A 'Mega' Chick-fil-A Was Coming to Tennessee — Then This Major Concern Crushed the Project Chick-fil-A is one of the most popular restaurant chains in the nation — but that wasn't enough for some locals.
By Amanda Breen
Key Takeaways
- Chick-fil-A's proposal for a new "mega" restaurant in Collierville, Tennessee was rejected due to traffic concerns.
- The design included a 6,110 square-foot space with a playground, outdoor seating and high-capacity drive-thru lanes.
Chick-fil-A might be Gen Z's favorite restaurant chain in the U.S., but some Tennessee locals aren't fans of the brand's big plans.
Community members in Collierville, Tennessee, stood firm against the development of an expansive new location — a 6,110-square-foot "mega" restaurant — in their small town. The project was shut down after a decisive 5-1 vote by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Fox Business reported.
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The facility, intended to have a 300-square-foot playground for kids, a dual drive-thru lane for up to 43 cars and a 522-square-foot seating area, sparked concerns over the potential uptick in traffic in an already congested area, per the outlet.
The largest Chick-fil-A, which opened in New York City's Financial District in 2018, is more than 12,000 square feet with three dining levels, two kitchens and floor-to-ceiling windows on each floor, according to Good Morning America.
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Jaime Groce, the Town Planner of Collierville, told Fox that Chick-fil-A's next course of action would be to submit a new proposal.
"Chick-fil-A is a great corporate citizen, and we hope they will continue to invest in our community," Groce said. "Their next step is to submit a site plan for a location that fully complies with all town regulations."
