Work on new Chick-fil-A about to begin

By Benjamin Joe

Construction on a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Niagara Falls will begin soon.

According to Anthony Restaino, city administrator, the restaurant, at 6610 Niagara Falls Blvd., will be built directly after demolition.

“My understanding is they will need to first demolish the existing structure that is on the property before they can start construction,” he said. “That demolition should be taking place over the next couple of weeks.”

Chick-fil-A Inc. provided a short statement that the restaurant, which meets the I-190, will open later in 2025 – pending any delays.

According to the company, the restaurant will “add positive impact” to the community.

“Our local Owner-Operators do this by supporting the development of their Team Members, cultivating relationships with local organizations and businesses and tailoring philanthropic efforts to meet the local community’s needs. We are excited by the prospect of joining the Niagara Falls community, where each locally owned and operated restaurants created 80-120 jobs,” reads the statement.

Demolition work at 6610 Niagara Falls Blvd. (Photo by Benjamin Joe)

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Permission to build the new structure and demolish the old one was given in April of 2024 when members of the Planning Board spoke with Randy Bebout, an engineer for Bohler Engineering, who was present at the meeting as a representative for Chick-fil-A.

Bebout was questioned about traffic created by the new eatery. The original “package” regarding the restaurant had been modified within a week before the Planning Board met, and offered solutions to possible problems regarding the traffic, including signage indicating no left turns.

Bebout said the biggest concern would be between 6 and 8 p.m., during peak traffic, but he noted the signs would be there and customers would know to use other exits.

Another concern was being “trapped” in the drive-thru during busy hours.

According to the minutes, Bebout said, “the facility and management team members can make adjustments depending on backed-up traffic. They utilize cones or both of their lanes to help mitigate the traffic flow; and during the grand opening, the Chick-fil-A management team will educate the local operators and be able to make adjustments.”

Restaino said he is enthusiastic about Chick-fil-A joining the community.

“I can’t wait for it to open, either,” he said. “I don’t have a time frame once they take it down, but they will definitely be located here in Niagara Falls.”

Image courtesy of Chick-fil-A