Like it or not, Chick-fil-A has launched their DC expansion. The first stand-alone branch of the Atlanta-based fast food chain opens Wednesday in Columbia Heights; a campus location already exists at Catholic University. Forrest Hills Connection reports that another Chick-fil-A is planned for Van Ness, at 4422 Connecticut Avenue, Northwest.
The upper Northwest location will take over a currently-operating Burger King, and may include a drive-through and an outdoor patio. Permitting is still in the works, though construction is scheduled to begin this summer. In the meantime, the 14th Street branch launches their “First 100” promotion at 6 am on Tuesday for the people who really love chicken sandwiches. The first 100 people in line within an eligible zipcode win a free meal per week for a year—and per contest rules, they must “remain in their designated spot on the premises until the grand opening of the restaurant,” scheduled for Wednesday. That’s more than 24 hours at Chick-fil-A. Winners are typically invited into the restaurant for a “chicken-fueled slumber party” instead of being left in the elements, so there’s that.
Though there’re numerous Chick-fil-A locations in the Washington area, this marks the first major move inside the District. Former mayor Vincent Gray was vocal about not welcoming the controversial chain—coining the term “hate chicken”—citing the company’s financial support of organizations that oppose same-sex marriage and LGBT rights.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
