Fast-food chain Chick-fil-A has targeted the corner of Ben Hill Griffin Parkway and Corkscrew Road in Estero as the site of a future restaurant.
At a Dec. 9 public hearing, Estero’s Planning, Zoning and Design Board reviewed plans to demolish an old Perkins restaurant and construct a Chick-fil-A with dual drive-thru lanes at 20320 Grand Oak Shoppes Blvd.
Chick-fil-A signed a ground lease for the property in March 2024 from Fort Myers Retail 2 LLC, according to Lee County records.
Board members voted unanimously in favor of the proposal — and expressed enthusiasm for the restaurant’s chicken — but imposed several conditions for Estero village staff to work out with Chick-fil-A’s architectural and landscape team before construction can proceed. Requirements include improving pedestrian access to the site and increasing surrounding green space with landscaping that features mostly native plants.
Estero’s Planning, Zoning and Design Board reviews Chick-fil-A’s development proposal during a Dec. 9 public hearing.
Estero government
Board member Barry Jones emphasized the need for a sidewalk connection so pedestrians can reach the restaurant on foot, similar to an adjoining McDonald’s and other area restaurants approved by Estero.
“We’re supposed to be a walkable neighborhood,” Jones said. “… Every other restaurant has a connection to the available sidewalks. Yours does not.”
Board members also raised concerns about traffic generated by Chick-fil-A’s well-known drive-thru operations at an already busy intersection.
In June, during a public information session, Chick-fil-A representatives told Estero planners that the company’s drive-thru business has expanded significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand surged in 2020. Although the new restaurant will include more than 80 seats, including a small outdoor dining area, the company continues to prioritize efficient drive-thru flow. Most new Chick-fil-A locations feature dual drive-thru lanes, often reserving one for mobile orders. Employees frequently take orders outside using iPads, and the restaurants use technology to expedite smaller or simpler orders.
Traffic studies commissioned by both Chick-fil-A and Estero show that surrounding roads have enough capacity to handle the increased trips compared to the former Perkins.
A rendering shows the proposed Chick-fil-A at Ben Hill Griffin Parkway and Corkscrew Road in Estero, featuring dual drive-thru lanes and Mediterranean Revival architecture.
Estero government
Chick-fil-A representative Thomas Oliver described the dual drive-thru as an efficient system designed to prevent backups. The Estero site is expected to accommodate a line of up to 41 cars.
“We are known for having a lot of traffic in the drive-thru,” he said. “We don’t run from that. We also pride ourselves on getting cars out of the drive-thru faster than just about anybody in the industry.”
The planning board also approved the building’s Mediterranean Revival architectural style, which will feature stone accents, off-white exterior colors, such as pearl or autumn wheat and a Spanish tile roof.
If development proceeds without delays, the new Chick-fil-A is expected to open in 2027.