Chick-fil-A coming to Tuscany area

The announcement that a Chick-fil-A restaurant will be opening near Tuscany this summer has prompted mixed reactions from USC students.

The restaurant is projected to open midsummer near the intersection of Figueroa Street and State Drive, according to a company spokesperson.

“We’ve been in negotiations since summer of last year, but we were looking at property in the area long before that,” said Brenda Green, the senior public relations coordinator at Chick-fil-A. “It will definitely open in July.”

Many students said they were happy to hear the popular chain would be coming to the USC area next year.

“I’m excited for it to be there,” said Cat Price, a freshman majoring in political science. “All of my friends from the South always talk about Chick-fil-A, and I’ve never had it before.”

Brittany La Hue, a freshman majoring in communication, said that although she likely won’t visit Chick-fil-A, she knows a number of people who will.

“I probably won’t eat there often. But I know people are excited about it because it’s really good,” she said. “Before I was a vegetarian, I used to eat there all the time.”

Not all students, however, are excited by the announcement and some students said there are other restaurants they would rather see in its place.

“I’d like to see something that isn’t fast food,” Price said.

La Hue said the lack of good Asian cuisine near campus bothers her the most.

“I wish we had more options for Asian food that isn’t Panda Express,” La Hue said. “It would be nice to see a restaurant like that go into the new location.”

Christian Daly, a junior majoring in English, said he might go to Chick-fil-A, but there are other restaurants he would have preferred.

“I’d rather see Johnny Rockets there,” Daly said.

Though many agreed Chick-fil-A will likely be popular among USC students, some said they wished the location were more convenient.

“I don’t think I’ll be going there too often,” Price said. “It’s kind of out of the way.”

La Hue echoed this idea.

“If they had a location on campus that would be the best,” she said. “I know Figueroa is also really popular for students who have been out on The Row, but Tuscany is pretty far.”

Green said Chick-fil-A does background research to ensure it doesn’t open up a store that will be a financial flop.

“Whenever we build a store, we make sure that the financial model for the new location meets what we are looking for,” Green said. “So we do anticipate this being a successful store.”

Students also think the restaurant will be successful.

“I’ve definitely heard a lot of people talking about it, so I’m sure a good number of students will eat there,” Price said.