16 Jul Chick-fil-A, New Dining Facility to Open in August at Cedarville
It’s just a few short weeks until Cedarville University students and residents of the village of Cedarville will be able to enjoy Chick-fil-A sandwiches and waffle fries on the university’s campus.
There will be a dedication ceremony on Saturday, August 15, at 2 p.m. in the all-new Chick-fil-A building, during Getting Started Weekend, when students move in for fall semester. The restaurant will open for business Friday, August 14. Regular store hours beginning August 17 will be 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Before the August opening date, there’s lots of work to do, including the hiring and training of up to 75 employees. Chick-fil-A trainers will conduct on-campus and virtual management training during the week of July 20. Then, during the week of August 3, training will take place for hourly employees.
In addition to Chick-fil-A, there will be a dining option featuring salads and wraps called Tossed, also housed in the new dining facility. Pioneer College Caterers, the university’s food vendor and a Chick-fil-A licensee, will operate both restaurants.
“We are pleased to welcome Chick-fil-A as a new dining option for our students this fall,” said Thomas White, Cedarville’s president. “The new Chick-fil-A building, with its beautiful views of Cedar Lake and campus, will be a setting that fosters student community and advances Cedarville’s focus on intentional discipleship.”
Chick-fil-A and Tossed will abide by all COVID-19 protocols. Pioneer, like Cedarville, has a detailed preparedness plan related to all its operations for the fall, which includes the dining hall and Stinger’s, Cedarville’s snack shop.
Pioneer has promoted Donna Fifer, formerly the unit manager for Stinger’s, to serve as retail manager over all of their non-dining-hall food service, which includes Chick-fil-A and Tossed.
This is the fourth Chick-fil-A for Pioneer, which also operates Chick-fil-A restaurants at Campbellsville University and the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky and at Indiana Wesleyan University in Indiana.
“We have a very good relationship with Chick-fil-A,” noted John Pierce, president of Pioneer. “They’re on the forefront of a lot of innovation in the restaurant world, and it’s just been a great partnership for us.”
Pierce is excited for students to enjoy the new dining option on campus, which extends Pioneer’s food service beyond the Stevens Student Center to the edge of Cedar Lake next to Centennial Library. Window seating will offer scenic views of the lake and the north side of campus.
“Students are in for a big treat when they get back to campus,” said Pierce. “To have a national brand like Chick-fil-A on campus will really add value to the student experience.”
Cedarville is set to welcome students back on Getting Started weekend, August 14-16. The university will open with Caring Well. Staying Well. protocols in place. To learn more, visit the Caring Well. Staying Well. blog.