Marijuana law takes effect, and DC restaurant chain dishes free chicken-- at 4:20 pm

Despite threats from Congress, the District of Columbia has moved forward with legalizing the possession of marijuana - and one local restaurant chain gave away free food for its customers just in time.

Nando's Peri-Peri, a regional restaurant that specializes in grilled chicken, gave away free chicken at its four D.C. locations on Thursday… at 4:20 p.m. The restaurant says the time was for no particular reason.

The new law took effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. Possession of up to 2 ounces of pot for use at home is now legal, and people are also permitted to grow up to three mature plants. Smoking marijuana in public remains illegal, as does buying or selling the drug.(5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DC'S NEW MARIJUANA LAWS >>>)

Online, Nando's tweeted, "Where there's smoke, there's fire. Free flame-grilled chicken at 4:20 today in all four DC restaurants!"

At the Tenleytown location, a long line formed for free chicken, but the company says there was no connection between the time and the giveaway.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.