The company's Web site (www.chick-fil-a.com) reported Nov. 17, the same day it will be opening locations in Baton Rogue, La.; Fort Worth, Texas; Fullerton, Calif.; and Aurora, Colo., but we have since learned from the franchisee that they are shooting for Dec. 8.
Chick-fil-A dates back to 1946, when S. Truett Cathy started a restaurant called Dwarf Grill (later Dwarf House) in Hapeville, Ga. His brainstorm for the chicken sandwich came from the idea of creating a quick way to serve food to workers at a nearby Ford plant (now demolished). He discovered that pressure cooking the chicken in peanut oil allowed for a fast serving time. The sandwich came with two pickles because that was the only condiment he had in the pantry when he created the sandwich.
Cathy (still the company's chairman) started Chick-fil-A in 1967. For years it was found mainly in shopping mall food courts, but since 1986 it has focused more on free standing and drive-through locations.
In 2010 it reported $3.5 billion in sales. As of September this year it had 1,583 locations in 39 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The Idaho Falls location will be its second in Idaho (the first is in Boise).
