A Facebook page falsely claims that a Chick-fil-A restaurant is opening in Plainview. (Screenshot/Floyd County Record)
PLAINVIEW — To the chagrin of many loyal poultry fans across a multi-county area, a Facebook page claiming to bring the Lord’s chicken to God’s country is, in fact, a hoax.
By Sunday morning, posts from a page titled “Chick-fil-A Plainview” claiming that a franchise of the popular chain would open in Plainview in February had been widely circulated across social media, generating hundreds of comments and shares along with a number of questions regarding the legitimacy of the claims.
A Chick-fil-A corporate spokesperson confirmed area residents’ worst fears in a statement to the Record on Monday.
“The Facebook page referencing the opening of Chick-fil-A Plainview is an inauthentic page with incorrect information,” the company said. “We are working to get this page removed and apologize for any confusion.”
The admittedly convincing page, which appeared during a boon of fast food restaurant construction in the Hale County seat and even claimed to help feed the county’s hungry with a substantial donation to local food banks, drew skepticism with its condensed timeline and the omission of an address for the future restaurant in its now-debunked announcement. Commenters also pointed out that Plainview was not listed on the company’s website under “Future Openings”.
When asked why someone might want to mislead the public by touting a new chicken mecca, the company’s spokesperson simply wrote, “No idea – very odd.”
The page was still active on Facebook as of Monday afternoon.
