Despite the dismal economy, Chick-fil-A will open a new stand-alone restaurant at 5001 Shelbyville Road on Thursday, January 8th that will add 65 new jobs to the local economy.

And this won’t be your run-of-the-mill grand opening, either. With their tailgate-type atmosphere and free goodies, Chick-fil-A openings have become so popular that there are groupies who travel around the country attending them.

Some have logged more than twenty Chick-fil-A openings to date. The “First 100 Fans” promotion, as it’s known, was launched in 2003 to mark the opening of the chain’s first stand-alone restaurant in Arizona. Five years later, the event continues to draw fans from around the country. Overnighters – with tents, computers, games and even swimming pools in tow – turn the grand opening event into an all-night party.

“When we first started this promotion, we were stunned when someone arrived 18 hours in advance and asked where he could wait in line,” says Dan Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A and son of its founder. “Five years later, we’ve given away more than $8.5 million in free food across the country to loyal customers who’ve braved snow, wind, rain and triple-digit temperatures to help celebrate the opening of each new Chick-fil-A.”

Starting Wednesday evening, January 7th, the Shelbyville Road parking lot will be filled with tents, games, prizes, live music and dancing, and folks can start lining up at 6:00 a.m. already. Campers will be fed throughout the day, and Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy will join them later on with his own tent and sleeping bag. In all, $26,000 in free Chick-fil-A food will be given away to customers, including a one-year supply of free meals (52 coupons) for each of the first 100 adults, age 18 and older with identification. The line can begin forming up to 24 hours prior to the opening, and prizes will be given away on January 8th sometime between 6:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., with the restaurant opening afterward.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant