Chick-fil-A Pullman

Background: In April 2025, Chick-fil-A prepared to open its newest restaurant in Pullman — a deeply historic South Side neighborhood undergoing revitalization — as part of its broader Chicagoland expansion. While the opening marked a meaningful business milestone, it also required navigating local brand favorability challenges, including lingering misperceptions and reputational sensitivities within the community.

To build trust and demonstrate Chick-fil-A’s commitment to long-term community investment, Zeno approached the opening with cultural sensitivity, strategic counsel and a tailored earned media approach. The goal: spotlight the brand’s local impact through positive earned storytelling, elevate the leadership of South Side native and Owner-Operator, Elise Mills, and emphasize the restaurant’s role in local job creation and economic growth.

Execution: Zeno led an integrated, hyperlocal PR strategy designed to build earned momentum and foster goodwill with key Pullman and citywide stakeholders. Core efforts included targeted Chicago media outreach, Owner-Operator interviews, community engagement events — including a neighborhood block party and ribbon cutting — proactive stakeholder relations and on-site media coordination throughout opening week.

Impact: Earned storytelling helped shift the narrative from brand misperceptions to rich community impact — amplifying authentic voices and positioning Chick-fil-A as a credible, purpose-driven partner in Pullman’s revitalization. Zeno’s efforts bolstered brand favorability in a historically sensitive market while spotlighting Chick-fil-A’s local ownership model, Chicago job creation and economic uplift.

Chick-fil-A Pullman garnered 53 earned media placements, 100% key message pull-through and 100% neutral-to-positive sentiment. Top-tier coverage spanned Chicago Tribune, WLS-TV (ABC Chicago, IL), What Now Chicago, Chicago Defender and Chicago Business Journal — consistently highlighting Mills’ hometown leadership and the restaurant’s role in driving local growth. By managing a complex network of stakeholders and reputational dynamics, Zeno delivered a best-in-class blueprint for how to open in sensitive markets with clarity, credibility and care.