Chick-fil-A on Wards Road will close temporarily June 22 for about five weeks for remodeling.
The fast-food chain will offer catering and curbside pick-up from its location in the River Ridge mall food court and open a temporary food truck at Aldi on Lakeside Drive the following month.
The 4003 Wards Road location has been open nearly 14 years and is due for remodeling, said Carrie Wright, Chick-fil-A director of strategic development.
“Because we’re such a busy location and we’re doing massively more in sales than ever intended, we’re going to gut and remodel in our store,” she said.
The remodeling will expand the kitchen and back of the restaurant. While the guest seating won't necessarily expand, the remodeling will allow the restaurant to serve more customers and increase capacity and efficiency, Wright said.
The restaurant is scheduled to reopen Aug.1.
On July 18, a Chick-fil-A food trailer will open in the Aldi parking lot at 2617 Lakeside Drive with a limited menu. It will remain open through the fall.
Wright said 15 percent of customers at the Wards Road Chick-fil-A come from Forest, and the corporate office is considering opening a location there.
“This is very strategic, very intentional,” she said. “We want to be on that side of town. We hope this will be a precursor to hopefully get one out there.”
Chick-fil-A plans to hire 40 new employees due to the growth and remodeling.