It was a chicken-fest Tuesday morning at the new Perry Hall Royal Farms. The ribbon cutting drew several public officials and business leaders to the convenience store and gas station at 9620 Belair Rd.

State Sen. Kathy Klausmeier asked attendees to close their eyes and inhale the scent of freshly fried chicken—the chain's most famous offering, offered free of charge on platters inside the store. "Everyone is so excited to have a Royal Farms in Perry Hall," Klausmeier said.

County Councilman David Marks also praised the new store for its food and the added competition it brings to the area. "When you need to fuel your car or pick up some of this great chicken, it's great to have another establishment in Perry Hall offering these services," Marks said. 

The 5,000-square-foot store broke ground in July 2012 and includes eight fuel pumps. It took the place of a former BP gas station. It is one of 20 new LEED certified Royal Farms stores, with features including a white roof, LED lighting and dual-flush toilets, company officials said. 

Several donations to community organizations preceded the ribbon cutting, led by operations leader Wade Graham. 

Margaret Hubbard, director of the Perry Hall United Methodist Church Food Pantry who accepted a $500 donation from Royal Farms, said she's working to foster stronger partnerships with area businesses. 

"This represents a couple of months of food. We served 416 families last year—nearly 100 more families than the year before. It's nice to be recognized for doing some good in the community," Hubbard said. 

The company presented donations to the following organizations: 

• Perry Hall United Methodist Church Food Pantry
• Perry Hall Library
• Perry Hall Improvement Association
• Maryland Food Bank
• Seven Oaks Senior Center
• Kingsville Volunteer Fire Company
• Perry Hall High School
• Kennedy Krieger Institute

Which chains would you most like to see come to Perry Hall? Tell us in the comments.