Warning: Undefined array key "sharing_networks_networks_sorting" in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3904
Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3904
On March 29, Downtown’s Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in Lower Manhattan in the heart of the Financial District. Chick-fil-A opened with a scavenger hunt, the first 100 participants who made it back to the restaurant by the designated time won free Chick-fil-A for a year! That’s a great way to kick off being a part of our downtown community.
The franchisee-owned restaurant, located at 144 Fulton Street next to Fulton Center Station, was designed to serve the downtown community and a variety of guests’ needs. With five levels, innovative ordering technology, seating for 140 guests and an open-air rooftop dining experience, the Downtown Chick-fil-A restaurant was built to serve guests stopping in for a quick meal, those looking for a place to sit and work, parents and caretakers dining with children, and guests hoping to enjoy a leisurely lunch outside.
The restaurant is locally owned and operated by downtown resident Luke Cook. Luke will employ more than 150 team members. Luke Cook, was born and raised in Hammond, Louisiana and to this day Luke Louisiana accent is still prominent as we chatted. Luke has been part of the Chick-fil-A family for over ten years. He began his journey with Chick-fil-A as a team member at Hamilton Mill FSR in the Atlanta metro area, owned and operated two Chick-fil-A restaurants in PA and LA, and has served in multiple capacities as a consultant on panels at the Chick-fil-A Support Center.
Luke spoke briefly to Downtown, Luke is married to Mandy they have two beautiful daughters Emma, 7 and Olivia, 5 who attend school right here in Lower Manhattan. In Lukes spare time, he enjoys reading books, working out, and drinking coffee with friends. Luke and his family are excited to bring Chick-fil-A to Lower Manhattan and can’t wait to share the love of chicken with everyone they meet.
“My family and I are honored to be opening a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Lower Manhattan, a part of the city we’ve always loved,” Cook said. “We’re so happy to be living, working and raising our children in the most vibrant city and neighborhood in the world. We want this restaurant to be a gathering place for everyone in the community.”
Read more about Luke Cook living and working in downtown, his family, and yes even their dog in an upcoming issue of Downtown.
Community Citizen
Chick-fil-A is an active contributor to the community and is committed to giving back in New York City. Like the other NYC Chick-fil-A locations, Chick-fil-A Fulton Street will partner with New York Common Pantry to provide meals to those-in-need. To date, the Chick-fil-A restaurants in New York have donated more than 17,000 pounds of food to the organization, which serves the city’s homeless population. The restaurant will also partner with Feeding Children Everywhere, a social charity that mobilizes groups to assemble healthy meals for children in need. Participants of the grand opening “First 100” celebration will have the opportunity to help assemble 10,000 meals to be distributed locally.
One-of-a-Kind Design Elements
Downtown Chick-fil-A Fulton Street was built to accommodate groups of all sizes. At more than 12,000 square feet, Chick-fil-A Fulton Street will span five levels with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing for natural light throughout the entire space. The restaurant features two kitchens, including a basement-level kitchen for cold food prep, three levels of dining for 140 guests, a semi-private group meeting and dining space, and a rooftop terrace. To connect each level, a staircase will extend from the fourth level to the ground floor, accentuated by a skylight.
The restaurant offers mobile and in-store technology designed to serve customers quickly and efficiently. Utilizing the company’s proprietary “upstream ordering” technology, team members take orders on tablets as soon as guests walk through the doors, ensuring a shorter queue time. Guests can also order and pay in advance (while also skipping the line) using the Chick-fil-A One™ mobile app. Downtown’s Chick- fil- A restaurant also offers group catering deliveries and off-site pop-ups.
150 New Jobs for New Yorkers
Downtown’s Chick-fil-A is known for hiring, developing and retaining top talent, and providing a great work environment for team members. Each NYC Chick-fil-A restaurant offers flexible hours, competitive pay and benefits, opportunities for leadership growth, college scholarships, and hands-on training and mentoring by the restaurant owner. Chick-fil-A Fulton Street will employ more than 150 team members, with wages starting above New York City’s minimum wage. Whether candidates are seeking their first job or are seasoned industry professionals, all interested are invited to apply at CFAFultonStreet.com.
Premium Ingredients and Fresh, Handmade Food
As a long time Chick-fil-A fan and connoisseur, we were even more excited to hear about the prep process. Did you know that nearly everything on the Chick-fil-A menu is made from scratch daily, including hand-rolled biscuits, salads made from fresh vegetables and fruit that is hand-chopped throughout the day? The lemonade is fresh-squeezed and is made from three simple ingredients: lemon juice, sugar, and water. Like all Chick-fil-A restaurants, the chicken served in this restaurant will be 100 percent whole breast meat, without any fillers, hormones or additives. Each chicken breast is hand-breaded to order and pressure cooked in 100 percent refined peanut oil, which is naturally trans-fat- and cholesterol-free. By the end of 2019, every Chick-fil-A restaurant will serve chicken raised without antibiotics.
Now, this is something to rave about. Be sure to stop by Downtown’s Chick-fil-A on Fulton Street. If you are like me, just reading about their process and ingredients is driving me over to Fulton Street for today’s lunch!
Downtown’s Chick-fil-A Fulton Street is located at 144 Fulton Street and will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Chick-fil-A and stories about the company’s food, people and customers across the country, visit chick-fil-a.com. For the latest news and updates at Chick-fil-A, visit the Chick-fil-A Fulton Street Facebook page.