Wooster is getting its first Chick-fil-A on Thursday, and the chain is marking the occasion with free food for anyone brave enough to show up dressed like a cow. The new restaurant at 4147 Burbank Road begins serving customers at 6:30 a.m., with guests in cow spots eligible to redeem one free entrée or kid's meal.
The opening was confirmed in a press release from Chick-fil-A, which also reported Thursday's launch, as noted by FOX 8 News. Joe Laughlin has been selected as the restaurant's local Owner-Operator, and once the doors open for good, the location will serve guests Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
A Donation Tied to the Grand Opening
Beyond the free-food giveaway, the company is marking the Wooster debut with a $25,000 donation to Feeding America, with funds going to distribution partners in the greater Wooster area. The restaurant will also support the Christian Children's Home of Ohio through Chick-fil-A's Shared Table program, which redirects surplus food from restaurants to local nonprofits rather than letting it go to waste.
Ashland Still Waiting on Its Own Location
For now, Ontario is closer to Ashland than Wooster: Ontario is about 18 miles away, while Wooster is roughly 20 miles away via U.S. 250, according to Ashland Source. Ashland city lawmakers have already approved a 10-year, 50-percent tax incentive for a planned Chick-fil-A along U.S. 250 near Interstate 71, with the site described as a 4,472-square-foot building expected to cost about $3,625,000 and create roughly 30 full-time jobs.
Construction on the Ashland restaurant isn't expected to begin until spring 2027, with an opening estimated sometime in the third quarter of 2028, per the same outlet's reporting. The Ontario restaurant was projected to open in November 2026, before construction on the Ashland location is expected to begin.
