There was tons of excitement in New Iberia Thursday morning as nearly 100 people camped outside for over 10 hours to receive a  year supply of Chick-Fil-A chicken.

A grand opening celebration where many sacrificed their time to secure a spot in line.

Campers began hunkering down tents inside the Lagniappe Village Chick-Fil-A parking lot on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

“This is like our actual first camp out. It was kind of exciting and knowing you get something really good out of it at the end,” said one Chick-fil-A fan.

A year supply of free meals for the first 100 people in line was awarded.

“We just wanted to come and enjoy ourselves with people, family, and friends,” said another fan.

As the 12 hours passed, Chick-Fil-A sponsored dinner, snacks games, entertainment and more to bring in the opening at  6 a.m. Thursday morning.

“Obviously it’s the first one in Iberia Parish. We’re just looking forward to serving the community, being apart of the community, developing young leaders and giving people the opportunity to have a place to come and sit, enjoy some good food in a clean environment with some good customer service,” said Store Manager Austin Milke.

Although this experience was all about the chicken for most, others said this new addition to the parish is a positive move for the community.

“So far, it’s been amazing,” said a fan.

The store is located at 1116 East Admiral Doyle Drive.

Those awarded gift cards can order a meal once a week for a year. The cards are non-transferable.

The store operators plan to host other deals and community events in the near future.