No 'First 100' Chick-fil-A Camping Out April 25 in Gambrills

GAMBRILLS, MD — When the second Gambrills Chick-fil-A opens in a few days, there is no need for fans to camp out the night before in a bid to win free chicken for a year. Instead, the Chick-fil-A restaurant that opens April 26 will celebrate with a special April 25 event featuring the chain’s First 100 Road Trip.

The restaurant will pick the first 100 people who register Tuesday morning — or draw names if more than 100 show up on April 25 — and drive them around the greater Baltimore area on buses for about six hours of service activities and other events in order to earn a year's supply of Chick-fil-A meals.

Upon completion of the road trip, each eligible participant will return to the restaurant around 3 p.m. to continue the celebration with dinner. Participants will then receive a digital offer card loaded with a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A meals — 52 meals with each consisting of a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Potato Fries and a medium beverage.

The 4,900-square-foot restaurant at 1133 Crain Hwy. will bring 90 jobs to the area and collect donated children’s books to benefit a local youth organization.

The Chick-fil-A First 100

A tradition going back 14 years, Chick-fil-A’s First 100 celebrations have given away over $31 million in free food through 2016. However, unlike previous First 100 events, this Chick-fil-A grand opening celebration will not involve any overnight activities. Instead, eligible participants 18 years and older can start gathering shortly before 6 a.m. on April 25, to register and immediately participate in a grand opening giveaway celebration.

Designed to be a "mooving experience" on many levels, participants will be moved around the Baltimore area on chartered buses while spending about six hours in activities that will provide opportunities to get up and move in addition to impacting and moving others in the community through acts of service along the way.

Upon completion of the road trip, each eligible participant will be taken back to the restaurant at to continue the celebration.

Registration will be held that morning from 6 to 8:30 a.m., or until 100 eligible participants are reached, whichever comes first. If more than 100 people are onsite when the line officially opens at 6 a.m. on April 25, a drawing will be held to randomly select the First 100.

The event is open to guests who live in specific zip codes surrounding the restaurant. A list of eligible zip codes and event rules can be found on the restaurant’s here.

Children’s Book Drive

Reflecting his desire to continue making a positive impact, Smith is inviting the community to celebrate the new location by participating in a children’s book drive during grand opening week. The books, being donated to a local youth organization, will serve as a free library exchange and be placed in a nearly 3-foot Book House built from reclaimed wood. Since 2014, Chick-fil-A has collected more than 33,500 books that have been donated to 213 local organizations in 42 states and Washington, D.C.

Restaurant Details

• Heritage restaurant design that showcases handmade, authentic materials for a vintage-inspired interior, including a large gathering table made from reclaimed wood, subway tiles, and light fixtures made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles.
• Two-story interactive indoor play area for children and free Wi-Fi.
• Drive-thru service expanded to offer dual drive-thru ordering lanes and screens to enable customers to move quickly into a single lane for payment and pickup, with access isolated from the parking lot.
• Dining room that seats 110 and additional outdoor patio seating for 26.
• Full-service menu, offering a variety of healthy options, including breakfast until 10:30 a.m., and will be open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

Photos: Chick-fil-A