Chicken Salad Chick will expand to Chesapeake and Williamsburg area
A variety of chicken salad will soon be sold in various parts of Hampton Roads through the quickly growing fast-causal restaurant Chicken Salad Chick.
Franchise owner Melissa Holt opened the first Hampton Roads location in late 2021 with her mother, Claire. They did so in Hampton’s Peninsula Town Center in an area that’s become fast-casual restaurant mecca.
Melissa Holt previously worked in management for Domino’s Pizza. She heard about Chicken Salad Chick when company founder Stacy Brown was interviewed on Guy Raz’s podcast, “How I Built This.” Brown, who had been selling chicken salad out of her home prior to opening a restaurant, started the company in 2008 in Auburn, Alabama.
The Peninsula Town Center location proved popular, and Holt recently opened a store in the Railyard at Lambert’s Point on Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk. Two more locations are in the works.
A Chicken Salad Chick will open in Chesapeake’s Greenbrier neighborhood in November followed by another location in Settler’s Market near Williamsburg in early 2025. The Williamsburg-area location will have a room for private parties, Holt said. Further plans include adding a Smithfield location.
Courtesy / HANDOUTNewport News native Melissa Holt is franchise owner of Chicken Salad Chick in Hampton Roads. (Courtesy of Chicken Salad Chick)
Each Chicken Salad Chick restaurant will have a local vibe. For instance, the Hampton location showcases pictures of Peninsula landmarks such as Fort Monroe’s lighthouse and Hampton Coliseum.
Holt has been asked about locating in Virginia Beach many times, but she has yet to find the right spot there. One restriction she faces is from Chick-fil-A, which put in its lease contracts that another chicken restaurant cannot locate within a certain number of feet.
The company requires that franchisees live in the area they serve to encourage community involvement. For example, Holt’s store collected school supplies in exchange for a $1 discount. Kids meals are free with a purchase of an adult meal most Tuesday evenings.
Holt credits fresh ingredients for the franchise’s success. Chicken and vegetables are cut in house and made daily, with staff starting at 7 a.m. for the 10 a.m. opening.
“We cut our own chicken, celery and broccoli. Our prep team is amazing,” she said.
The restaurant sells 12 chicken salads that all start with the basic Classic Carol recipe. They include Fancy Nancy, which has fruit and pecans, and Barbie-Q, with a hickory-smoked flavor. Rotating varieties include the Greek Goddess, which offers a Mediterranean twist with herbs, olives and feta cheese.
A hearty scoop is served on a garden salad or on a variety of breads. Side dishes include broccoli salad, pasta salad, fruit salad, macaroni and cheese and soups. Non-chicken salad eaters can choose from egg salad, turkey and cheese or pimento cheese.
While health department regulations allow the salads to be sold for up to six days, Chicken Salad Chick does not sell any salad made after two days, the franchise owner said. The leftovers are given to employees and donated to the Market at Thrive in Newport News.
During its early days, the Hampton location ran out of chicken salad and had to close early at times, Holt said, when an event at the Coliseum or a swim meet at the Hampton Aquaplex would bring a huge influx of customers.
“I finally asked them for a schedule of events so that we can be prepared,” Holt said.
Her employees also contribute to the brand’s success. Six employees, including a few moving into management, have been with Holt since the first day. Having a competent management team means Holt can work on the expansion instead of being in the store 24/7.
“The feedback I get is customers feel the warmth that we offer,” she said. “We offer hospitality with a smile.”
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