Chick-fil-A will add to its Abilene presence by opening a full-size restaurant near campus by the middle of next year. The fast food delicatessen already has a store in southwest Abilene, one in the Mall of Abilene and a small location in the Hilton Food Court of the Campus Center.

Chick-fil-A serves chicken sandwiches, wraps, salads and other kinds of food. The chain has 1,579 locations in 39 states and the District of Columbia and is expanding, especially in Southern California and in the Midwest, according to its website.

Brenda Morrow, Chick-fil-A corporate public relations consultant, said Abilene’s first Chick-fil-A opened in the Mall of Abilene in 1979, and in 2006 the company opened a freestanding location on South Clack Street. She said the building of the new site was almost confirmed and looked forward to opening yet another location.

“We are just excited about coming into the community and being a neighbor there in Abilene,” Morrow said.

Chick-fil-A offers a bonus to the first 100 customers on opening days.

“The first 100 customers in line get free Chick-fil-A for a year,” Morrow said. “The company’s new restaurant openings can have people camping out in hopes of being among the first to enter a new store.”

Lisa White, senior international study major from McKinney, said the Chick-fil-A in the campus center does not offer enough options for her and is looking forward to a closer alternative.

“I like the pepperjack sandwich, but I don’t think they offer at the campus center,” White said.

Even so, she is a regular customer of the chain and hopes to find more choices at the new location. White never heard the new Chick-fil-A opening but she for a location to be more conveniently close to ACU.

“I like Chick-fil-A,” White said. “I like their food and they always have good services and friendly people work at the front.”