The 2025 Chicken Salad Chick Hours: Why They Close Early And 7 Things You MUST Know Before Visiting
Planning your next trip to the South’s favorite chicken salad spot? As of today, December 19, 2025, the standard operating hours for most Chicken Salad Chick locations remain consistently focused on the lunch and early dinner crowd, adhering to a schedule designed for both customer convenience and employee work-life balance. The general rule of thumb for 2025 is a Monday through Saturday schedule, opening at 10:00 AM or 10:30 AM and closing promptly at 8:00 PM, with a near-universal closure on Sundays across the franchise system. This predictable schedule is a core part of the brand's identity, ensuring you can reliably plan your visit for your favorite scoop of Classic Carol or Fancy Nancy.
Before you head out for your scoop or sandwich, it’s crucial to understand that while the 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM window is the norm, specific locations—particularly those in high-traffic areas like mall food courts, college campuses, or dedicated drive-thru units—may operate on a slightly adjusted timetable. Checking the specific store’s page online is always the best way to confirm, especially if you are visiting during a major holiday or need to pick up a large catering order. The brand’s commitment to a family-friendly schedule is what drives their short, consistent hours, making them a unique player in the fast-casual dining space.
Chicken Salad Chick: Company Profile and Founding Story
The story of Chicken Salad Chick is as comforting as its menu, originating from a simple, personal quest for the perfect chicken salad recipe. This section details the key entities and milestones that shaped the company.
- Founders: Stacy Brown and Kevin Brown
- Founding Year: 2008
- First Location: Auburn, Alabama
- Initial Concept: Stacy Brown began making and selling her homemade chicken salad door-to-door in her neighborhood, eventually being shut down by the health department due to home-kitchen regulations.
- Business Model: Fast-casual restaurant franchise, focused primarily on lunch and early dinner service.
- Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia (Corporate Office)
- Key Philosophy: The company is built on a mission to "Spread Joy, Enrich Lives, and Serve Others," which directly influences its employee-focused operating hours.
- Current Status (2025): A rapidly growing franchise with hundreds of locations across the Southern, Midwestern, and Southwestern United States, known for its dozen distinct chicken salad flavors, including Sassy Scotty and Jalapeño Holly.
The Standard 2025 Chicken Salad Chick Operating Hours
The core of the Chicken Salad Chick experience is consistency, and this extends directly to their daily schedule. The hours are intentionally structured to serve the primary lunch rush while providing employees with a predictable, early closing time.
Typical Daily Hours (Monday – Saturday)
For the vast majority of standalone Chicken Salad Chick restaurants, the following schedule is the standard for 2025. This allows customers to grab a quick lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, or an early dinner before the kitchen closes.
| Day of the Week | Opening Time | Closing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | 8:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | 8:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | 8:00 PM |
| Thursday | 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | 8:00 PM |
| Friday | 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | 8:00 PM |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | 8:00 PM |
| Sunday | CLOSED | CLOSED |
The slight variance in opening time (10:00 AM vs. 10:30 AM) often depends on whether the location is a standard franchise or a newer unit, but the 8:00 PM closure is nearly universal.
Why Chicken Salad Chick Closes Early and Stays Closed on Sunday
Unlike many competitors in the fast-casual dining sector that stay open until 9 PM, 10 PM, or even later, Chicken Salad Chick’s commitment to an 8:00 PM closing time and Sunday closure is a deliberate, strategic decision rooted in its company culture and business model. This philosophy is a key element of its topical authority and brand loyalty.
1. Focus on Lunch and Catering
The Chicken Salad Chick model is primarily lunch-focused. Their main business drivers are the midday rush and large catering orders for offices, meetings, and events. By closing at 8:00 PM, they acknowledge that their core product—chicken salad, soups, and sides like Broccoli Salad and Grape Salad—is less of a late-night dinner item than burgers or pizza. This focus allows them to maximize efficiency during peak hours.
2. The Work-Life Balance Advantage
The most cited reason for the limited hours is the company's dedication to its employees and franchise owners. The founders, Stacy and Kevin Brown, built the brand on the principle of enriching lives, which includes providing a better quality of life for their staff. The 8:00 PM closure means no late-night shifts, and the Sunday closure ensures every employee has a guaranteed day off for family, worship, or personal time. This has become a significant recruiting advantage in the competitive restaurant industry, leading to higher employee retention and a happier team.
3. Lower Operating Costs
A lunch-centric model with shorter hours translates directly into lower labor and utility costs for franchise owners. By avoiding the late-night dinner service, which often has lower customer traffic and higher overhead, the company maintains a more profitable and sustainable business model, which is attractive to potential franchisees.
2025 Holiday Hours and Location-Specific Variations
While the standard Mon-Sat, 10-8 schedule is reliable, customers must be aware of two main exceptions: holidays and non-traditional locations.
Major Holiday Closures (2025)
Chicken Salad Chick is known for closing on most major national holidays to give its team time off. Always verify, but expect the following closures for 2025:
- New Year's Day (Closed)
- Easter Sunday (Closed)
- Memorial Day (Reduced Hours)
- Independence Day (Fourth of July) (Reduced Hours or Closed)
- Labor Day (Reduced Hours)
- Thanksgiving Day (Closed)
- Christmas Day (Closed)
On days leading up to these holidays, such as New Year's Eve and Christmas Eve, expect reduced hours, often closing as early as 3:00 PM or 5:00 PM. Minor holidays like Black Friday, MLK Day, and Presidents' Day typically see regular operating hours.
Variations by Location Type
The "10-8, Closed Sunday" rule applies best to freestanding, suburban locations. However, hours can differ significantly for certain types of stores:
- Mall/Retail Center Locations: These often align their hours with the mall's schedule, which may mean a slightly later closing time (e.g., 9:00 PM) or, conversely, an earlier closing time on Sundays if the mall has limited hours.
- College Campus Units: Hours are heavily influenced by the academic calendar. They may have extended hours during the school year and significantly reduced or closed hours during summer breaks, winter holidays, and spring break.
- Drive-Thru Only: While the core hours are usually the same, some dedicated drive-thru units may open slightly earlier (e.g., 9:30 AM) to cater to commuters, though the 8:00 PM closing remains common.
To ensure you get your fix of Pimento Cheese or a scoop of Luau Lydia, always use the "Find a Location" tool on the official Chicken Salad Chick website or call the specific store number before your visit.
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