GO Week - Opening Day!

There are so many things I want to remember about this special day. The best thing I can think to do is list them all!

• We were awakened at 4am by HORRIBLE thunder and lightning, and the only thing I could think about were all the people camped out at our restaurant! Ian was texted around 4:45 to see how early he could get to the store because they were ready to get the "First 100 Ceremony" underway and send those poor people back to their nice cozy DRY beds! We hurried and dressed and arrived at our new store on opening day just after 5.
• It was so much fun to pass out the prizes to the "First 100" (everyone receives Chick-fil-A for a year, or 52 meal coupons)! The team members and employees all cheered and hollered and blew horns as all 100 filed through the restaurant receiving their prize. They then cleared the parking lot and we all cleaned the store to prepare for the official opening!
• The actual "opening" was nothing like I'd envisioned! For some reason, I just imagined people lined up outside our door, waiting for Ian to unlock the doors to his restaurant and welcome his first customers. Well. Ian was in his office as the first customers were pulling money out of their pockets to pay for their breakfast. People walked in before we were even technically opened (and I have no idea if they were actual customers or stragglers from the first 100 crowd). The doors definitely were never locked. I do believe I saw Ian taking a picture with the first, or one of the first, customers holding up a dollar bill. But it wasn't with our camera. :( And then, I was shocked when I looked around the dining room at 7 and realized that there were quite a few empty tables everywhere! The drive-thru line was busy ALL DAY LONG...from open to close. But the dining room usually had open tables, especially during the breakfast hour. But then it started...more and more people crowding into the restaurant...from 10 on, we were busy, busy, BUSY.
• One customer, as he was walking out, told me that he had had a great time, and he just loved the experience of eating at Chick-fil-A. He said that as soon as he walked through the doors, he just loved the inviting spirit and appreciated the atmosphere. He could just tell there was something different. I loved hearing that! That is exactly what we want every customer to experience on every visit!
• I LOVE WORKING AT CHICK-FIL-A! I believe I'm going to have to figure something out with one or some of my friends so that I can work in the dining room 1-3 times during the week. I had such a fun time walking around to all the tables and chatting with the customers and clearing their tables and refilling drinks. I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I learned where all the condiments are located so that I can restock everything. I even learned how to refill the napkin dispenser!
• At 9, we had a ribbon cutting ceremony out in our parking lot. The mayor attended, as well as some people from his council and the chamber of commerce. I believe the school superintendent was there as well. Some of them spoke at the ceremony about how glad they are Chick-fil-A is in Elizabeth City, that they're thankful for the jobs we have provided the community, etc. The Grand Opening Marketing Directors had official Chick-fil-A ribbon and a large pair of red scissors for Ian to cut the ribbon. Our poor children were deprived of their breakfast before the ceremony because we didn't think they'd have time to eat beforehand. So they were starving and a little grumpy from being woken up so early. (By so early, I mean 8:30...) But thankfully, we made it through the short ceremony without any major meltdowns...until...the famous "first bite" ceremony. Every dignitary in attendance was given a hot, fresh, Chick-fil-A sandwich. We were told to all take a bite at the same time for a photo op. Poor Charis was so hungry that she anytime the sandwich got anywhere near her mouth she opened wide for a bite. I practically had to beat her off of that sandwich with a stick to keep her from taking a bite before it was time! :) They counted down, we all took our first bites together, and then...poor Cayman...was stung right on the top of his hand by a mean, ol' yellow jacket! He started screaming! (I would have too!) The yellow jackets started hovering around us as soon as the chicken sandwiches were brought outside. One got close to Cayman, and he pulled his arm in close to try to get away from the yellow jacket, but in doing so, he actually drug the yellow jacket toward his chest and it stung him right on his hand. I quickly grabbed him, passed Charis off to mom, and hurried inside and away from the ceremony (I have no idea how it ended...I just realized that!) to get some ice for his hand. It is still swollen, and he WILL not let you hold that hand, so it's still very tender. But once he got his yummy fruit and oatmeal, he was good to go!
• At 4, I realized that I hadn't eaten anything since about 8 (when I tried Chick-fil-A's biscuits and gravy for the first time), so I finally sat down after working all day long. I should not have sat down...it was so hard to get back up! It finally hit me how exhausted I really was! Mom and Dad (seriously, my parents are amazing) brought the kids back up to the store for supper around 5:30. They had said they'd be there around 5, and so I was curious as to why it took them so long to get there. They had a hard time maneuvering through our parking lot because it was so crowded!!! The drive-thru line has been especially busy. At some points, we heard that our line was backed up all the way to a stop light a block down the road from us. Oops! And because we have a double drive-thru line (which is new for most restaurants) customers are having to be trained on how to use it. Some people from our Grand Opening team are directing traffic outside in the parking lot, and they have even had to make some other drastic changes to how they're taking orders to ensure that our customers are not waiting in the drive-thru line for 20-30 minutes! (And if they only knew that inside, there are quite a few tables to sit because people have been thinking that we're going to be so packed that they won't have anywhere to sit, so they just avoid coming in! When in all actuality, there are quite a few vacant tables.)
• One of the most surreal parts of the day was having Dan Cathy (Chick-fil-A's CEO and Truett Cathy's son) come visit our restaurant! No one really knew exactly what time he was supposed to be there, but it was so much fun to have him in OUR restaurant! Ian and I walked out to meet him in the parking lot, and he was so nice. It was almost as if I were talking to one of the business consultants or someone else from corporate...he doesn't even strike you as one of the most successful businessmen of our time. He's very humble and down to earth - which is what I've always heard about him. But it's quite different to actually experience it in real life! He walked in the restaurant and immediately started interacting with our guests, clearing tables, refilling drinks. He also signed two of our boards in Chick-fil-A - the ones that tell the history of Chick-fil-A and have his childhood picture on them (if you know what I'm talking about, Dan is the little boy standing on the left. His brother Bubba is standing beside him on the right.) He then wanted to meet with our team members. So they all went outside on the patio, and we sat and listened to Dan talk for 5-10 minutes. My favorite part of his talk was when he called Ian and I up to stand beside him, and he encouraged us to demonstrate a Godly marriage for our team members because some of them don't have that type of example in their lives. (I started crying!) He then encouraged our team members to HELP us have a Godly marriage by helping Ian to get out of the store at decent hours, and making sure that we have regular date nights to ensure that we get the one on one time together. I was so caught up in the moment that when he looked me in the eye and asked me if we had had a chance recently to go out on a date, I said, "Yes, actually! We went out on a very special date just last night. Our business consultant took us to a very fancy restaurant, and we all three had a very special time." Dan said, "Well that sure doesn't count!" And everyone had a good laugh. I'm sure my face turned blood red! :) After that, Dan put his arm around Ian and PRAYED over our store and our team members and over our marriage. HOW SPECIAL!!! And finally he took a few more moments to take a picture with us and our team. One of the women in his "entourage" pulled me to the side and asked if Dan was allowed to climb up in our CHAIR (this is one of the surprises I was talking about in a previous post) to take a picture. I said, "OF COURSE! That is what it's there for!" So she told Dan that she wanted him to climb up in our chair and have his picture taken, but of course she had to try it too! So we all walked out to the front of our store, cameras in hand, and she said, "Ok Dan! Hop up there!" Then he asked Ian and I to climb up with him, so we all sat in our huge adirondack chair together and had our pictures taken. We had a blast. And thankfully, I didn't make a fool of myself climbing up in the chair in front of Dan Cathy. (Just wait til you see the size of this chair, and you will understand the difficulty of climbing up since the stairs aren't quite finished yet!) The best part was when Dan started asking questions about the story behind the chair, and then said, "I think I want one of these. In fact, I think Truett and I both need them to put in our front yards. Send me the company information so that I can get a couple of these." And then another person in his entourage commented that these chairs were going to be the big thing at operator's seminar this year. (I'm only going to say this once, and I'm saying it with my most humble spirit....THAT CHAIR WAS MY IDEA!! haha!!) It was great! We then walked inside, and Dan told us that he wanted to give a kitchen tour. Dan loves for Chick-fil-A's to allow their guests to see the backstage tour of our restaurants. Dan wanted Ian and I to go on HIS tour so that we would know his special way of giving the tour. He told us about the history of the restaurant, then we walked back through the kitchen to see where the ingredients are stored. Next we examined some of the recipes we use in our kitchen followed by a quick look at the team cooking the chicken. Finally we went to the drive-thru area to see that aspect of the restaurant. And then the two kids that were on the tour with us got to make their very own ice dream cones! He quickly spoke with all the area operators that showed up at the store to see him, and then he was off to his next destination! It was such a whirlwind visit but still so meaningful! My only regret is that I forgot to call my mom while he was there so that she could come up to meet him. I felt horrible later when I was telling her about it and realized just how badly she wanted to be there. :( It all happened so quickly and we were all carried away and I just didn't even think to call! So sorry mama :(
• Another favorite of the day was looking at one of our doors to see two familiar faces - I was shocked to see two regular customers from one of the Chick-fil-A's that Ian worked at in Raleigh. This sweet couple goes to Chick-fil-A everyday, and they just loved Ian when he worked there. They have kept up with us through the blog and Facebook since we left Raleigh. So they decided to drive up to Elizabeth City on opening day to surprise Ian. I had tears in my eyes when I realized what this sweet couple did for us! Ian was so surprised to see them! We treated them to lunch, and I was able to sit with them as they ate. Ian sat as he could, but he kept getting called away - "Ian, there's a person here that wants to meet you." "Ian, could you come to talk to this customer? They want to meet the operator." My husband, the celebrity. :) Katherine, who is from Raleigh and worked with Ian while he was there, is also working with us this week on the marketing team. She wasn't scheduled to work during lunch yesterday, but I called her to let her know that the Russells were there, and she came to eat lunch with us too. It was just one big Raleigh Reunion! :) We felt so honored that customers that we haven't seen now in years would drive so far to visit us on our special day!!! How awesome!
• I kept hearing from customers or trainers that we have an amazing team. Yeah - you know that team that has been prayed over for weeks now? The one that has been chosen out of nearly 1000 applicants? Yeah that one. They are rocking it out so far this week! We are so proud of them. 
• I really wish I could have stayed there all day yesterday. But by 7 I was slap worn out. Lee Burn (the business consultant who took us out for a special dinner last night) finally looked me in the eyes and said, "Alyson. Go home." I said, "Yes sir." I left Chick-fil-A with mom and dad and the kids. We drove home, and I ran in to change clothes. It was mom and dad's last night, and we decided to hurry down to the waterfront to show them the downtown area before they left. Since that took all of two minutes, we got out of the van and played in the grassy park right on the water. Charis and Cayman just ran and ran, and we all had a great time. There's a boardwalk area on the water that Ian and I have always talked about walking on, but we've never stopped. Well, last night, I decided to take mom and dad there. We saw the most gorgeous sunset from the boardwalk area! The "houses" (gazeboes) as Cayman called them, were FULL of spiders - well, they were up in the rafters, so they were far enough away to not be dangerous but close enough to be creepy. But they were great for viewing the sunset!
• I fell asleep around 9:30 and apparently had a conversation with Ian around 11 when he finally, FINALLY came home, but I don't remember talking to him. I do remember him crawling in bed with me and then his phone started dinging away with messages! I believe he was out of the house this morning by 7. I don't know how he does it! 

I just can't say enough about our opening day! It was just absolutely amazing. Everything went so smoothly. God is so good to us. He is able to do far more than we can even imagine He is capable of doing! All the glory belongs to Him!