Chick-fil-A confirms Tri-Cities is a ‘tremendous opportunity’

An official with the popular Chick-fil-A franchise confirmed Friday that the Tri-Cities is a “tremendous opportunity” for a new restaurant.

The fast food company wouldn’t say if they’re going to take advantage of that opportunity but just this week a new Chick-fil-A Tri-Cities Facebook page popped up.

The page says it will be used to update the fans of a new restaurant location in Kennewick/Richland area — that will be coming soon.

However, it’s not clear if the social media page is just hopeful thinking.

“We are constantly evaluating potential new locations for expansion, and the Tri-City area represents a tremendous opportunity for us to serve our customers great food with exceptional care,” said a company official’s via email on Friday. “At this time however, we cannot confirm any prospective locations.”

It isn’t the first time that a rumor has circulated that a Chick-fil-A would be opening in Tri-Cities. A company spokesperson shared a similar comment with the Herald in 2019.

The fried chicken franchise has numerous restaurants in Western Washington, but just one on the East side. The Spokane outlet opened in December, with the next closest on the University of Idaho campus in Moscow.

The company has identified on its website that Washington is one of their most rapidly growing markets in the U.S.

And Chick-fil-A is planning a webinar session in Spokane on April 13 for interested franchise owners, they said.

When the Spokane restaurant opened at the end of 2020, the Spokesman-Review reported that the police department used six patrol cars to manage the onslaught of chicken-craving customers who waited for hours.

And when the company opened a restaurant in Renton store this week, the police department issued a traffic safety plan.

Several other restaurant chains have recently announced they will be opening in Tri-Cities.

This week the Herald confirmed that three Jersey Mike’s Subs will be opening in Tri-Cities — two in Richland and a third in Kennewick.

One Jersey Mike’s will be in front of Columbia Center mall next to Starbucks and a Mod Pizza that will be opening soon.

Eastern Washington also will get its first Habit Burger Grill this summer when it opens in Richland at the Queensgate area.

And a developer is in talks with a new Chipotle in the Southridge area of Kennewick.

This story was originally published March 26, 2021 at 4:23 PM.