WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – A popular destination for chicken sandwiches, nuggets and more is bidding farewell in Lehigh County.
A location of Chick-fil-A, a quick-service restaurant company known for its freshly-prepared chicken selections, will cease operations at 2 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township, according to signage at the restaurant.
Ryan Kneller
“We want to thank the community of Lehigh Valley for the support over these many years,” the sign reads.
In July, Chick-fil-A, Inc. confirmed the location’s upcoming closure with a statement.
“It has been our pleasure to serve each and every Guest at this location for the past 27 years, and we look forward to continuing to serve the surrounding community at our nearby locations,” the statement reads.
The restaurant, located on the mall’s lower level near the main entrance, has been a fixture at the mall for almost three decades. It originally operated on the mall’s upper level.
Chick-fil-A is a family-owned and privately held company founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy, according to a company description.
Ryan Kneller
More than 200,000 team members are employed by local owner-operators in more than 3,000 restaurants across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
A handful of other Chick-fil-A restaurants operate in the Lehigh Valley, including another Whitehall restaurant at 2610 MacArthur Road.
Chick-fil-A opened its first restaurant in the UK in early 2025 with the goal of launching five locations across the UK within the next two years. The first Singapore restaurant is set to open in late 2025, marking the brand’s entry into Asia.
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At the Lehigh Valley Mall, Chick-fil-A operates alongside more than 20 other restaurants and food and beverage destinations, including other quick-service eateries such as Chipotle Mexican Grill and Shake Shack and full-service spots such as Bonefish Grill and Red Lobster.
In recent years, the mall has welcomed a handful of other restaurants and food stands, including The Cheesecake Factory and D’Colombia Restaurant & Bakery.
In October, Drink Fresh by Djurdjura opened on the mall’s upper level across from LensCrafters.
Drink Fresh by Djurdura operates at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
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It occupies space that was previously home to other eateries, including Subway, Almost Vegan and, most recently, Spice N Shake.
Drink Fresh by Djurdjura customers can enjoy a wide variety of freshly prepared smoothies, juices, acai bowls, Dubai chocolate cups and more.
In August, Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery, offering specialty wines and scenic views at 239 Blue Ridge Road in Saylorsburg, opened a new location at the Lehigh Valley Mall’s outdoor lifestyle center.
At Blue Ridge’s new Whitehall location, guests are able to enjoy Blue Ridge’s full lineup of wines, including varieties such as riesling, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, pink catawba, white and red sangrias, bourbon barrel-aged merlot, scotch barrel-aged chardonnay and American oak barrel cabernet sauvignon.
Businesses coming soon to the mall include Dunkin’ and Nori Japan.
Nori Japan, an eatery offering Japanese cuisine, is coming soon to a lower-level space that previously housed Tasty Bitez.
The new Nori Japan restaurant will provide a full range of Japanese dishes, including teriyaki options freshly prepared right in front of customers on a tepanyaki grill, according to an online description.
Other menu highlights will include tempura, sesame chicken, kushiyaki and assorted sushi rolls.
“Our dishes are prepared fresh daily with the finest ingredients,” the online description reads. “Our Japanese recipes are developed by master chefs with care to deliver the highest quality and authenticity.”
A target opening date for the new Nori Japan location has not been announced.
Dunkin’, the country’s largest coffee and doughnuts brand, is coming soon to the Lehigh Valley Mall’s lower level near the escalators.
The new Dunkin’ location will occupy a kiosk that was previously home to a Starbucks location, which closed last year.
A target opening date for the new Dunkin’ kiosk has not yet been announced.
The Lehigh Valley Mall has also bid farewell to some businesses this year.
Pocono Brewery Company’s Lehigh Valley taproom closed in February at the Lehigh Valley Mall’s outdoor lifestyle center.
The Lehigh Valley taproom opened in early 2019 at the former Ann Taylor space and supplemented Pocono Brewery Company’s flagship location, which continues to operate at 2092 Route 611 in the Swiftwater section of Pocono Township, Monroe County.
The craft brewery and family restaurant was founded in June 2017 by Silvio Vitiello and his sons, Jean-Luc and Silvio M. Vitiello.
“Due to the opening of the brewery near us, the competition became an issue,” Jean-Luc said at the time, referencing the now-closed Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant location at Lehigh Valley Mall. “We’re looking to open another location in a more welcoming community, maybe in Bethlehem or Easton.”
The Lehigh Valley location of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, a full-service restaurant and craft brewery, closed in September alongside other Iron Hill locations due to ongoing financial challenges.
“After many wonderful years serving our communities, this location along with our other 15 locations, has closed,” a sign on the Whitehall location’s door read.
“It has been our pleasure to serve you, and we are deeply grateful for your support, friendship, and loyalty over the years. We sincerely hope to return in the future, and when we do, we promise to welcome you with open arms.”
Dino Sweets, offering freshly prepared mini doughnuts, churros, milkshakes and more, on Oct. 16 closed its kiosk on the mall’s upper level.
Dino Sweets’ Lehigh Valley Mall location operated for five years, and its closure was primarily due to increasing rent, owner Eddie Pagan said.
The mall management team also requested that Pagan spend money to upgrade the kiosk without extending a long-term contract to Dino Sweets, Pagan said.
“We’re proud to have represented our community and brought a little color, sweetness, and culture to the mall,” an announcement on Dino Sweets’ Facebook page reads. “However, it’s disappointing to see how little support there is for small local businesses that work hard to grow and serve.”
Tasty Bitez, a fast-casual eatery offering burgers, cheesteaks, gyros, fried chicken, salads and more, also closed earlier this fall on the mall’s lower-level.
Also making news this year was Dunderbak’s, a nearly 50-year-old restaurant on the mall’s lower level, whose owners announced plans to retire and are seeking a buyer.