Two lines of cars wrapped around Chick-fil-A’s drive-thru in Alachua during lunch hour on Thursday as the new restaurant celebrated its opening day with free meal giveaways. 

Anyone dressed like a cow for the one-day “Cows Eat Free” promotion at the 16310 NW US Hwy 441 location received free entrees or kids’ meals from a select menu, and just in time to also snag a seasonal Peppermint Chip Milkshake. 

Cow-costumed customers took pictures in front of a decorated photo wall and took home plush “Eat Mor Chikin” cow souvenirs.  

The new location is the first in Alachua County outside of Gainesville and offers dine-in, drive-thru, carry-out, third-party delivery, mobile pick-up and Mobile Thru services, as well as a play space for customers with children.   

“Opening my first restaurant is truly a dream come true, and the fact that it’s also the first Chick-fil-A in Alachua makes it even more special,” said the location’s owner and operator, Hayden Harbuck, in a press release. “I want this to be a place where the community feels cared for, team members feel seen and supported and the work we do every day adds up to something meaningful.”   

Crews broke ground around February on the Alachua Chick-fil-A, which will bring around 80 jobs to the area. The Alachua Chamber of Commerce announced the restaurant as a new member this month. 

According to the release, Orlando-native Harbuck joined Chick-fil-A in 2015 and has been working to own a location ever since.   

He and his wife, Amanda, are excited to start a new chapter in Alachua, grow alongside their community and are committed to giving back to it by partnering with local organizations, the release said.  

A $25,000 donation from Chick-fil-A, Inc. is going to Feeding America in honor of the new restaurant. The funds will go to partners in the greater Gainesville area to help fight hunger. 

The Alachua location will also participate in Chick-fil-A Shared Table, a program that redirects surplus food to local nonprofits. Over 42 million meals have been distributed nationwide since the program’s founding.   

“It’s my full-time job—and really my passion—to make sure your visit is always a great one,” Harbuck said in a letter posted in the dining room entryway. “I get involved with schools, charities and community events that mean something to our neighbors and team…It is my pleasure to have a positive influence in this way and live out Chick-fil-A’s commitment to caring for people, caring for communities, caring for others through our food and caring for our planet.”