Aurora Chick-fil-A requests two-lane drive-through

So many customers are flocking to Aurora's new Chick-fil-A that the restaurant is asking the city for permission to add another drive-through lane.

The planned dual drive-through would accommodate 37 cars on Chick-fil-A's 1.4-acre property, an increase from 17 cars that fit in the current one-lane drive-through, Stephane Phifer, Aurora's planning director, said.

“The drive-through has been very busy. This is actually one of their busiest franchises in the U.S.,” Phifer said.

Customer turnout at the Aurora restaurant, the Atlanta-based chain's first in the Chicago area, has, in fact, exceeded expectations, said Don Perry, a Chick-fil-A spokesman.

Another drive-through lane for cars would prevent backup onto Fox Valley Center Drive, Phifer said.

“The idea is just to pull everything back onto their property,” said Eric Uebelhor, a civil engineer who is consulting for Chick-fil-A on the traffic flow improvements. “They wanted a wider, one-lane entry separated into two lanes to be a good neighbor and not block the drive.”

The planning and development committee of the Aurora City Council discussed the changes designed to improve traffic circulation at a meeting Thursday afternoon.

Alderman Rick Mervine said he was glad to hear the Aurora Chick-fil-A is so busy, but worried an additional drive-through lane would block the restaurant's entrances and exits.

Phifer said the city's engineering department reviewed the plan and determined there is enough space on the property to accommodate another lane without blocking the access points.

Planned changes to the site also would include the addition of another driveway for the restaurant. This will likely be a right-turn-only exit lane onto Fox Valley Center Drive, Phifer said.

Chick-fil-A is negotiating with its neighbor, Chase Bank, about the possibility of allowing Chick-fil-A customers to access the restaurant through the bank's parking lot. But those negotiations are not going well, Uebelhor said, making the right-turn exit lane the more likely addition.

Aldermen on the committee approved the drive-through and access point changes with the condition that Chick-fil-A continue negotiating for another week with Chase Bank about accessing the restaurant through the bank.

The restaurant's request to make changes will later go before the full city council.

Perry said Chick-fil-A hopes to have the extra drive-through lane and access point completed by Thanksgiving.