Cris Lopez will be the local franchise owner and “is looking forward to serving the community,” Chick-fil-A Inc. said.
“I am so grateful to now be a part of the Springfield community, which is experiencing tremendous growth,” Lopez said. “We have so many opportunities to show care for our team members, guests and the community, and it’s my hope that our restaurant serves as a place that elevates everyone to become the best version of themselves.”
Lopez, a Mexico City native, began with the company in 2012 as a team member in Georgia, later becoming the senior head of operations. He graduated in 2019 from the University of North Georgia with a degree in business management and joined the company’s leadership development program.
Over the last two year, Lopez supported more than 13 restaurant openings, including the first two in Puerto Rico. He will now continue as the Springfield restaurant’s operator alongside his wife, Becca.
The restaurant has hired 150 full- and part-time employees, and it will be open for dine-in, drive-thru and carry-out service from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
In honor of the new opening, Chick-fil-A will: donate $25,000 to Feeding America, which will be distributed to partners in the greater Dayton area to help fight against hunger; recognize 100 local heroes making an impact in the Springfield area with free Chick-fil-A for a year; and participate in the Shared Table Program, which is an initiative that redirects surplus food from the restaurant to local soup kitchens, shelters, food banks and nonprofits in need.
Many Clark County residents have expressed excitement about the city’s new restaurants, although there have been some concerns regarding traffic in that area.
Chick-fil-A has several locations in the Dayton area, including in Beavercreek, Centerville, Huber Heights and Kettering. There also is a Chick-fil-A at Cedarville University.
The opening of a this Chick-fil-A restaurant in Springfield follows news of other food businesses in the Springfield area. Rax opened in the former Ranchers Roast Beef shop at 2353 S. Dayton-Lakeview Road in Park Layne, a Skyline Chili restaurant is slated to open on Goodwin Avenue within months, and the Bullpen Sports Bar opened earlier this month in the former space of The Fountain on Main.
For more information the Springfield Chick-fil-A, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page and follow along on Instagram. For more information about Chick-fil-A, visit chick-fil-a.com.
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