Gloucester’s Chick-fil-A has received the corporation’s highest ranking for “Operational Excellence” for the third straight year, according to John Gordon, owner/operator of the restaurant at Fox Mill Center.

Gordon was notified of the award recently by Chick-fil-A officials. He said his store was rated tops among the chain’s approximately 1,400 free-standing stores; Chick-fil-A stores in shopping malls are ranked separately as they have smaller space and also aren’t required to have public restrooms that must be maintained.

Gordon said he was thrilled to receive the top honor, especially since the Gloucester restaurant has achieved that high mark during the first three years in which it was eligible. The store opened in mid-January of 2011, he said, and a store has to be open for a complete calendar year to be considered for the award.

On a recent visit to the store, Gordon introduced a reporter to customers who had driven from near Warsaw and Wi...