Chicken Salad Chick has opened a new restaurant in Lake City, Florida, extending the brand’s presence in one of its most active growth markets. The location at 228 NW Centurion Court welcomed guests with a grand opening celebration centered on giveaways and limited-time offers, including free chicken salad for a year for the first 100 customers in line.
The restaurant is owned and operated by franchisees Lyndsey and Darin Melvin, who now oversee seven Chicken Salad Chick locations across Florida. While the couple has expanded through acquisitions in recent years, the Lake City store represents their first ground-up development, an important milestone that signals a broader long-term growth strategy. Another location in Palm Coast is expected to follow.
Scott Deviney, CEO of Chicken Salad Chick, said Lake City was a natural fit for the brand because of its strong community identity and proximity to parks, springs, and outdoor destinations that attract residents and visitors alike. The new restaurant includes dine-in seating, patio space, takeout service, catering, delivery options, and a drive-thru, giving the operators multiple ways to serve demand throughout the day.
For franchise operators, grand openings increasingly depend on disciplined marketing execution as much as real estate selection. Gorilla Dash’s Competitions and Promotions feature can help organize launch campaigns, manage giveaways, and convert first-time visitors into repeat customers through targeted follow-up efforts.
The Melvins have also emphasized community partnerships as part of their operating model, working with schools, youth organizations, and food assistance groups. In Lake City, that local focus adds another dimension to the opening by tying commercial growth to neighborhood engagement.
As restaurant brands compete for loyalty in crowded markets, openings like Lake City show how established franchisees are combining operational scale, local relationships, and Gorilla Dash’s Competitions and Promotions feature to sustain momentum beyond opening day.