Another Chick-fil-A is coming to Charlotte after Hardee’s restaurant demolition
Chick-fil-A is expanding again in Charlotte, home of its chicken chain competitor Bojangles.
Demolition work has begun at the former Hardee’s restaurant at 8428 University City Blvd. in north Charlotte to make way for the new Chick-fil-A.
The rezoning request filed and approved in April with the city of Charlotte in April shows plans for the construction of a Chick-fil-A restaurant near Town Center Plaza. The demolition of the former Hardee’s was approved this month, Mecklenburg County permits show.
Chick-fil-A has over 50 stores in the Charlotte region, according to the company, including two in University City. One location is on the UNC Charlotte campus at 9201 University City Blvd, about 1 mile from the new store, and the other stand-alone Chick-fil-A is about 1.5 miles away at 8700 University Exec Park Drive.
Chick-fil-A officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
Other Chick-fil-A changes in the Charlotte area
The Atlanta-based chicken chain has been making several other moves in the Charlotte region, including:
▪ In March, the Lake Norman Chick-fil-A at 457 River Hwy. in Mooresville reopened after undergoing months of renovations including adding double drive-thru lanes.
▪ In January, Charlotte City Council approved a rezoning petition for the Randolph Road site in Cotswold for a drive-thru-only location to add more cars and a bigger kitchen.
▪ Last year, Chick-fil-A opened at 424 Cox Road in Gastonia after closing the city’s first and only Chick-fil-A at 3350 East Franklin Blvd.
▪ In 2021, Chick-fil-A opened a store at 925 South Point Road in Belmont, just west of Charlotte in Gaston County near the intersection of R. L. Stowe and South Point roads.
Chicken is hot in Charlotte
Chick-fil-A isn’t the only chicken chain expanding in the Charlotte region:
▪ In March , Arkansas-based Slim Chickens opened a second in Fort Mill, S.C., after the fast-casual chain debuted in March 2022 at 5535 Prosperity Ridge Road in Charlotte.
▪ This year, hometown chicken-and-biscuit chain Bojangles moved its headquarters to a larger space at 500 Forest Point Circle. Bojangles, which opened in 1977 in Charlotte, has opened or plans to open nearly 130 stores with debuts in Ohio, New York, Texas, Illinois and Arkansas.
▪ In February, LA-based chicken chain Dave’s Hot Chicken opened its second Charlotte store at 8932 J.M. Keynes Drive in University City. The fast-casual chain opened its first Charlotte store in September at 1300 The Plaza in Plaza Midwood.
▪ Also in February, Harold’s Chicken & Ice Bar opened on East McCullough Drive in the former Total Wine & More spot near a Chex Grill & Wings location. The first Harold’s Chicken Shack restaurant opened 72 years ago on Chicago’s South side.
▪ Last August, former NASCAR CEO Brian France opened Summerbird in South End.
