Chick-fil-A makes NYC debut with high-capacity, sustainable design

Chick-fil-A is taking on the Big Apple—in a green way.

The fast-casual eatery will open a three-story 5,000-sq.-ft. restaurant, its largest location yet, on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the corner of West 37th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan’s Garment District.

The restaurant is built to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) specifications,and incudes water and energy efficiency features, air quality control and waste diversion efforts, among other initiatives.

In addition, it will feature a special food waste disposal system (inSinkErator), which spins and separates liquid from solids, reducing the volume of organic waste disposed by 80%. The restaurant will also recycle all cardboard and plastic used in back-of-house operations.

With room seating for 84, the new restaurant sports the brand’s latest "Heritage" design, which incorporates subway tile and metals in a variety of finishes and patinas . The vintage-inspired interior includes other unique features such as light fixtures made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles and peach baskets.

The space is specifically designed for the fast-paced urban life, with a focus on increased ordering, production and assembly capacities in order to meet high demand. To expedite the ordering process, restaurant associates will use iPads to take customer orders.