A new Chick-fil-A location might be coming to Biddeford. The fast-food business, known for its chicken sandwiches and waffle fries, gained first approval from the Biddeford Planning Board in the spring.

Biddeford Mayor Martin Grohman said the chain has not yet received final approval. “I can confirm that Chick-fil-A has presented to the planning department,” Grohman said.

If approved by the Planning Board, the restaurant could be located at the Shops at Biddeford Crossing, across from Michael’s. It would fill the vacancy left by Olive Garden in 2016.

In a site map released by DSM Realty, the company that owns and manages the Shops at Biddeford Crossing, the Chick-fil-A location is labeled, though Chick-fil-A has yet to confirm a Biddeford location.

Currently, Chick-fil-A has two locations in Maine, one in Westbrook and one in Bangor, with a third location proposed in Auburn.

Ever since the Biddeford Olive Garden location closed down, residents have speculated about what will take its place.

Posting on social media, one resident asked if there was anything planned for the space, and the Chick-fil-A rumors started to swirl.  Some residents were happy about the news.

“Finally! I’m done driving all the way to Westbrook,” one woman wrote.

Others had concerns. “I will never, ever patronize them,” one man wrote, citing the business’s “hate.”

Chick-fil-A is well known for its conservative values, with the restaurant famously closing on Sundays for religious reasons.

According to the company’s website, their corporate purpose is to “glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us.”

The company reportedly donated to anti-LGBTQ+ organizations in the past, though the decision to do so was reversed in 2019.

On its website, Chick-fil-A states that it is an “equal opportunity employer that values diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Regardless of the company’s alleged political views, Grohman said “it’s always exciting to see new businesses choose Biddeford.”

According to Grohman, Chick-fil-A is currently working with the Maine Department of Transportation to make sure traffic concerns are addressed before receiving final approval from the Planning Board.

“We look forward to continuing the conversation and making sure this project works well for our community,” Grohman said.

If approved, Chick-fil-A will join the L.L.Bean Outlet that opened in May, as new tenants at Biddeford Crossing.