Chick-fil-A Puyallup Opening: 'First 100' Line Up For Free Chicken

PUYALLUP, WA - With mounds of slushy snow nearby, a steady drizzle falling from the sky, and a 39-degree chill in the air, the Chick-fil-A fans gathered.

On Wednesday afternoon, dozens of brave and hardy locals pitched tents in the parking lot of the soon-to-be-open (Thursday) Chick-fil-A adjacent to the South Hill Mall. They were there to be among the "First 100," a tradition of Chick-fil-A grand openings where the company awards the first 100 people in line with 52 free combo meals.

The First 1oo began lining up around 6 a.m. Wednesday, and by 4 p.m., there were at least 60 gathered. Along with tents, some had erected canopies and were hanging out. The restaurant provided free hot coffee and entertainment via a sound system and an emcee.

Camped near the soon-to-be drive thru lane, friends Reggie Glaspie, 29, of Milton, Brandon Sales, 29, of Puyallup, and Luke Hoar, 33, of Milton, were warming up with some coffee.

Hoar, who was in line at 6:20 a.m., said that the First 100 tradition is simply fun. It's also an interesting way to meet people, and getting 52 free meals isn't so bad, either.

"I love Chick-fil-A," Sales said. "I know it's deep fried, but it's fresh, and much less filling." The company has perfected the chicken sandwich, he added.

"It's the best quality - something about the seasoning," Glaspie added.

Nearby, Jack Laverty, 46, of Puyallup, was trying to stay dry under a canopy. His 18-year-old daughter wanted to be one of the first 100, and she needed company. He arrived around 1 p.m. after getting home from a work business trip.

Laverty is impressed with the company itself. He likes the culture, and that the local franchise owners give back to the community.

"It's good food, and a healthier option; they care about freshness," he said.

Inside, scores of new employees were getting trained on various parts of the restaurant. The Puyallup location will employ 120 part and full-time workers of varying ages. The owner, Mike Lehman, is a former career Navy officer who worked as a nuclear engineer and surface warfare officer. The company is highly selective about who gets to open a franchise - franchisees go through an 18-month selection process, the company said.

Not including Puyallup, there are only three Chick-fil-A restaurants in the state - Tacoma, Bellevue, and Lynnwood - although the company plans to expand by as many as 10 more. That scarcity has driven up local demand for the chain's chicken; police had to monitor traffic at the Bellevue location when it opened in 2015 to control congestion.

In the midst of the employees training, about 20 of the First 100 were participating (including Laverty's daughter) in helping the Feeding Children Everywhere charity prepare meal kits to distribute locally. They scooped lentils, rice, and sea salt into containers with the goal of putting together 10,000 meal kits.

Among the volunteers was Bob McNeill of Graham. The other volunteers probably didn't know it, but McNeill is a bit of a local Chick-fil-A legend. He was the No. 1 person in line when the Tacoma location opened last year, and he was No. 1 in line in Puyallup.

He's not trying to break a record or anything; he loves the food, and getting 52 free meals is a huge help feeding him, his wife, and his three children, he said.

"We were able to eat April through December for about $5 per meal," he said in reference to the meals he got after the Tacoma opening. "And that saves you a lot of money. It's good quality food."

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