attend store openings, where they play games, read, or even swim as they wait.
The new Chick-fil-A is at 5221 Eldorado Parkway, and it will seat 122 customers. Frieda Marroquin will operate the restaurant, which will employ about 65 people. It will be open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The 4,074-square-foot restaurant will open Thursday morning after the 100 campers receive 52 meal coupons between 6 and 6:30 a.m. The 100th camper signed in at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, leaving those who arrived after him to hope someone else drops out of line.
The Howell family from North Richland Hills was the last group to arrive in time to sign up for the coupons. This is Betty Howell's sixth Chick-fil-A campout, and she brought her husband, brother, and father- and mother-in-law, who are in their 80s. Other family members turned around when they realized they would not make it to Frisco on time for the coupons.
"You meet all these people, and it's like one big family, because you see the same people over and over (at different openings)," Howell said. "The 52 free meals, it's like a $350 value, and it's fun and they make it fun all night long."
Chick-fil-A will provide music, games, and other festivities around 6 p.m. Howell said that they usually wind down by 2 a.m., which gives the campers a few hours to sleep before the restaurant opens. Throughout the event, restaurant officials perform line checks to make sure that everyone who checked in for the coupons is still around. If anyone is missing, his or her number is given to someone else.
Cindy Noyes of Tulsa, Okla., and her daughter, Stephanie Brotherton of Springfield, Missouri, arrived about 10:30 a.m. Noyes' son, Ryan Noyes of Plano, arrived about an hour later. Ryan Noyes invited his mother and sister for a visit when he heard about the opening, and the family spent several days in the Metroplex before heading to Frisco for the campout.
The latest Chick-fil-A opening marked the fifth campout for Brotherton, who brought supplies for the entire family after enduring her first one in freezing weather with a chair and a cup of hot water. She said that the Frisco event is the busiest one she's seen.
"This is the earliest I have had to come," Brotherton said. "The ones around where I live fill up around 8 or 9 p.m. at night."
Cindy Noyes said that the campout was bigger than she was expecting, but she was enjoying the beautiful weather and opportunity to visit with her family.
"This is a good opportunity for me to spend some time [with my children]," she said.
Chick-fil-A started the First 100 Fans promotion to celebrate the opening of its first stand-alone restaurant in Arizona in 2003. Since then Chick-fil-A fans across the country have planned road trips to attend store openings, where they play games, read, or even swim as they wait.
The new Chick-fil-A is at 5221 Eldorado Parkway, and it will seat 122 customers. Frieda Marroquin will operate the restaurant, which will employ about 65 people. It will be open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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