Chick-Fil-A Traffic Expected To Subside With New Drive-Thru Lane

ORLAND PARK, IL — The Village Board of Trustees voted to approve a special use permit to create an expansion of the Orland Park Chick-Fil-A drive-thru and add an addition to the building at the Monday evening Committee of The Whole meeting. The vote is part of an effort to lessen traffic congestion in the area, which is also said to be affecting surrounding businesses, and widen the kitchen inside the building.

The business will be adding a second lane to its drive-thru, just parallel to the existing one and extending it down the lot. Also, Chick-Fil-A will be installing an attached canopy that will extend from the building's south elevation over the existing single lane drive-thru. Additionally, the business plans to construct an 85-square-foot addition at the southeast corner of the building to accommodate some improvements to their kitchen, speeding up production.

Currently, the Orland location has been coned off and there are three lanes of the drive-thru that flow into one. The planned lanes are slated to make it easier for traffic to flow through lines, dodging the cone set up.

"I think this is going to be a welcomed change to that area," Trustee Michael Milani said "The congestion has been picking up over there, especially since last March, so this will definitely be a welcomed change over there."

Owners of surrounding businesses attended the meeting, expressing that the high traffic at Chick-Fil-A has affected their businesses. Mac Shimmon, the owner of neighboring restaurant Jersey Mike’s Subs, was one who wants to see a change in the traffic flow.

"I've been in the restaurant business for 45 years and much of that time has been with drive-thru operations," Shimmon said. "[Area businesses] are encumbered because of the accelerated business that Chick-fil-A has generated to their credit, but we can't get on the lot — I couldn't even get on the last couple of times myself because the exit is blocked with people trying to exit, and the entrance could be as long as 20 cars to get on a lot."

Nick Pajovic, the owner of the lot adjacent to the chicken hot spot — including Jersey Mike's—expressed frustration towards the congestion, adding that Chick-Fil-A customers often dump their garbage on his lot after parking and eating in the back. He said his tenants, including Red Wings, T-Mobile and Smoothie King, among others, are losing out due to the traffic.

"Everyone's complained of their lack of access to the property, or the ability of their customers to get in, particularly during peak hours," Pajovic said, adding that widening the Chick-Fil-A drive-thru or adding another entrance/exit may help in addition to the board approved plan. "Any kind of relief I can get to that effect would be really appreciated by me, and of course by the tenants that occupy the plaza."

At the March 16 Plan Commission meeting, Kevin Skarin, franchisee of the Chick-fil-A in Orland Park, said that the business started the three-lane configuration about a year ago, when indoor dining closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. He said that the business was trying to be a good neighbor by attempting to move the traffic on to the Chick-fil-A lot with this plan.

At the March meeting, the Plan Commission's Vice Chairman Edward Schussler asked Chick-Fil-A representatives if the long term solution to the congestion is to add another driveway, entrance and/or exit off of 156th Place, and if Chick-fil-A would share the cost of the installation of the driveway. John Romanello, a corporate representative with Chick-Fil-A had indicated that the business is willing to consider a second entrance/exit and come to an agreeable solution.

Schussler said that this current plan may only be a temporary solution for the congestion, and that other plans may need to be brought forth in the future.

The village board voted 7-0 to approve the project on Monday.

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