Tent city outside the new Wheaton Chick-fil-A. (WGN-TV)

The third and latest edition of the chicken restaurant opened at 6 a.m. in Wheaton with more than a hundred customers outside, many having spent the night and before that in sleeping bags and tents.

Some said they had been there since 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, taking advantage of the near record early November temperatures, in an effort to be one of the first hundred customers and receive a free weekly meal for a year.

Some who camped out since yesterday repeated their slumber parties when the chain opened two Chicagoland restaurants, most recently in Orland Park in October.

“This is Disneyland compared to Orland Park,” said Don Braaten, who stood in line with his older brother, Gary. Braaten was referring to the chain’s most recent opening, Oct 28.

“This is my third opening. I went to Aurora, Orland Park, and now here,” he said.

One man boasted of having hundreds of free certificates following the chain’s openings around the country.

Heidi Rewerts said she has probably eaten about 500 chicken sandwiches since the chain first opened in Atlanta 20 years ago.

“We’ve been waiting for 20 years for them to move here, and now we’re near two of them. I think it’s great,” she said. “I’ve been here since 4:30 yesterday morning.”

The chain says it has plans to open more restaurants in Chicago next year.

– Pat Curry