South Bend's First Stand-Alone Chick-fil-A Restaurant Opening Aug. 2

First 100 Adults in Line at New Chick-fil-A Restaurant to Win Free Chick-fil-A for a Year; Dan Cathy, Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer, to Camp Out With the First 100

Chick-fil-A, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, will open its newest Michiana location and the first stand-alone restaurant in South Bend on Aug. 2, giving away $26,000 in free Chick-fil-A food to the first 100 adults in line that morning. Dan Cathy, Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer will camp out with the First 100. Cathy is the son of Truett Cathy, Chick-fil-A Founder and Chairman.

A one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A® Combo Meals (52 coupons) will be awarded to each of the first 100 adults, age 18 and older with identification, at the new stand-alone restaurant at 4555 S. Michigan St. The line can begin forming up to 24 hours prior to the opening, with the prizes being given away on Aug. 2 between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. The restaurant will open immediately afterward.

"Chick-fil-A's raving fans have turned our grand openings into overnight tailgate parties, often arriving 24 hours in advance with tents, TVs, sleeping bags, games, computers and other gear to spend the night," said Chick-fil-A Inc. President Dan Cathy, son of chain founder Truett Cathy.

"When we started the First 100 Fans promotion in 2003, we never could have imagined we'd give away nearly $6 million in free food to raving fans who have camped out in all kinds of weather conditions to win free Chick-fil-A for a year,'' said Cathy, who regularly attends and camps out overnight in the parking lots.

Raving fans are after the original Chick-fil-A boneless breast of chicken sandwich, which Truett Cathy invented in his 24-hour Dwarf Grill® diner near Atlanta in the early 1960s. The sandwich, with its signature pickle slices, became so popular that Cathy opened his first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta's Greenbriar Mall in 1967. The opening launched Chick-fil-A, today the second-largest chicken restaurant chain in the country with more than 1,330 locations in 37 states and Washington, D.C.

Edward Endres, a 1980 Riley High School graduate who is continuing efforts toward his education at Indiana University at South Bend at age 44, has been selected as the franchised Operator of the new stand-alone location. Prior to becoming a Chick-fil-A Operator in 2006, Endres' 26 years of quick-service experience included being named outstanding restaurant manager four times by his company. Endres and his wife Debra have five children, all of whom are team members at the new restaurant.

"For 40 years, the Chick-fil-A legacy has grown to mean award-winning freshly prepared food and 'my pleasure' customer service," said Endres. "My team looks forward to continuing that tradition at South Bend's first stand-alone location." The South Bend location joins the nearby stand-alone restaurant in Mishawaka and the Chick-fil-A restaurant at University Park Mall as the only Chick-fil-A restaurants within 70 miles of the area.

The new 4,401-square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant has seating for 132 and features warm interior colors and wood accents which create a casual dining atmosphere that customers appreciate, along with the convenience of an indoor playground. The award-winning drive-thru service offers a convenient way for Chick-fil-A customers to get their freshly prepared food on the go.

The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy has closed his restaurants on Sunday since he opened his first restaurant 60 years ago. The restaurant is closed on Sunday to provide employees time with their families or to worship if they choose.

Consumers, who recently participated in Zagat's first fast food survey, scored Chick-fil-A the highest in the chicken restaurant category and also in the service category.

QSR magazine released its 2006 scores for the Best Drive-Thru in America Survey with the Chick-fil-A chain's overall composite scores placing it in the lead -- making it four out of the past five years that the chain has earned top rankings. Consumers indicated that accuracy and speed were some of the most important performance areas. Chick-fil-A was number one in the accuracy category with a 98 percent score; and despite Chick-fil-A adding four flavors of handspun milkshakes to its menu in May 2006, the chain continued to show strong individual speeds in the drive-thru with an average time of 44 seconds.

Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy marked several milestones in 2006, including the 60th anniversary of the opening of his first restaurant, the Dwarf Grill in Hapeville, Ga. Also, the third generation entered the Chick-fil-A business with two Cathy grandsons becoming restaurant Operators.

About Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc., is the nation's second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain. In 2006, Chick-fil-A produced record sales of $2.275 billion -- a 15.16 percent overall increase and an 8.52 percent same-store sales gain that helped extend the chain's streak of consecutive sales gains to 39 years.

Credited with inventing the boneless breast of chicken sandwich and first introducing the chicken nugget concept, Chick-fil-A serves nutritious and freshly prepared food products in mall locations, stand-alone restaurants, drive-thru-only restaurants, Chick-fil-A Dwarf House® and Truett's Grill® full-service restaurants, and through licensed outlets in college campuses, hospitals, airports, businesses and industrial sites. More information about Chick-fil-A is available on the chain's websites, located at www.chick-fil-a.com, www.chick-fil-apressroom.com or www.truettcathy.com.