The popular Chick-fil-A chain has now expanded to have a second restaurant in Oxford. This new location is set to cater to the growing demand and provide another option for Oxford residents.
The new East Oxford Chick-Fil-A does have some differences from the West Jackson location. According to East Oxford and West Jackson Chick-Fil-A Owner-Operator, Lance Reed, the restaurants are laid out very differently.
“We have a new mobile line in the drive-thru for mobile orders only, called the Mobile Thru, it is kind of like a fast pass for people who have our mobile app,” Reed said. “We also have an incredible outdoor patio that would be great for get-togethers.”
The opening of a second Chick-fil-A brings more than just additional dining options; it also offers new job opportunities for local students.
“Chick-Fil-A is a great place to work and grow as a young person,” Reed said. “There are opportunities for scholarships and opportunities to grow as a person. It is a great job that teaches you the value of hard work and serving.”
Adem Keskin is a junior at Oxford High School and recently started working at the Chick-Fil-A on West Jackson, but moved over to the East Oxford location when it opened for business.
“I wanted to apply to Chick-Fil-A because it seemed like a very fun place to work, and honestly I really like their food,” Keskin said. “The new Chick-Fil-A is a lot closer to school and home for me, so I was very excited to work there.”
Another Oxford High School student, senior Ruth Beyene, has been working at the West Jackson Chick-Fil-A for a little over two years. She just recently transferred over to the new East Oxford location.
“I think this is definitely a great first job,” Beyene said. “You learn as you go and no one gets mad at you for your mistakes because it is such a young environment there. It is an amazing job to have for your first real work experience and I believe it would very well prepare students for future careers.”
Bringing a very popularfast food chain such as Chick-Fil-A to the other side of town, which is a much more residential area because of the schools and amount of houses, brought mixed emotions for students.
“I was a little bit nervous at first when I thought about the traffic, and I used to find it weird to see people I knew while working, so I was definitely scared,” Beyene said. “However, the more that I started working,I actually really enjoyed getting to see my classmates at work and the traffic at the new location has not been nearly as bad as anyone thought it was going to be.”
