Chick-fil-A Celebrates Five Years In Severna Park

Since it opened five years ago, Chick-fil-A of Severna Park has experienced exponential growth.

“I’d say we’re bursting at the seams, and the seams are the parking lot,” said training director Brent Boso. “The parking lot can barely hold what we’re doing.”

To accommodate its growing demand, Chick-fil-A is focusing on its drive-thru to help get customers in and out as quickly as possible.

“The clientele in this area are busy families on the go, so we put a lot of focus into making things speedy and efficient for them,” said Sean Raistrick, the director of leadership development. “That allows us to grow over time.”

Severna Park Chick-fil-A prides itself on the speed and efficiency of its drive-thru. “We’re only as fast as our guests are, so our guests allow us to be the fastest,” Boso said. “If they weren’t quick, too, we would be waiting on them the whole time. They work with us.”

The employees have built relationships with their customers over the last five years.

“They’re just as polite as we are. They’re just as friendly as we are. We make friends with our guests, and we know them by a first-name basis,” said Sarah Bennett, the director of operations. “It’s really great to be in a community that wants us here. They were excited about Chick-fil-A when we opened up, and the excitement hasn’t stopped.”

In addition to serving its guests, Chick-fil-A also serves its employees with a variety of programs to help in all aspects of life.

“We don’t want it to be a way station where you just come in and do your job,” said Chris Schenck, owner and operator of the Severna Park Chick-fil-A. “We try to build you up to help you move on here or with other jobs. We’ve had several people recently that have moved on to their job that they went to college for.”

One of the programs offered is for employees enrolled in college. For every A or B they earn in a class, Schenck will reimburse them for the cost of the textbook. There’s also a mentor program, which allows Chick-fil-A leaders to work with employees and help them succeed.

“We mentor a few different people and help them move through the path that they chose in life, whether it be sticking with Chick-fil-A or helping them get the scholarship that Chick-fil-A rewards or taking the steps to meet their career goals in life,” Bennett said. “It’s not just about Chick-fil-A, it’s the growth. We want to help people grow to their full potential, whatever that is.”

Chick-fil-A gives back to the community in a variety of ways, be it through school fundraisers or different food and clothing drives. The restaurant also donates unused food to the local Boys and Girls Club a few times a week to lower the amount of waste from the store.

New this year, Chick-fil-A is planning its first community event where employees will volunteer with local organizations, Bennett said. The details are still being worked out.

Chick-fil-A officially turns five on October 10. Guests can expect a celebration, as the team celebrates every year. Giveaways can be found on the app.

Chick-fil-A is located at 511 Ritchie Highway in Severna Park. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 6:00am-10:00pm. Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays. The phone number is 410-647-6232.