MCALLEN – A crowd of people camped out in a parking lot for a new restaurant in attempts of getting free meals for a year.

A new Chick-fil-A opened along 27th and Nolana in McAllen and the grand opening was anything but small.

There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a National Anthem performance and a crowd of eager people waiting for the restaurant to open its doors.

The people had their tents set up, some brought their homework and there was even Zumba.

“This morning was very exciting,” Luis Magdaleno, the owner and operator of the new restaurant, said. “We had people lined up to be part of the first 100 campers camping all day Wednesday in hopes of being the first 100 to enter the doors on Thursday morning, this morning, to get free Chick-fil-A for a year.”

A lot of noise was made by the employees as the lucky ones made their way inside. Magdaleno handed out vouchers to them.

The event is a tradition for Chick-fil-A every time they open a new restaurant. And Magdaleno actually has his own legacy with the company.

“My dad was owner and operator for Chick-fil-a for almost 30 years in Brownsville, Texas. That’s where I got my start,” he said.

His first paying customer was his own mother.

“Which was very special, my mother has been my absolute support and rock throughout my life,” he said.

“My husband and I met at Chick-fil-A in Brownsville, Texas in Sunrise Mall and then we had Luis and he worked for us. He’s my pride and joy. I get choked up,” Margie Magdaleno said. “I’m very proud of him and his career and what a young adult and gentleman he has become.”

The Chick-fil-A marks the third one in McAllen and for 100 people – they’ll be getting a free meal every week for a year.