A family-friendly overnight First 100 party popped up in the restaurant parking lot at 2940 Kirby Whitten Road just 24 hours before the grand opening. Guests queued up at 6 a.m. April 4 to be one of the first 100 adults through the door the next morning to win free meals.
Eligible guests had to be ages 18 or older with ID, and they had to reside in specific ZIP codes surrounding the restaurant.
Chick-fil-A provided these hardy customers with food, drinks, games and other activities throughout the day. Each winner received a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A meals (52 meals consisting of a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich, medium waffle fries and a medium beverage).
Arant, who graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA with a degree in accounting from Mississippi State University, was in the top 1 percent of 2009 Army ROTC graduates nationwide. He also earned the G. V. Sonny Montgomery Leadership Award for excellence in leadership, service and academics. Arant served eight years as a U.S. Army officer, including being trained as a scout helicopter pilot with deployment to Afghanistan, and he rose to the rank of captain. After sharing his military success and leadership experience with a member of Chick-fil-A’s franchise selection team, Arant became interested and was encouraged to pursue becoming an operator.
Operating a restaurant is no small feat, with the company receiving nearly 40,000 applications yearly for approximately 40 franchise operator opportunities. Arant was attracted to the company and the opportunity to have his own business while also developing future leaders of America.
“Our goal is to serve quality food in a fast, clean and friendly environment while genuinely enriching the lives of every guest who walks through our doors,” said Arant. He said his wife, Lindsay, and their three children are excited to be a part of Bartlett’s close-knit community.
Arant also invited his First 100 guests and restaurant customers to participate in a book drive benefitting a local youth organization.
The 5,000-square-foot Bartlett restaurant features:
- A heritage restaurant interior design that showcases handmade, authentic materials for a vintage-inspired interior, subway tiles and a light fixture made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles.
- Custom catering and mobile order pickup area unique to the Shoppes at Bartlett Chick-fil-A restaurant.
- A dining room with seating for 112 and additional outdoor seating for 16.
- Free Wi-Fi and three designated parking spaces for Chick-fil-A One App mobile order pick-ups.
- A full-service menu with a variety of options and breakfast until 10:30 a.m., and the facility will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
For more information, visit facebook.com/TheShoppesatBartlett.
