Quick-service chicken chain Chick-fil-A outlined plans for growth in 2012 as it reported annual sales of $4.05 billion in 2011, a 13.1-percent increase over last year.
The privately held company also posted a same-store sales increase of 7 percent in 2011.
Chick-fil-A said it would “generate nearly 7,000 new job opportunities” in 2012 with 92 new restaurant openings and growth in existing restaurants. The Atlanta-based chain said it would open 75 stand-alone restaurants, two mall units and 15 licensed locations.
In addition, the company said it has plans to renovate more than 300 existing locations in 2012, after having refurbished nearly 200 restaurants in 2011.
President and chief operating officer Dan Cathy said in a statement that the chain surpassed 1,600 locations in 2011 with the opening of 75 stand-alone restaurants and 17 licensed units on college campuses, hospitals, airports and business and industry sites.
It also entered two new markets, Hollywood, Calif., and Chicago, and opened its first stand-alone restaurant in Idaho, the company said.
Chick-fil-A also said it will continue to introduce new items to its menu in 2012. In April, it plans to debut several new deserts, including a warm chocolate chunk cookie, a fudge brownie and sundaes.
In January Chick-fil-A rolled out better-for-you options on its kids menu: grilled chicken nuggets and applesauce.
It also added two items to its breakfast menu, a spicy chicken biscuit and multigrain oatmeal.
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