AQ Chicken to hire 80 employees for new restaurant

AQ Chicken House is hiring for its new location in downtown Springdale. It plans to hire about 80 employees. Applications are being accepted for both front- and back-of-house roles, including cooks, hosts and servers. Link here to apply.

Interviews will take place in person starting Wednesday (May 6) at 100 W. Emma Ave., Suite 101. Walk-ins are welcome, but those who apply online will receive priority.

“AQ is hiring for a variety of roles and is looking for individuals with strong hospitality, energy, and a desire to be part of something meaningful in the Springdale community,” according to a news release. “AQ is seeking team members who are excited to help steward the legacy of a beloved brand while bringing new energy to its next chapter.”

In October, AQ announced it would open in downtown Springdale in spring 2026. The new restaurant will be next to Onyx Coffee Lab.

Roy Ritter opened AQ Chicken House — AQ stands for Arkansas Quality — on July 20, 1947. The well-known restaurant closed its original location on U.S. Highway 71B in Springdale on March 18, 2023. One month later, Missouri-based Club Car Wash paid $1.75 million for the 3.1-acre site and 14,600-square-foot building. Club Car Wash demolished the building and built a car wash.

Catalyst Capital, a single-family office organized by the Lundstrum family of Springdale, acquired the rights to the restaurant’s name, recipes and branding in September 2023. Catalyst Capital’s four principals include Tom and Robin Lundstrum, their daughter Gracie Lively, and her husband Jacob Lively.

Rising construction and material costs led AQ to decide against opening a restaurant near the Interstate 49 interchange with Elm Springs Road. An opening date for the new restaurant in downtown Springdale has yet to be released.