Chick-fil-A planning to build restaurant in Forsyth

FORSYTH, Ill. — The fast-food chain Chick-fil-A is planning to open a restaurant in Forsyth.

The project still needs approval by village board members, according to Village Administrator Jill Applebee.

APPLEBEES 2.png — Applebee's Grill and Bar on U.S. 51 in Forsyth in August 2024. (WAND file photo)

Applebee told WAND News the proposed restaurant would be built at the site of the former Applebee's Grill & Bar at 1275 North U.S. 51.

Applebee's was closed by the Macon County Health Department in 2024 after repeated health violations. It never reopened.

Applebee said Chick-fil-A developers plan to build a 5,218 square foot restaurant on the site. An opening date has not been announced.

Applebee said the proposal needs approval from Forsyth's planning and zoning commission and its village board before work can officially begin. She added that if approved, the village expects work to begin on the restaurant by the spring of 2026.

The zoning commission will hear the developer's proposal during its Jan. 15 meeting at Forsyth Village Hall. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Village Board Room. The meeting is open to the public.

If the commission approves the project, the village board would take a final vote at its Jan. 20 meeting.

Chick-fil-A, one of the most popular fast-food chains in the U.S., is known for its chicken heavy menu, customer service, and being closed on Sundays.

The Atlanta-based chain was started in 1967 and remains a private, family-owned business. It is often active in its communities with various projects, including donating excess food to neighborhood non-profits.

According to the company, Chick-fil-A has more than 3,000 locations, including more than 75 in Illinois.

1 killed in Shelby County crash, IL 32 shut down

Man killed in Christmas Day shooting in Decatur identified

Memorial Health limits hospital visitors amid rise in respiratory illnesses