Rendering of Founders Hall, a new residence facility set to open in 2013 on the University or Arkansas campus.

Rendering: uark.edu

University of Arkansas students, get ready to do a chicken dance. Slim Chickens is coming to campus.

The University of Arkansas today announced that the Fayetteville-based restaurant will open a location inside the new Founders Hall building currently under construction next to Brough Commons Dining Hall.

University spokesman Scott Flanagin said Slim Chickens was the clear choice among UA students for the space. “Basically, when we talked to students, there’s one restaurant whose name constantly came up,” said Flanagin. “It’s all about Slim Chickens.”

Slim’s co-founders Greg Smart and Tom Gordon were happy to oblige.

“As a Fayetteville-based company, we’ve built quite a relationship with University of Arkansas students over the years, and we’re very proud that UA students chose Slim Chickens as the restaurant they most wanted to see on campus,” said Smart. “We look forward to making it even move convenient for the students to enjoy our fresh, made-to order chicken tenders, wings, sandwiches, salads, and wraps right on campus.”

University of Arkansas students were pumped about the news.

“I wish I was going to be around for a few more years so I could be here when Slims’ comes to campus!” said Tori Pohlner, president of the Associated Student Government. “I’m excited to see this Fayetteville favorite become the next local business to call the UA campus home.”

Slim Chickens was founded in Fayetteville in 2003, and the restaurant now operates eight locations in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Chartwells will operate the new on-campus location as a franchisee.

Founders Hall will open in 2013 as a dining, retail, and residence facility connected to the Brough Commons Dining Hall on the University of Arkansas campus.