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BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (Feb. 26, 2025) – A new Chick-fil-A® restaurant will begin serving the Benton Harbor community on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Chick-fil-A, Inc. has selected Justin Barnes as the independent franchised local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Benton Harbor. On Wednesday, February 26th, the Southwest Michigan Chamber, elected officials and community members celebrated with a soft opening.
Located at 1917 Pipestone Road, Chick-fil-A Benton Harbor will be open for dine-in, drive-thru, carry-out, delivery and Mobile Thru from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Because Chick-fil-A restaurants are designed to serve the unique needs of each community, Chick-fil-A Benton Harbor will also feature a playground to serve Guests with children.
The Benton Harbor restaurant joins five other Chick-fil-A restaurants serving the wider South Bend-Elkhart market.
Locally Owned and Operated
Chick-fil-A’s franchise model is essential to how the restaurant serves others. Most Chick-fil-A restaurants are owned and operated by a single individual, which means Chick-fil-A’s local Owner-Operators are small business owners, not passive investors, who work in their restaurants side by side with their Team Members each day.
In Benton Harbor, Barnes will be responsible for all day-to-day activities of the business, including employing approximately 135 full- and part-time Team Members, serving Guests, cultivating relationships with local organizations and businesses, and tailoring philanthropic efforts to meet the Benton Harbor community’s needs.
Before joining Chick-fil-A, Barnes lived in Benton Harbor for more than six years, where he and his wife Jessie launched a variety of nonprofit initiatives focused on helping others meet their basic needs, fostering growth among the youth and empowering the community to thrive. Their philanthropic work not only created a lasting impact, but also deepened their commitment to serving others, ultimately leading them to relocate to Iowa to continue their philanthropic efforts.
While living in Iowa, Barnes discovered Chick-fil-A for the first time and was inspired by the brand’s genuine hospitality and localized impact. A friendship with a local Owner-Operator inspired him to pursue a career with the brand, recognizing the opportunity to extend his passion for service in a new way. After working in various roles at a Chick-fil-A restaurant, Barnes was selected to own his own restaurant. He and his wife, Jessie, who will work alongside him in the restaurant’s talent and hospitality department, are excited to return to Benton Harbor with their four children.
“My family and I are so grateful for the opportunity to return to Benton Harbor, a place that has shaped so much of who we are,” said Barnes. “Chick-fil-A has given me a new channel to continue serving others in a way that reflects the heart of this community. I hope this restaurant will be a space where the community can come together, experience true care and hospitality and be proud of what we are building together.”
Caring for the Benton Harbor Community
The Chick-fil-A business is built to add positive impact beyond profit, including giving back to local communities. Chick-fil-A local Owner-Operators are empowered to support the neighborhoods they serve with a key focus on hunger, education, and specific community needs.
In celebration of the opening, Chick-fil-A, Inc. has donated $25,000 to Feeding America to support local hunger relief efforts of Feeding America West Michigan, a Feeding America partner food bank, in honor of the new restaurant.
Barnes’s restaurant will plan to participate in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table® program, an initiative that redirects surplus food from the restaurant to local soup kitchens, shelters, food banks and nonprofits in need. To date, more than 35 million meals have been created from Chick-fil-A Shared Table donations from over 2,300 Chick-fil-A restaurants throughout the U.S. and Canada.
In addition, Chick-fil-A Benton Harbor is recognizing 100 local heroes making an impact in the Benton harbor area by providing them with free Chick-fil-A entrées for a year.
Team Member Investment
Chick-fil-A local Owner-Operators strive to hire, develop and retain top talent, helping future leaders optimize their skills and providing pathways for personal and professional development in a welcoming, purpose-driven environment. A career at Chick-fil-A offers a wide range of benefits, including hands-on training and mentoring, competitive pay and benefits, the chance to apply for scholarships to support continued education, and the flexibility to thrive in and outside of work. Chick-fil-A’s local Owner-Operators are committed to preparing their team for the future, wherever it may lead. To learn more about careers at Chick-fil-A, click here.
Delicious Food; Outstanding Customer Service
Chick-fil-A is known for creating a welcoming, remarkable restaurant experience, starting with friendly service, a warm welcome and quality food, including the original Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich.
Made with a real, whole, boneless breast of chicken with no added fillers, the breaded chicken is pressure cooked in fully-refined peanut oil. To complement the great-tasting chicken, fresh produce is delivered to Chick-fil-A restaurants up to six times a week for the best quality and flavor.
Guests of Chick-fil-A Benton harbor can place an order for pickup, dine-in, delivery, drive-thru, Mobile Thru on the Chick-fil-A® App or online. When joining the Chick-fil-A One® tiered membership program, Chick-fil-A One members receive points on every qualifying purchase which can be used to redeem available rewards. To view delivery options in the area, click here.
For the latest news and updates on Chick-fil-A Benton Harbor visit the local restaurant’s Facebook page and follow along on Instagram. For more information about Chick-fil-A and stories about the Brand’s food, people and customers across the country, visit chick-fil-a.com.
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About Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Chick-fil-A, Inc. is the third largest quick-service restaurant company in the United States, known for its freshly-prepared food, signature hospitality and unique franchise model. More than 200,000 Team Members are employed by local Owner-Operators in more than 3,000 restaurants across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Chick-fil-A opened its first restaurant in the UK in early 2025 with the goal of launching five locations across the UK within the next two years. The first Singapore restaurant is set to open in late 2025, marking the brand's entry into Asia.
Chick-fil-A local Owner-Operators live and work in the communities their restaurants serve, each supporting local efforts to address hunger, education, and making a positive impact. The family-owned and privately held company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com and @ChickfilANews.
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