Middletown Approves New Chick-Fil-A, Replacing Vacant Ruby Tuesday

The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors has approved the transformation of the long-vacant Ruby Tuesday building into a new Chick-fil-A restaurant.

In a 4-1 vote, the board approved a developer’s plan to repurpose the site at 1440 East Lincoln Highway, near the Lowe’s Home Improvement store, marking the second Chick-fil-A in the township.

The developer plans to convert the closed Ruby Tuesday into a 5,400-square-foot Chick-fil-A, featuring a double drive-thru.

The drive-thru lanes are expected to accommodate up to 44 vehicles at a time, said Ed Murphy, the attorney for the developer.

The plan is to significantly ease congestion at the existing Chick-fil-A in Lincoln Plaza.

The approved development follows a series of adjustments in response to the township’s feedback throughout the planning process.

Wilkinson Langhorne, the pad site owner, collaborated closely with Chick-fil-A to ensure the proposal met the specific needs of the location.

Previously, Waterstone Properties had proposed a Chick-fil-A at the nearby Langhorne Square Shopping Center along East Lincoln Highway, but the plan ultimately did not materialize over the past year.

The township’s decision, however, has not been met with unanimous support. Supervisor Dana Kane, the lone opposing vote, voiced concerns over the increasing number of drive-thru restaurants in Middletown. Kane appealed for more family-style dining options in the area, emphasizing a desire for more sit-down restaurants.

Ruby Tuesday, which previously occupied the site, closed its doors in 2021 amid financial struggles and overdue rent payments.

Chick-fil-A, headquartered in Georgia, has grown to nearly 3,000 locations nationwide since its inception as the Dwarf Grill in 1946. The company is known for its courteous customer service and a policy of closing on Sundays, reflecting the Christian faith of its founder.

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