New Restaurants Coming to Helena and Butte: Annapurna and Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A has announced plans to open a new restaurant in Helena, Montana, with a scheduled opening date in early 2027. The establishment will be located at 2770 N. Washington Street within the Skyway Regional Shopping Center.

The project is currently in the permitting phase. According to the City of Helena, plans for the restaurant have been approved, but the city is awaiting the selection of a general contractor by the developer. Once a contractor is chosen and the contract amount is provided, the city can generate and collect the necessary permit fees to issue the building permit.

In a November email to city officials, Chick-fil-A indicated that the process of selecting a general contractor could take several months. This administrative step is required before construction can officially begin.

Development Timeline and Site Details

Permitting efforts for the Skyway site began with preliminary pre-application materials filed in October 2023. The project has seen several plan resubmissions and rejections throughout 2024, specifically regarding water and sewer concerns in July, September, and October.

City records show a fourth building plan, valued at approximately $1,408,700, which was slated for review on September 30. Currently, We find three active permits associated with the project: one for the drive-thru building and two for parking lot work.

The proposed site is situated beside Chili’s Grill & Bar and Nagoya Japanese Steakhouse, and We see adjacent to major retailers including TJ Maxx and Hobby Lobby. While some site-preparation and parking-lot extension work was noted in the fall of 2024, reports indicated that primary construction work had not started as of September 18, 2025.

a 180-day extension for an earlier building permit application was reported to expire on October 18, 2025.

Regional Expansion in Montana

The Helena location is part of a broader expansion strategy for the chicken sandwich chain in Montana. Chick-fil-A already operates restaurants in Billings, Bozeman, Missoula, and Kalispell.

Beyond Helena, plans are also in the works for a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Butte. The company has also been in discussions regarding a potential location in Great Falls.

In Great Falls, the city confirmed in February that the company had submitted a preliminary traffic impact study. However, Chick-fil-A later stated that while it hopes to serve the Great Falls community in the future, no specific locations have been confirmed at this time, as the company evaluates target markets and broader business considerations.

The expansion of fast-food and dining options continues across the region. In Great Falls, other upcoming additions include Dave’s Hot Chicken and Annapurna, an Indian and Nepali restaurant located at 1220 Ninth Street South in the former space of Maria’s Mexican restaurant.