Chain restaurant Chicken Salad Chick opens Columbia location: 'It's finally go time'

Lauren Tronstad, Columbia Daily Tribune
·2 min read

Dozens of people lined up by the time the clock hit 7 a.m. Tuesday with chicken salad high on their mind.

Their excitement centered around the grand opening of fast-casual chain restaurant Chicken Salad Chick at 300 Brickton Road, near Broadway and U.S. Highway 63. The first 100 customers were rewarded with one free meal per month for a year.

"It's finally go time," franchise owner Jennifer Winters said.

The restaurant welcomed its first customers inside with an archway of red and green balloons, the company's primary colors.

The chain's newest location boasts fresh chicken salad and sides.

"I like that (Chicken Salad Chick) has a variety of flavors that can suit the taste of anyone," customer Melissa Garnett said.

Previously: Chain restaurant Chicken Salad Chick plans grand opening in Columbia

Jim Thompson is chief operating officer of Chicken Salad Chick, which opened a Columbia location at 300 Brickton Road. The restaurant celebrated its grand opening Tuesday morning.
Jim Thompson is chief operating officer of Chicken Salad Chick, which opened a Columbia location at 300 Brickton Road. The restaurant celebrated its grand opening Tuesday morning.

Garnett's favorite chicken salad is the Kickin' Kay Lynne, which features a combination of buffalo sauce, ranch, bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, jalapenos and Sriracha.

Construction of the restaurant, which started in July of last year, hit delays due to supply chain issues, pushing back its opening date, Winters said.

The location's hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

"We are super excited to deliver the 'chick experience,'" Chicken Salad Chick chief operating officer Jim Thompson said.

Thompson has worked with Chicken Salad Chick for about nine years. He was hired when there were only six stores in the country, he said. Columbia's opening marks the 213th.

The brand and its main values to "spread joy, enrich lives and serve others" set the chain apart from others, Thompson said.

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Amid the national labor shortage, Thompson said he didn't feel the restaurant was heavily affected given its competitive advantages, including being closed Sundays, no late nights or early mornings, and the lack of grills and fryers in the kitchens.

"We are all about giving back to our community and our team," Thompson said. "We are more than just a part of the food industry."

One guest was randomly selected to win a free large Quick Chick meal once per week for a year.

More prizes will be offered throughout the rest of the week:

  • On Wednesday, the first 100 guests who purchase a Chick Special will receive a free Chick Special on their next visit;

  • On Thursday, the first 50 guests who purchase a Chick Trio meal will receive a free Chicken Salad Chick cutting board;

  • On Friday, the first 50 guests to purchase a Chick Trio meal will receive a free chick tumbler;

  • And on Saturday, the first 50 guests to purchase two large Quick Chick meals will receive a free large chick cooler.

The chain plans to further expand in Missouri by opening another location in Springfield by late summer and one in Kansas City by the end of the year.

Lauren Tronstad covers local government and politics for the Tribune. Contact her at LTronstad@gannett.com or on Twitter @LaurenTronstad.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Restaurant Chicken Salad Chick opens Columbia location