What does it take to be No. 1?

In the case of being No.1 in line for the grand opening of Chicken Salad Chick Fairhope, it takes a friendly bet with a cousin and getting up before everyone else.

Carter Antinarella, a 20-year-old Fairhope resident, arrived at the new Chicken Salad Chick in Fairhope around 4:15-4:30 a.m. to secure the first place in line and chicken salad every week for an entire year and to prove a point.

“Well, I kind of made a bet with my cousin,” Antinarella said. “He said I wasn’t going to do it, and all my family said you’re not going to wake up for it all. I was trying to prove them wrong. I was already awake so I figured I might as well come up here.”

After getting out of his vehicle, Antinarella said he watched a couple of vehicles pull into the parking lot, but as soon as they saw him, they left. Apparently, they were only interested in chicken salad every week, not every month, as the next 99 guests in line were to receive free chicken salad once a month for a year.

Antinarella has proven his point and once the store doors open, will secure chicken salad every week for the next year. While his family doubted he would do it, he still plans to share while enjoying some extra money in his pocket.

“It is more of the fact of saving a little money every week. My mom likes it, and my girlfriend likes it, so save a little money,” Antinarella said. “The whole family will be getting chicken salad at some point.”

In the 4 a.m. hour, Antinarella said, Fairhope is quiet; no one on the roads, and the weather was cool. But he wasn’t alone long. At 5:15 a.m., Joe Klumpp arrived to take the No. 2 spot in line, but the duo didn’t have more company until around 6:15 a.m.

Klumpp, a resident of South Fairhope for nearly 80 years, said he and his wife are big Chicken Salad Chick fans who frequent the Daphne location. Klumpp said he was glad to know the Fairhope location was opening but his wife was more excited than he was.

Since he is an early bird, Klumpp said he decided to come up and get in line, but he didn’t mind being No. 2.

“It didn’t bother me a bit,” Klumpp said about being second in line. “I am right where I need to be.”

And asked where his excited Chicken Salad Chick fan wife was, “Still in bed,” Klumpp said with a chuckle.

While Antinarella receives one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year, Klumpp and the next 98 in line get one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month for a year.

Chicken Salad Chick in Fairhope will be open Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.chickensaladchick.com. Follow Chicken Salad Chick Fairhope for information on giveaways and specials.