Customers line up before dawn to get into first locally owned Chick-fil-A in Westchester

The first locally owned and operated Chick-fil-A restaurant in Westchester County opened its doors this morning, drawing large crowds to Central Park Avenue.

Traffic controllers, orange cones, and police officers helped manage the influx of eager customers hoping to snag a taste of the beloved chicken chain.

People were lined-up before dawn to get inside the new eatery when it opened at 6:30 a.m.

Israel Allmand, a Yonkers resident, will be running the new location. He plans to hire approximately 100 employees.

To celebrate the grand opening, the restaurant recognized 100 local heroes by offering them free Chick-fil-A entrees for a year. The restaurant also donated $25,000 to Feeding Westchester.

"We're very excited," said one customer. "My siblings love Chick-fil-A, so we're here early. They wanted to come see the new opening."

Another customer, who previously traveled to Manhattan to get his Chick-fil-A fix, was thrilled with the new location. "My wife and I used to drive all the way to Manhattan on Saturdays just to get Chick-fil-A, so this is a big win," he said.

The new Chick-fil-A is located at 2205 Central Park Avenue and will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Like all Chick-fil-A locations, it will be closed on Sundays.