Northwest Kansas Is Finally Getting Its First Chick-fil-A, and It Opens Thursday
Northwest Kansas is getting its first Chick-fil-A restaurant, and the opening date is just around the corner. The popular fast-food chain announced that its new Hays location will open to customers on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 6:30 a.m. Located at 3404 Vine Street, the restaurant will bring Chick-fil-A’s familiar chicken sandwiches, nuggets, and breakfast options to a part of Kansas where the company has not previously operated a listed restaurant.
The opening also includes a special giveaway for customers who wear a little cow print. According to Chick-fil-A’s official announcement, the new restaurant will offer dine-in, drive-thru, carry-out, delivery, and Mobile Thru services.
A New Chick-fil-A Arrives in Hays
The new Chick-fil-A is located near the intersection of 34th and Vine streets, just south of Interstate 70. The restaurant is scheduled to open at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, with regular operating hours set for Monday through Saturday, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Customers will have several ordering options, including dining inside, using the drive-thru, placing carry-out orders, or choosing delivery. The restaurant will also offer Mobile Thru, which allows customers to use the chain’s mobile ordering service through a designated drive-thru process.
Chick-fil-A describes the Hays restaurant as its first location in northwest Kansas. The opening expands into a region where residents seeking the chain’s food previously had to visit restaurants in other communities. For Hays customers, Thursday marks the start of a new local dining option without an out-of-town trip.
Related Post: Mastering 10 Essential Cooking Techniques for Restaurant-Quality Results
Wear Cow Print and Get a Free Entrée on Opening Day
One of the biggest attractions planned for the grand opening is a complimentary food promotion. Chick-fil-A is celebrating the Hays opening with its “Moove-In Party,” inviting customers to wear cow print on October 15. According to the company’s announcement, anyone participating in the promotion can receive one eligible entrée or kid’s meal at no charge, while supplies last. No need to arrive in an elaborate cow costume. A cow-spotted accessory is enough to qualify. Customers visiting during breakfast can choose from eligible items including the Chicken Biscuit, Egg White Grill, or four-count Chick-n-Minis.
For lunch or dinner, the eligible selections include the original Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, eight-count Original Nuggets, eight count Grilled Nuggets, or five-count Nugget Kid’s Meal. The offer is available in-store and through the drive-thru. No additional purchase is necessary, but the promotion is limited to one qualifying item per participating guest, subject to availability. Remember, this isn’t an offer for unlimited free food or a complete meal of any customer’s choosing.
Police Will Help Manage Opening Day Traffic
A new restaurant opening can bring more vehicles to an already busy shopping area, and local authorities are preparing for it. According to a KSN report from October 13, Hays police officers plan to help manage traffic during the restaurant’s first few days of operation. The goal is to prevent vehicles from backing up onto nearby roads as customers enter the property. The restaurant recommends that drivers approach from the south using the Hobby Lobby parking lot.
That guidance may be especially helpful for anyone unfamiliar with the new location or planning to visit during the opening celebration. Available reporting does not identify specific street closures, temporary parking restrictions, or expected wait times. Customers should follow posted directions and instructions from traffic officers. Checking for updated traffic information before leaving home may also help make the visit easier.
Why This Is a First for Northwest Kansas
Although Chick-fil-A already operates restaurants elsewhere in Kansas, the Hays location marks a significant geographic addition to the chain’s footprint. The company calls it its first restaurant in northwest Kansas. That description matches Kansas Tourism’s Northwest region, which includes Hays and nearby communities such as Ellis, Victoria, and WaKeeney. A review of Chick-fil-A’s official Kansas restaurant directory also shows no other listed location among the communities identified within that tourism region.
Previously, Hays residents looking for a Chick-fil-A could visit other Kansas cities, including Salina. Salina is about 97 road miles from Hays, though that figure reflects travel between the cities rather than the exact distance between restaurant addresses. The new location means Hays customers no longer need to leave town to visit the chain. It also gives travelers passing through the Interstate 70 corridor another dining option.
The Restaurant Brings Jobs and Redevelopment to Vine Street
Beyond chicken sandwiches and opening-day promotions, the new restaurant represents a commercial development project in Hays. The Chick-fil-A was constructed on the former Rodeway Inn property near 34th and Vine streets. According to Hays Post reporting from March 2026, the former motel had been closed and demolished to make way for redevelopment. The project was initially estimated to cost about $6.2 million, though that figure should not be confused with the final construction cost.
Local reporting also documented an industrial revenue bond arrangement associated with the development. Chick-fil-A expects the new restaurant to create about 100 jobs. KSN reported on October 13 that nearly 100 employees had already been hired ahead of the opening. The available information does not specify how those positions are divided between full-time and part-time employment. Still, the project brings a new business to a redeveloped commercial property while adding restaurant employment opportunities in the community.
Meet the Local Owner Operator Behind the Opening
The new restaurant will be operated by Brett Pennell, whom Chick-fil-A selected as its local Owner-Operator. According to the company, Pennell began his career with Chick-fil-A as a team member in 2017. He now continues his experience with the chain in Hays, where he will oversee the new restaurant’s operations and team. In the company’s October 8 announcement, Pennell described Hays as a close-knit community with great pride in its people and university. “I’m honored to call this place home,” Pennell said. The company has also outlined community commitments connected to the opening. Chick-fil-A announced a $25,000 donation to Feeding America to support Kansas Food Bank’s local hunger-relief efforts.
Pennell is also expected to participate in Chick-fil-A’s Shared Table program, which redirects surplus restaurant food to charitable organizations. The company has not publicly identified a specific Hays organization that will receive food through the program. These initiatives are part of the company’s announced plans as the new restaurant prepares to establish itself locally.
What Customers Should Know Before Thursday
For residents planning to visit the new Chick-fil-A, the most important details are straightforward. The restaurant is scheduled to open Thursday, October 15, at 6:30 a.m., at 3404 Vine Street in Hays. Customers interested in the opening-day giveaway should wear cow print and review the eligible menu selections before ordering.
Drivers should also follow traffic guidance, particularly the recommended southern approach near the Hobby Lobby parking lot. As of October 13, the opening remains scheduled, with no reported delay in the cited announcements. For northwest Kansas residents who have been waiting for a closer Chick-fil-A, Thursday brings a new option for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a one-day chance to celebrate the opening with a complimentary qualifying entrée.
