More Than 100 Line Up For A Year Of Free Chick-Fil-A At Akers Mill Location

SOUTH COBB, GA -- More than 100 people lined up early Thursday to put themselves in position to win free Chick-fil-A meals for a year. Many of them camped out the day before at the restaurant's newly rebuilt Akers Mill location at 2975 Cobb Parkway, just off Interstate 285.

Eager participants had to register to qualify for a year of free food -- 52 meals, each consisting of a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Potato Fries and a medium beverage. To win, those who registered must be at least age 18 and live within certain ZIP codes around the restaurant.

At about 5 a.m. Thursday, the restaurant was scheduled to begin events for the eatery's grand opening, including a red carpet walk for attendees and their prize -- a digital offer card loaded with a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A meals.

Grand reopening festivities at the eatery began Monday with an invitation-only celebration, deemed "Akers Mill Premiere Night," at 5:30 p.m. It featured the Chick-fil-A cow, a who's who guest list of Atlanta, several team members in tuxedos and a tour of the restaurant's new digs that included a sampling of Chick-fil-A’s menu.

Customers then were invited to participate in a children’s book drive, which began at the beginning of the week and will wrap Thursday at the restaurant. The donated books will be placed in a nearly 3-foot Book House and donated to the Vinings branch of the Cobb County Public Library System.

The eatery, which originally opened in 1994, was such a success that by last year it was doing quadruple the business it was designed to support. So the franchise operator, Marshall McCabe, decided to do a complete structure rebuild.

The newly built location boasts a 3,000-square- foot kitchen, expanded from the original 900 square feet, a redesigned routes for three drive-thru windows, and a pedestrian walk-up patio -- not to mention all new equipment and the latest technology inside.

McCabe is a former Chick-fil-A corporate employee, having worked in the company's marketing department in the early 1990s. He eventually got into franchising, becoming a Chick-fil- A operator in 1995. McCabe operates the Chick-fil- A in Cumberland Mall in addition to the location inside SunTrust Park. He said the Akers Mill location is the one everybody has been asking about.

“Virtually every day since we closed in December I’ve been asked when we’re opening back up,” McCabe said. “I’m thrilled to welcome back our welcome back our team members and our customers to Akers Mill where our goal is provide a remarkable experience to both our drive-thru and walkup customers every day.”

McCabe has brought back 45 staffers from the old eatery and hired more than 100 others to fill new positions.

Images via Chick-fil-A