Chicken Salad Chick opens first Iowa restaurant in Coralville

CORALVILLE — Chicken Salad Chick, America’s only fast-casual chicken salad chain, is opening its first Iowa location in Coralville.

The restaurant’s grand opening at 2510 Corridor Way on Wednesday, Oct. 16, brings the brand’s footprint to 20 states.

The grand opening will offer free chicken salad for a year to the restaurant’s first 100 guests. The next 99 guests will receive one large “Quick Chick” chicken salad per month for a year.

With scratch-made food, the Southern chain offers over a dozen original chicken salad flavors, fresh sides like pasta salad or grape salad, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and frosted cakes or cookies — all served with the brand’s Southern hospitality.

With more than 225 restaurants located mostly across the South, the Coralville opening is one of the chain’s northernmost restaurants. Chicken Salad Chick, established in 2008, is growing rapidly through franchising.

The new franchise comes from Coralville couple Pat and Melissa Ingle, along with Pat’s aunt, Becky Peterson. The Ingle’s daughters, Lana and Ella, also help out with the family business.

"We're excited to open the very first Chicken Salad Chick in Iowa in Coralville. Coralville is ready for a fresh, fun, and new dining option," said Pat Ingle, franchise co-owner. "We've seen too many places lose focus on customer service and community values, and we're committed to bringing that back. Our goal is to create a space where people can come together and leave feeling better than when they arrived.“

Pat and Melissa, who have owned Nothing Bundt Cakes in Coralville for four years, discovered Chicken Salad Chick during lunch at a Nothing Bundt Cakes conference in Florida two years ago.

“We see tremendous business potential in Coralville, especially with six colleges in the area and strong local business support in Iowa City and the neighboring communities. We believe our welcoming atmosphere and delicious food will resonate here,” said Scott Deviney, president and CEO of Chicken Salad Chick. “We’re also always eager to partner with franchise owners like Pat, Melissa and Becky, who truly reflect our values and are passionate about serving their community. Their prior restaurant franchising experience, paired with their commitment to excellence, make them the ideal team to introduce our brand to Iowans.”

The new restaurant will be open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.