Freehold NJ Chick-fil-A ready to open

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Chick-fil-A will open its new Route 9 restaurant on Thursday, another step in the popular chicken chain’s expansion at the Jersey Shore.

The restaurant, located in the new Elton Plaza shopping center, will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Shortly after the grand opening, it will be open for drive-thru service and third-party delivery, the company said in a statement. Customers also can place orders using the Chick-fil-A smartphone app or website. Watch the video above to see people waiting – and why – for the Brick location to open.

Chick-fil-A joins Taco Bell and Wawa at the center. A separate retail building is also under construction. “We are just getting ready to enclose the building,” said Joseph D, Morris, executive vice president at Edgewood Properties in Piscataway. “Steel is going up.”

No leases are signed yet for the retail building, but negotiations are ongoing. “We have some pretty cool burger concepts,” Morris said. Other possibilities include a pizzeria and a smoothie operator mixed in with other retail.

What’s Going There? Freehold Raceway Mall getting new stores for your eyes, your stomach and your bottom

The new Chick-fil-A, which is owned and operated by Kelvin Gardner, a veteran of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, is the first of four on the way in Monmouth and Ocean counties. The others are on Route 35 in Ocean Township, Route 36 in Eatontown, and Route 72 in Stafford.

Gardner had a 35-year military career and connected with local Chick-fil-A operators about the culture and career opportunities at the company. He worked as a team member before he was selected to become the operator of Chick-fil-A Freehold.

What’s Going There? Wingstop opens in Freehold, Five Guys gets makeover, Starbucks replacing Burger King

“I am humbled to have the opportunity to mentor my team members and go the extra mile to serve our guests,” Gardner said in a statement. “I am excited to call Freehold my home and look forward to building new relationships in the community with the opening of this new restaurant.”

The restaurant will have about 100 full- and part-time employees.

Warehouses in your neighborhood:Where more are coming to Monmouth and Ocean, and why