CARROLLWOOD — Ricardo Sanchez, the longtime owner of Chick-fil-A Carrollwood, sat outside his new Lutz location, quietly praying for the success of his next big venture. The 25-year veteran of the Chick-fil-A brand is moving his popular Carrollwood restaurant just a mile and a half away to a new, larger site. The relocation, at the southwest corner of Ehrlich Road and Dale Mabry Highway, is expected to open on April 17 and will be the largest Chick-fil-A in the Tampa area.
Construction is already underway for the new 5,300-square-foot restaurant, which will feature two drive-thru lanes to accommodate up to 64 cars. This new location is poised to become not only the biggest but also the busiest Chick-fil-A in the region, according to Sanchez.
“It’s going to be a game-changer,” Sanchez said. “This location offers great access from both Ehrlich Road and Dale Mabry, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to operate the biggest Chick-fil-A in Tampa.”
Sanchez, who has spent 25 years building his Carrollwood business, is excited about the move. He jokes that he’s now got the “Carrollwood chicken corridor locked down” with two locations within close proximity.
Sanchez, who moved from Venezuela to Tampa 15 years ago, took over the Carrollwood franchise after relocating from Fort Lauderdale. Reflecting on his time in the area, he said, “No regrets,” expressing satisfaction with his decision to settle in Carrollwood.
The new Chick-fil-A location will not include an indoor playground, a trend that started post-pandemic as customer preferences shifted. “We learned there wasn’t much demand for playgrounds, and they take up valuable space. Without it, we can focus more on family dining,” Sanchez explained.
Additionally, the new site will offer a smoother traffic flow compared to the current Carrollwood location, which shares a parking lot with Sam’s Club and its busy gas pumps. Sanchez is looking forward to better traffic management and a private parking lot at the new location.
The Carrollwood restaurant is expected to close for a few days prior to the new location’s opening to allow time for the move. Meanwhile, Sanchez’s drive-thru-only Chick-fil-A in Lutz, which opened on January 7, is already seeing success. It marks a return to a franchise concept that had been phased out before the pandemic but gained popularity as customers sought quicker, dine-in-free options.
Sanchez’s new venture is part of his ongoing commitment to providing great service and expanding his Chick-fil-A presence in the Tampa area.
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