First 100 Camping Plans For Olney Chick-fil-A Opening

OLNEY, MD — Get your camping gear and warm clothes ready if you want to be one of the first 100 customers at the new Olney Chick-fil-A restaurant. Grand opening events will include packaging 10,000 meals for local families in need when franchise owner Erik Amick opens Olney’s first Chick-fil-A on Dec. 7.

The grand opening events at the new restaurant at 18115 Georgia Ave. will get underway on Dec. 6. A family-friendly overnight First 100 party will pop up in the new restaurant parking lot 24 hours before the grand opening as guests try to be one of the first 100 adults through the door to win a year of free Chick-fil-A meals, according to a news release. This community event is open to guests livinng in specific zip codes surrounding the restaurant. A list of eligible zip codes and rules can be found at https://thechickenwire.chick-fil-a.com/News/Future-Openings.

The Chick-fil-A First 100

A tradition going back more than 14 years, Chick-fil-A’s First 100 celebration has given away more than $31 million in free food through 2016 and continues to be the chain’s signature grand opening event, the press release says. Rain, snow and extreme temperatures do not deter Chick-fil-A fans who arrive with tents, chairs, TVs and computers to stay entertained.

Each fan hopes to win 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) that will be awarded to the first 100 eligible adults – ages 18 and older with identification – around 6 a.m. on Dec. 7. If more than 100 people are onsite when the line officially opens at 6 a.m. on Dec. 6, a drawing will be held to randomly select the First 100. Those chosen will be required to camp out until the grand opening in order to secure their spot.

About Franchise Operator Erik Amick

Michigan-born Amick has always had a desire to make an impact on the people around him. Having worked in the advertising and marketing industry for eight years prior to joining Chick-fil-A, Amick was drawn to the chain’s core values of service, hospitality, and excellence as well as the opportunity to influence people while owning his own business, a news release says. In 2010, Amik was selected as the operator of the Tech Road Silver Springs location.

Amik graduated with a marketing degree in 1998 from Palm Beach Atlantic University, where he received a full academic scholarship and was named “Most Outstanding Marketing Graduate” in his program. After graduating, he and his wife, Christine, traveled the world working with a nonprofit organization serving the large immigrant population in Paris, France. The couple also spent time in Indonesia and Turkey before settling back in the United States. Amik has served on the Citizens Advisory Board for Montgomery County and is a coach at the Olney Boys & Girls Club. Amik, his wife, and their four children are excited about opportunities to provide a remarkable experience to customers and the ability to expand their passion for service in the Olney community.

“We’re not just in the chicken business — we’re in the people business,” says Amik. “Our goal is to be a good neighbor and provide a remarkable experience by serving freshly prepared food with healthy options that our guests can truly feel good about eating with sincere hospitality.”

Feeding Children Everywhere Event

Amik is supporting two organizations as part of his grand opening celebration. He is providing the funding and asking First 100 campers to provide the manpower to assemble 10,000 meals to be donated to a local organization in support of Feeding Children Everywhere’s mission to help local hungry children and families. The restaurant will also be collecting non-perishable food items in support of the Manna Food Center.

Restaurant Details

The 4,851-square-foot Olney Chick-fil-A restaurant features:

• 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 and peach baskets.
• Two-story interactive indoor play area for children and free Wi-Fi.
• Chick-fil-A One mobile ordering reserved parking spots and dual drive-thru ordering lanes and screens to enable customers to move quickly into a single lane for payment and pickup.
• Dining room that seats 120 and an additional 16 outdoor patio seats.
• Full-service menu with a variety of healthy options and breakfast until 10:30 a.m., and will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Chick-fil-A locations are closed on Sunday.

Chick-fil-A in Maryland

Chick-fil-A opened its first Maryland location inside Eastpoint Mall in Baltimore in 1980 and continued to expand with stand-alone restaurants as consumer trends moved toward on-the-go dining. The chain has expanded throughout the metro area with the new Olney restaurant becoming its 80th restaurant in Maryland and the sixth to open in the area this year, including the Oct. 19 opening in Frederick and Nov. 2 opening in Reistertown.

The Olney location is among the last of 117 Chick-fil-A locations to open this year across the country, creating some 10,000 new jobs. Find more information on the Olney Chick-fil-A restaurant's Facebook page.

Photos furnished by Chick-fil-A