Chicken Salad Chick announced it will be expanding to its 15th state with its first Illinois restaurant opening in Edwardsville. The Edwardsville restaurant is the brand’s third location in the St. Louis area, with existing restaurants in Chesterfield and Creve Coeur, and marks Chicken Salad Chick’s entrance into another new state. The brand has plans to continue focusing on Illinois expansion with an O’Fallon restaurant slated to open in 2020.
Located at 2323 Plum Street, the Edwardsville restaurant will celebrate its monumental grand opening on June 26th with giveaways and specials that include:
- Wednesday, June 26 – Free Chicken Salad for a Year – The first guest will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year; the next 99 guests receive a free large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month. Any guest not part of the first 100 in line can enter to win free chicken salad for a year.
- Thursday, June 27 – The first 100 guests to purchase a Chick Special will receive 1 free scoop of a different flavor per month.
- Friday, June 28 – The first 100 guests to purchase a Chick Trio will receive a free 32oz Chick Tumbler.
- Saturday, June 29 – The first 50 guests to buy two large Quick Chicks will receive a free Chick Cooler.
The Edwardsville restaurant is owned and operated by multi-unit franchise owner Hannah Lukowski of SJ Restaurants, LLC. With three Firehouse Subs locations across Illinois and Missouri, Lukowski is well-versed in franchising and has been eagerly awaiting her chance to add Chicken Salad Chick to her portfolio since her first taste in 2009. Lukowski’s long-time friend and Chicken Salad Chick’s Director of Marketing, Ali Rauch, introduced her to the unique concept and after speaking with founder Stacy Brown, Lukowski was hooked. She’s thrilled to open Chicken Salad Chick’s first location in Edwardsville and plans to open an additional restaurant in O’Fallon next year.
“Chicken Salad Chick does an amazing job of making everyone feel welcome and from the moment Ali introduced me to the rich flavors and genuine staff, I knew I wanted to become a part of the Chick family,” says Lukowski. “As a mother to a beautiful baby girl, with my second child on the way, the brand’s values really resonate with me and I’m proud to bring this concept to Illinois. The residents in Edwardsville are in for a pleasant surprise and I can’t wait to watch Chicken Salad Chick first-timers turn into loyal regulars.”
The Chicken Salad Chick concept was established in 2008 by founder, Stacy Brown. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick’s robust menu offers a variety of options suitable for any guest. In 2015, Eagle Merchant Partners purchased a majority stake in Chicken Salad Chick, and under the leadership of CEO Scott Deviney and team, the company now has 124 restaurants currently open in 15 states and remains a standout brand within the fast-casual segment.