Downtown San Antonio's Chick-fil-A opens this week

Downtown will have a Chick-fil-A location by the end of the week.

Driving the news: The restaurant at 106 E. Houston St. opens Thursday.

The intrigue: The location includes a drive-thru, a rarity for downtown, which will start at an entrance off Soledad Street and wind through the Rand Parking Garage.

• The parking garage and drive-thru will have separate entrances and flows of traffic.

Flashback: In March 2019, the City Council voted against opening a Chick-fil-A at the San Antonio Airport. Then-District 1 Councilman Roberto Treviño said his decision was based on the Atlanta-based chain's "legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior.”

• In July 2019, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill, informally known as the "Save Chick-fil-A law," to stop local governments from taking "adverse actions" against businesses based on their religious beliefs.
• The new location is walking distance from City Hall.

Yes, but: In November 2019, Chick-fil-A announced it would no longer give money to organizations with a history of anti-LGBTQ behavior and shifted its philanthropic focus to groups supporting education, homelessness and hunger relief.

What they're saying: First-time Chick-fil-A franchisee Jamie Williams, who is originally from Houston, said in a statement that he's "thrilled" to open the location downtown.

• “I hope to create meaningful connections by serving others and leading with love, and I look forward to making an impact on this community and my team," he said.

What's next: In honor of the opening, Chick-fil-A will donate $25,000 to Feeding America, the hunger relief network that includes the San Antonio Food Bank.

• The chain is also giving a year's worth of food to 100 residents the company identified as "local heroes."

What we're watching: Whether the new Chick-fil-A location will become popular with City Council offices despite the 2019 vote.