This past week, the wishes of many SNU students were finally answered as the campus held a grand opening for the long-anticipated Chick-fil-A. On the morning of August 22, 2023, students lined up long before the event to ensure a good spot in line and a free milkshake that was also promised to the first 25 customers. Although the official opening was held at 10:30 A.M, the turnout was nothing less than expected. A line began to form early in the morning and quickly increased as the opening got closer.
Dr. Michael Redwine, Executive Vice President of Southern Nazarene University, hosted a large portion of the time leading up to the event as he joked with students, discussed the benefits that the restaurant would bring to campus, and led a countdown to the official opening. This was followed by other students rolling away a sliding door that unveiled the new Chick-fil-A, with cashiers and employees immediately ready to start taking orders and kicking off a new chapter in the school’s long history.
Chase Rice, a student in attendance at the grand opening, mentioned that he is “very excited about the new Chick-fil-A,” and added that, “the area is much nicer than I had originally expected and I’m very glad to have something different to eat on campus.” When asked about his thoughts on the grand opening and its turnout, Rice said, “There were a lot of people here and the energy was really high. I think if the time didn’t interfere with Chapel, it would have been packed down here.”
With the addition of Chick-fil-A, students are now given access to a wider variety of food options than in previous years. Carlos Zepeda, a student at the school says, “I didn’t mind the 405, but Chick-fil-A is a much better replacement in my opinion.” Carlos added, “I have already seen countless students in here and can tell how much more excitement there is now.”
The school did an excellent job of creating an extremely vibrant environment within the restaurant as there is a ton of seating area, a pool table, and so much more. Students can attend the restaurant from 10:30 A.M to 10:00 P.M on all weekdays, providing very flexible hours for anyone looking to grab a meal. In addition to this, students are also given access to the restaurant’s most popular items without having to pay, just by using their meal plan once during each meal period. With countless benefits to the new addition, it is easy to see that both the school and the students are thrilled to have Chick-fil-A on campus.
Photo by Joah Flores