Franchising
Chicken Salad Chick making Little Rock debut
May 26, 2020
Chicken Salad Chick is expanding in Arkansas with its newest restaurant in Benton. Located at 20370 Interstate 30 North, the restaurant marks the brand's third location in the state and first in the greater Little Rock area. An additional location will open in Conway later this year, according to a company press release.
The restaurant will celebrate its grand opening on June 9 and will offer free chicken salad for a year to the first 100 guests, but the company said guests will be properly distanced and will receive a designated return time upon arrival to spread out the number of guests at the restaurant throughout the day, according to the company.
As Arkansas continues to reopen, Chicken Salad Chick is closely following state guidelines and will open the Benton restaurant at limited capacity with social distancing measures in place. Additionally, all employees will be wearing masks and gloves, as well as practicing proper handwashing and food safety protocol. For guests who prefer to take their chicken salad to-go, the Benton restaurant features a drive-thru for added convenience, according to the release.
"Growing up in Chicago, we didn't have a lot of chicken salad options," franchise owner Emily Gray said in the release. "So when I tried Chicken Salad Chick for the first time at Auburn University, I was hooked. I even applied for a job before leaving the restaurant and am thankful I did.
"I moved to Central Arkansas earlier this year and quickly noticed that residents love to spend time outdoors. Whether hiking, picnicking or on the lake, Chicken Salad Chick will make a great meal for all outings."
Gray's husband, Hudson Sandefur, owns three existing Chicken Salad Chick locations across Mississippi and Tennessee. While this is Gray's first restaurant, she's been part of the Chicken Salad Chick family since 2011, previously serving as a corporate trainer for the brand in Auburn, Alabama.
Gray and Sandefur, who own the Benton location together, said they plan to open two additional restaurants in the greater Little Rock area over the next couple of years.
The Chicken Salad Chick concept was established in 2008 and has more than 155 restaurants.
