A party celebrating all things chicken is set for next to commemorate the highly-anticipated grand opening of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in north Turlock.

Chick-fil-A will officially open its doors at the southwest corner of Tuolumne Road and Countryside Drive on Aug. 6, with hours from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., as announced on social media by the chain and the City of Turlock. It is the first Chick-fil-A restaurant to open in all of Stanislaus County, with the next nearest locations being in Manteca.

Chick-fil-A is known for its chicken sandwiches and a variety of sauces such as barbecue, garden herb ranch, honey mustard, sweet and spicy sriracha, zesty buffalo, Polynesian and original signature sauce.

Thursday’s event is being tabbed as a ‘moove-in party,” in reference to the chain’s longtime marketing campaign of cows urging the public to “eat more chikin.” The community is invited to arrive wearing cow-spotted or -themed costumes, clothing and accessories in order to be awarded one free entrée or kid’s meal, redeemable inside or at the new restaurant’s two-lane drive-thru. Chick-fil-A, Inc. will also be presenting a $25,000 donation to Feeding America to support hunger-relief efforts in the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto region.

The new location, at 2630 W. Tuolumne Road within the newly-introduced Turlock Marketplace retail development, is nearly 5,000 square feet on a parcel of 2.5 total acres, with seating areas indoors as well as under a patio outside. The restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and will be closed on Sundays.

Serving as the owner and operator of the restaurant is Christine Murphy, who grew up 20 minutes from Turlock and began her journey with Chick-fil-A at the Yosemite Avenue location in Manteca in 2021.

"Our community has been asking for Chick-fil-A for years, and we're excited to finally welcome them to Turlock, and to Stanislaus County," said Turlock Mayor Amy Bublak. "This opening represents more than a new restaurant. It creates local jobs, expands dining options for our residents and visitors, and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Turlock. We're proud to welcome Chick-fil-A to our community and look forward to seeing this development continue to grow."

Per a press release, an estimated 120 full- and part-time jobs were created by Chick-fil-A coming to Turlock.

Thursday’s grand opening will come nearly two years after Economic Development Director Anthony Sims first announced that plans were underway to bring the popular national chain to the city.

"We're proud to celebrate this opening with our community," said Anthony Sims of the Economic Development Department. "This project reflects years of collaboration between City leadership, the developer, and Chick-fil-A, and we're excited to see that work become a reality.

Chick-fil-A will become the first business to open within the Turlock Marketplace, an approximate 30-acre commercial center that the city expects to be a new destination for shopping, dining and community gathering in Turlock.

Already, since the announcement and ongoing construction of Chick-fil-A, an application has been submitted to build two new retail spaces adjacent to the restaurant, including a 910-square foot parcel that could house a 7-Brew Drive-Thru Coffee.

“This is just the beginning for the Turlock Marketplace," said Sims. “We look forward to welcoming additional businesses as the development continues to grow.”