Restaurant Celebrates with Cows Eat Free Offer on Opening Day, Donates $5,000 to Address Food Insecurity

ATHENS, Ga. (July 25, 2025) – Continuing its partnership of more than two decades, Chick-fil-A^® returns to the heart of the University of Georgia campus with the opening of its newly-designed restaurant at the Tate Student Center on August 1, 2025. The restaurant, which will create approximately 45 jobs, has been upgraded to offer a full-service experience, bringing an expanded menu, enhanced service offerings and mobile ordering. Chick-fil-A, Inc. selected Shane Todd to be the local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A University of Georgia – Tate Student Center.   
 
To celebrate the restaurant opening, Todd and his team are calling on the community to show off their spots at the restaurant on opening day! Whether it’s a full cow suit or a simple cow-spotted accessory, guests of all ages are encouraged to join the fun. Anyone who visits the restaurant on opening day dressed in cow attire can redeem one free entrée or kid’s meal inside the restaurant.  
 
Located at 45 Baxter Street, the new restaurant will serve Guests Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, offering dine-in, carry-out, delivery and mobile ordering. Payment is also accepted through the Chick-fil-A One^® App and Paw Points, which are available to UGA students who have purchased meals plans through Dining Services. 
 
Locally Owned and Operated 
“Athens and the University of Georgia have played a major role in shaping who I am,” said Todd. “It’s an incredible honor to bring a full-service Chick-fil-A restaurant to the heart of campus – a place where students, faculty, and staff can experience genuine care and delicious food.”

• A proud UGA graduate, Todd has called Athens home for nearly four decades, remaining in the area after graduating in 1993. 
• Todd began his Chick-fil-A journey in 1994 as a Team Member and went on to become a local Owner-Operator in 1996.  
• Since then, he has become the local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Beechwood, Barnett Shoals and Downtown Athens, all of which he will continue to operate alongside this new restaurant. Todd also oversees Chick-fil-A operations at Sanford Stadium during UGA home football games. 
• Todd and his wife, Carri Leigh, who he met while the two were students at UGA, are excited to bring Chick-fil-A’s signature hospitality to the campus that shaped them.  

Caring for the Athens Community
Todd is committed to giving back to the Athens community by:

• Participating in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table^® program, which redirects surplus food to local nonprofits and has helped to create over 35 million meals.  
• Celebrating the opening with a $5,000 donation from Chick-fil-A, Inc. to Feeding America to support local hunger relief efforts of Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. 

To learn more about careers at Chick-fil-A University of Georgia – Tate Student Center, click here.
 
Delicious Food; Outstanding Customer Service 
Chick-fil-A is known for creating a remarkable restaurant experience, starting with friendly service, a warm welcome and quality food, including the original Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Sandwich.  Restaurants strive to provide a great-tasting meal made with real, whole chicken breast and fresh produce, all grown and sourced with care and prepared throughout the day. For more on Chick-fil-A’s high-quality menu options, click here. For more information about the Brand’s food, people and customers across the country, visit chick-fil-a.com. 
 
Opening Day Offer Details 
*Guests who dress in cow attire on opening day can redeem the offer of one free entrée inside the restaurant. Breakfast offer options are a Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Biscuit, Egg White Grill or 4-ct
Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis^®. Lunch/dinner offer options are Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich or 8-ct Grilled Nuggets or 5-ct Nugget Kid’s Meal. The offer is limited to one per person in cow attire, per day, while supplies last. No purchase is necessary. See the restaurant for more details. To learn more about the Chick-fil-A Cows, click here. 
 
About Chick-fil-A, Inc. 
Chick-fil-A, Inc. is the third largest quick-service restaurant company in the United States, known for its freshly-prepared food, signature hospitality and unique franchise model. More than 200,000 Team Members are employed by local Owner-Operators in more than 3,000 restaurants across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.  

Chick-fil-A opened its first restaurant in the UK in early 2025 with the goal of launching five locations across the UK within the next two years. The first Singapore restaurant is set to open in late 2025, marking the brand’s entry into Asia. 
  
Chick-fil-A local Owner-Operators live and work in the communities their restaurants serve, each supporting local efforts to address hunger, education, and making a positive impact. The family-owned and privately held company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com and @ChickfilANews.

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