Chick-fil-A to open in Wheaton

Chick-fil-A announced the opening of its next suburban location will be Thursday, Nov. 11, in Wheaton.

The Atlanta-based restaurant chain will open at 6 a.m. at 301 E. Loop Road. Like with the Aurora opening last month, crowds are expected to start gathering the day before for a chance to win a year supply of free meal cards.

Dave Terhune is the operator of the new Wheaton location. He first learned about the popular chain while attending Wheaton College, when two students from Tennessee hung a Chick-fil-A “Eat Mor Chikin” banner in the dorm.

Terhune, a third generation Wheaton College graduate, was in a business class when he researched the company and became intrigued by its business model and values, the company said.

Having been involved with the chain for more than four years, he looks forward to bringing the company to Wheaton.

The chain has become famous for its chicken sandwiches, waffle fries and Biblical principles.

The family-owned chain is tied to its Southern roots. The company's founder, Southern Baptist Truett Cathy, declared all Chick-fil-A stores would be closed on Sundays, a practice that continues to this day.

The Wheaton restaurant is one of 78 new stores the chain plans to open this year. More than 200 jobs will be created in the suburban area with the new Wheaton store coupled with recent openings in Aurora and Orland Park.

The company operates a nearby store in the Regency Mall in Racine, Wis. Others are located on business and college campuses in Charleston, Edwardsville, Bloomington, Carbondale and Urbana.