Officials Hail Chick-fil-A's Success

Chick-fil-A, the new fast-food restaurant that replaced the sandwich area in the Greenhouse, is now open, and managers say the new self-service system is much more convenient.

"Instead of having people tied up, this is very, very convenient," said Bob Symonds, the assistant manager for the Greenhouse. "[The sandwiches are] already prepared. It really helps people."

Chick-fil-A opened on the first day of summer school, and business has been brisk, said Michael P. Berry, director of Harvard Dining Services.

"If we were judging from summer school, it's above our normal summer crowd," Berry said in an interview yesterday. "We are very pleased with it so far."

Berry said that while Chick-fil-A has reduced the crowding in the food service area, the crowds have just moved to a different part of the Greenhouse.

"[Crowding] used to be at the counter, but now all four of the registers are going and there are still lines," Berry said.

However, Berry said dining services is working to remedy that crowding as well, especially during the peak hours of 12 to 2 p.m. and 4:30 to 7 p.m.

"We'll add at least a fifth [register] and a sixth if there's room," Berry said. "We're pretty cramped already."

Berry said that in preparation for Chick-fil-A's opening, two staff members were sent to the company's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Two other managers and two hourly workers went to Philadelphia to work in a Chick-fil-A franchise.

"We were in there for observation and training," said Symonds, who went to Philadelphia.

"We [brought] two cooks with us, and we trained everyone else [at Harvard]," he added.

Chick-fil-A serves its own chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, chargrilled chicken sandwiches and chick-n-strips, which are chicken tenderloins marinated and breaded. Cole slaw and waffle potato fries are offered as side dishes.

The chain offers a variety of beverages, including both lemonade, and diet lemonade, as well as sweet- ened and unsweetened iced tea. The dessert menufeatures cheesecake, fudge nut brownies and lemonpie.

The Chick-fil-A is open from 11 a.m. until 7p.m. for most of the week and opens at 3 p.m. onFridays. During September, it will be open from 11a.m. until 10 p.m

The Chick-fil-A is open from 11 a.m. until 7p.m. for most of the week and opens at 3 p.m. onFridays. During September, it will be open from 11a.m. until 10 p.m