ALVIN — A Bayou Wildlife Zoo employee is getting a year’s worth of Chick-fil-A after a lucky stop at the Alvin restaurant landed him one of the chain’s rare Golden Fan Cups.

Preston Brewer says he was at work running errands when his mother-in-law suggested they stop by Chick-fil-A and try their luck with the restaurant’s collectible cup promotion. She purchased the cup — and it turned out to be the golden one.

“I really didn’t think I would win,” Brewer said. “I had my doubts.”

The Golden Fan Cup is part of a nationwide Chick-fil-A sweepstakes tied to the company’s anniversary celebration. A limited number of winning cups are distributed across the country, each redeemable for 52 free entrées — one per week — for an entire year.

Brewer said he had been aware of the promotion after seeing reports of a winning cup discovered in nearby Kemah, but didn’t expect another to show up in Alvin.

“I really did not think that there would be any in this area,” he said.

Brewer works at Bayou Wildlife Zoo in Alvin, where he helps care for the animals and assist visitors. In an unusual coincidence, he says his “golden” win mirrors something close to home at work.

“At the zoo, we have Midas — our golden zebra,” Brewer said. “It’s just a weird coincidence that I win the Golden Cup and take care of a golden zebra.”

Brewer says he normally eats at Chick-fil-A about once a week, but jokes that may change now that free meals are on the line.

As for advice to others hoping to find a winning cup, Brewer says the odds are still slim — and the search may already be over in Alvin.