Chick-fil-A’s grand opening makes waves with Sharks

By Bryce Johnson and Francesca Abarca •

As a former Shark Preview student, Ethan Angeles, freshman biology major, was excited when he found out Chick-fil-A would be opening on campus.

“Having Chick-fil-A on campus made me really want to go here, and I like that it’s a five-minute walking distance from where I’m living,” Angeles said.

Shark Dining opened Chick-fil-A on Aug. 19 in the Don Taft University Center, where the Flight Deck was located. From noon to 3 p.m., Shark Dining hosted a grand opening ceremony, with students lined up to order by 11:30 a.m. Shark Dining gave out raffle prizes, such as a Chick-fil-A towel.

Adrian Perez, third-year biology major, won free food once a week for the fall semester.

“It feels good to win something like that because I get to save some money and I have been eating more Chick-fil-A lately because of its convenience,” Perez wrote in an email to The Current.

At the ceremony, NSU President George L. Hanbury II led the audience in chanting “Chick-fil-A.”

Gerard Wheeler, assistant dean of Student Engagement, said that it’s convenient to have Chick-fil-A on campus.

“It’s great to see NSU taking into account students’ thoughts and opinions and what they want,” Wheeler said. “It’s open to 11 p.m., and so that was one of the things that the students really, really wanted, for it be open late. It just shows again how much they’re supporting the students.”

President of the Undergraduate Student Government Association Daniyal Baig, senior business management major, is excited that Shark Dining opened Chick-fil-A.

“This was something that Shark Dining has been putting a lot of time into. It’s really great to see,” Baig said. “This is a big, big step, especially since we’re having our first fast food on campus, and it’s such a unique opportunity.”

Danny Gonzalez, director of retail dining, is the Chick-fil-A representative in Shark Dining. He spent the grand opening ensuring the business was running smoothly and providing fresh quality food quickly.

“We were honored when this opportunity presented itself as the brand is wonderful, everyone wanted it, and we wanted to ensure that NSU could bring along a partnership that’s loving and caring and represents NSU’s core values,” Gonzalez said.

Ethan Courtney, junior marketing major, agrees that Chick-fil-A is good for NSU.

“I feel great about this. It’s bringing the community of Nova back together, and even though it’s the lunch hour, it looks like it’s going to bring in a lot of revenue and going to be a lot of fun,” Courtney said.

Yet some students feel differently. Hailey Ribeiro, senior biology major, does not support Chick-fil-A being on campus.

“Since Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays, it already takes away a food option for people that live on campus [that wanted a quick meal],” Ribeiro said.

Nathalia Gonzalez, sophomore biology major, also doesn’t like Chick-fil-A. Gonzalez is disappointed she didn’t get to eat at the Flight Deck.

“It’s just another chain. I can easily go across campus and go to Chick-fil-A. Meanwhile, that bar and grill is never going to be there again,”  Gonzalez said.

Emily Labuda, junior marine biology major, only comes to campus once a week. She prefers to go to a Chick-fil-A off-campus on the way home.

“If I’m going to go to campus to get food, I’d probably end up at Qdoba or Starbucks, as those are places that aren’t necessarily on the way back to my apartment complex,” Labuda said.

Chick-fil-A is open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.