Stafford Panera Bread, Chick-fil-A Expect May 2020 Opening

MANAHAWKIN, N.J. — Panera Bread and Chick-fil-A anticipate their Stafford locations will open in May 2020, according to Councilman Thomas Steadman. Both restaurants received approval to build on 434 Route 72 West in March.

Read more: Stafford Approves New Chick-fil-A, Panera

Steadman made the announcement at Tuesday night's Town Council meeting. After March's approval, the restaurants didn't know when they would open but wanted to move "as quickly as humanly possible," said Eric Goldstein, an attorney for Parsi Investments, LLC, who owns the property.

The proposal called for construction of a 5,262-square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant with 114 seats and a 4,833-square-foot Panera Bread restaurant — both with drive thru's, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Watch the full Town Council meeting.

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