EXCLUSIVE: Checking in with the new Chick-fil-A

Behind every great chicken sandwich, there’s a man. The Insider spoke with Joshua Riley, owner of the new Scarsdale Chick-fil-A franchise.

BY DEBORAH SKOLNIK

Seeking an entree into Scarsdale’s dining scene. Joshua Riley opened a Chick-fil-A franchise on Central Avenue earlier this month.

It’s hard to miss the bright red Chick-fil-A sign luring hungry drivers on Central Avenue. Although the very first store opened in Atlanta back in 1967, there’s never been a franchise in the ‘Dale or neighboring towns—until now. The Insider located Owner-Operator Joshua Riley for an exclusive q-and-a. Drumsticks…er, drumroll, please:

What made you decide to open a franchise in Scarsdale?

When I joined the Chick-fil-A family nearly two decades ago as a Team Member, I thought I was just signing up for a summer job. But I quickly fell in love with the company’s commitment to truly serving others and making a positive impact on the communities we serve. I found a great passion in bringing Chick-fil-A’s signature hospitality to new communities, and realized I wanted to continue growing with the business. After supporting a restaurant in the Tri-State area, it became clear that my long-term goal was not only to become a local Owner-Operator, but also to eventually plant roots with my family in Westchester County. I fell in love with life in New York at that time, and I couldn’t be happier to reside in Westchester with my wife and children today.

Your ordering system is extremely fast—even on the day after opening, no one had to wait long. What's your secret?

 It is always our goal to make our guest experience as enjoyable and convenient as possible. When you arrive at our restaurant, you’ll find we do dine-in and carry-out ordering a little differently! To place a dine-in or carry-out order at Chick-fil-A Scarsdale, you will simply step in line and a Team Member will greet you to take your order on a tablet while you are still standing in line. Then, you’ll proceed to the front counter to pick up your order – simple as that! We also offer mobile carry-out and third-party delivery. If you place your order ahead of time on the Chick-fil-A app, you can skip the line and come straight to the pick-up area. At Chick-fil-A Scarsdale, we are open for dine-in, carry-out, mobile ordering, catering and delivery from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. [Editor’s note: In keeping with a long-standing tradition, all Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays.]

What is the most popular menu item?

 The Chick-fil-A menu offers a wide variety of fan favorites, including the original Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich, Nuggets, Waffle Potato Fries®, Spicy Deluxe Sandwich, and our world-famous lemonade, to name a few! I am eager to see what menu items will become most popular here in Greenburgh.

Riley promises there’s lots in store for his customers.

What has the community response/feedback been to the Scarsdale store?

I have been absolutely blown away by the Greenburgh community’s reception to Chick-fil-A Scarsdale! It is very evident that this community has been excited for our arrival for quite some time, and I could not be happier to officially be open and serving delicious chicken to my neighbors. I feel truly fortunate–not only as the restaurant’s local Owner-Operator, but also as a Westchester County resident myself–to call this local community home, as it has welcomed us with open arms. I truly mean it when I say our opening would not have been possible without my rockstar team here at Chick-fil-A Scarsdale. I am immensely grateful for the group of fantastic Team Members behind me!

Do you also own the Chick-fil-A restaurant farther south on Central Ave?

As the local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Scarsdale, this is the only restaurant I own. I’d be happy to introduce to you my friend Israel Allmand, the local Owner-Operator at Chick-fil-A Central Park Ave and Roxbury.

The local ownership model is one of the elements that makes Chick-fil-A so unique, and one of the things that attracted me to pursue a career with this company. Most Chick-fil-A restaurants are owned and operated by a single individual. I look forward to working in our Greenburgh restaurant, day in and day out, alongside my Team Members. I feel humbled to have the chance to create employment opportunities within the local community, serve Greenburgh residents, and cultivate relationships with local organizations and businesses.  

Is there anything else you'd like the Insider’s readers to know?

In celebration of the Chick-fil-A Scarsdale opening, Chick-fil-A, Inc. donated $25,000 to Feeding America to support the local hunger relief efforts of Feeding Westchester, a Feeding America partner food bank. 

Also, my restaurant will 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 25 million meals have been created from Chick-fil-A Shared Table donations from over 2,000 Chick-fil-A restaurants throughout the U.S. and Canada, and we’re really excited to start making an impact here in Westchester.  

Finally, Chick-fil-A Scarsdale also recognized 100 local heroes making an impact in the community by providing them with free Chick-fil-A entrées for a year. I chose to recognize individuals from Child Care Council of Westchester, El Centro Hispano, and the Hartsdale Fire Department.