After months of anticipation, the new Hawks Ridge Chick-fil-A will finally open its doors to the Lake St. Louis community on Thursday morning, Nov. 17. The arrival of the new fast food restaurant has been long awaited since construction of the building started back in April. 

On opening day, a crowd is definitely expected. The owner and operator of the new restaurant, Cody Pierce shared his expectations for opening day.

“We expect to be busy, we don’t think we’ll be slow. It’s a really exciting time for us, and the community,” Pierce said. “It should be a lot of fun.”

Many Liberty High School students are excited as well. Talk of the restaurant has been very prevalent throughout the school building. Some students, like junior Anthony Bruns, are already making plans to stop by the restaurant. 

“I’m expecting opening day to be really crowded, so I’ll probably swing by during the weekend.” Bruns stated.

The restaurant had its official ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday afternoon where it welcomed special visitors, did a simulation with some of its workers and put final touches on the restaurant. Elevate Outdoor, a landscaping and construction company, did the landscaping around the building laying sod and planting trees and decorative plants.

As the Hawks Ridge location opens its doors for the first time, Pierce hopes that what sets them apart from other restaurants in the fast food industry, is their ability to make each customer’s experience a priority. 

“We provide a great customer experience, but we also provide a great team member experience. As an owner, I started as a team member, and I know what it’s like to be a team member. So, I feel like focusing on each team member’s experience is a huge part of my role,” Pierce said. “I take care of everyone on the team, so they are able to take care of the guests.”

Being a team member at Chick-fil-A is an important role that many people would like to fill. Pierce described what job opportunities are open, and what the type of traits they look for in a team member. 

“We’re looking for all kinds of employees, such as night time team members. What we are looking for when hiring a team member is the ability and hunger for growth, as well as emotional intelligence.” 

Pierce went on to describe why working at Chick-fil-A is such a great experience.

“It’s a really fun place to work since Chick-fil-A is a unique company,” Pierce said. “The restaurant is built with team members in mind. We have a break room in the back with a Keurig and a Nintendo Switch with games to play. Chick-fil-A realizes that there are times to be serious and get work done, but there are also times to have fun.” 

So many people are excited to have this new addition in the area. Whether it’s becoming a team member or a frequent customer, the community is ready to support the new Hawk Ridge Chick-fil-A in their own, unique ways.

Resources: 

To become a Chick-fil-A One Member click this link and earn points by ordering food you love.

To apply for a job at the Hawk Ridge Chick-fil-A click this link.

Gallery | 11 Photos

Nicki Bruns

The new Chick-fil-A's address is: 8280 Old Hwy N, O'Fallon, MO 63367