Chick-fil-A’s first-ever official location to open more than 50 years ago is closing this weekend – but refusing to say why
- The first-ever Chick-fil-A restaurant at Atlanta’s Greenbriar Mall on Greenbriar Parkway has announced its last day of service will be May 20
- Founder Truett Cathy launched the iconic fast food chain there in 1967
- The last meals will be served between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, and fans are mourning the loss of the famous chicken sandwich’s original home
The very first Chick-fil-A restaurant that opened its doors more than 50 years ago will close this weekend.
Founder Truett Cathy launched the iconic fast food chain in Atlanta’s Greenbriar Mall on Greenbriar Parkway in 1967.
But the restaurant has announced it will be closing with signs on the site warning that the last day of service will be May 20.
The last meals will be served between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, and fans are mourning the loss of the famous chicken sandwich’s original home.
It’s not clear why the store is closing, but the owners have asked customers to support nearby Chick-fil-A restaurants instead.
The first-ever Chick-fil-A restaurant at Atlanta’s Greenbriar Mall on Greenbriar Parkway, which opened more than 50 years ago, is closing this weekend
A sign outside the restaurant announced that last meals will be served between 11am and 4pm on Saturdays
Founder Truett Cathy (right) launched the iconic fast food chain at the mall in 1967
The sign outside the original location read, “Our last day of business here at Chick-fil-A Greenbriar Mall is Saturday, May 20, 2023.
‘Visit our other locations on Chick-fil-A Camp Creek Parkway and Chick-fil-A Cascade Road.
“It was our pleasure to serve you!”
The Facebook page already lists the venue as “permanently closed.” Dailymail.com has contacted Chick-fil-A for comment.
Fans were angry about the closure of the original restaurant and took to social media to express their frustrations.
One user wrote, “Greenbriar Mall is really dying without Chick-fil-A.”
Another said, “They’re closing the Chick-fil-A in Greenbriar Mall.” Times are really changing.’
While a third added, “As a true Atlantan, I’ll be in that long line one more time next week, that’s all.”
A plaque at the Greenbriar Mall pays tribute to the very first Chick-fil-A restaurant, saying it “pioneered mall dining” when it first opened 56 years ago
The chain has described the site as “groundbreaking” and helped bring the franchise to more than 45 states across the country
Cathy (right) and his brother invented the iconic chicken sandwich at their restaurant in Hapeville known as the Dwarf Grill, and this was the birthplace of Chick-fil-A
Others discussed their memories of visiting the iconic restaurant.
“Things like this make me sad. Growing up in Eastpoint, I used to cycle to the Greenbriar mall every weekend to hang out,” said one user.
“And the Chick-fil-A was definitely the hangout, because it was right next to the arcade. SAD TIMES.’
A plaque at the Greenbriar Mall pays homage to the very first Chick-fil-A restaurant, saying it was “a pioneer in mall dining” when it first opened 56 years ago.
The chain has described the site as “groundbreaking” and helped bring the franchise to more than 45 states in the country.
Cathy and his brother invented the iconic chicken sandwich at their restaurant in Hapeville known as the Dwarf Grill, and this was the birthplace of Chick-fil-A.
Fans mourned the loss of the famous chicken sandwich’s original home and took to social media to express their frustrations
He later opened the first Chick-fil-A store Greenbriar Mall after its success, and the chain has opened nearly 3,000 restaurants nationwide in the decades since.
Cathy chose Doris Williams, who ran a local school’s cafeteria, to run the restaurant and she became the company’s first franchisee.
Chick-fil-A’s first free-standing restaurant outside of a mall opened in 1986.
Cathy died of diabetic complications on September 8, 2014 at the age of 92, and his widow Jeannette Cathy also died a year later at the age of 92.