Wikipedia

Chick-fil-A

(Redirected from @ChickfilA)

Chick-fil-A, Inc. (/ˌtʃɪkfɪˈleɪ/ CHIK-fil-AY, a play on the American English pronunciation of "filet") is an American fast food restaurant chain and the largest chain specializing in chicken sandwiches.[5] Headquartered in College Park, Georgia, Chick-fil-A operates 3,059 restaurants across 48 states, as well as in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.[1][6] The company also has operations in Canada, and previously had restaurants in the United Kingdom and South Africa. The restaurant has a breakfast menu, as well as a lunch and dinner menu. The chain also provides catering services.[7] Chick-fil-A calls its specialty the "original chicken sandwich". It is a piece of deep-fried breaded boneless chicken breast served on a toasted bun with two slices of dill pickle, or with lettuce, tomato, and cheese.[8]

Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Formerly
  • Dwarf Grill
  • Dwarf House
Company typePrivate
IndustryRestaurants
FoundedMay 23, 1946; 78 years ago (1946-05-23) in Hapeville, Georgia, U.S.
FounderS. Truett Cathy
Headquarters5200 Buffington Road, Atlanta, Georgia,
United States
Number of locations
3,059[1]
Area served
  • United States (including Puerto Rico)
  • Canada
  • Singapore
  • United Kingdom
Key people
ProductsChicken sandwiches, chicken dishes
RevenueIncreaseUS$21.6 billion (2023)[2][3]
OwnerCathy family
Number of employees
35,574 as of August 2021[4]
Websitechick-fil-a.com
chick-fil-a.ca
chick-fil-a.pr

Many of the company's values are influenced by the Christian religious beliefs of its late founder, S. Truett Cathy (1921–2014), a devout Southern Baptist. Reflecting a commitment to Sunday Sabbatarianism, all Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed for business on Sundays,[9][10] Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.[11] During the Western Christian liturgical season of Lent, Chick-fil-A promotes fish sandwiches, following the Christian tradition of abstinence from meat during Lent.[12][13] The company's conservative opposition to same-sex marriage has caused controversy; the company began to loosen its stance on this issue from 2019.[14] Despite numerous controversies and boycott attempts, the 2022 American Customer Satisfaction Index found that Chick-fil-A remained the country's favorite fast food chain for the eighth consecutive year, and it has the highest per store sales of any fast food chain in the nation.[15][16]

History

 
Chick-fil-A headquarters in College Park, Georgia

The chain's origin can be traced to the Dwarf Grill (now the Dwarf House), a restaurant opened by S. Truett Cathy, the chain's former chairman and CEO, in Hapeville, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, in 1946,[17] which is near the location of the Ford Motor Company Atlanta Assembly Plant, for many years a source of many of the restaurant's patrons. It was later remodelled, reopening in 2022.[18]

In 1961, after 15 years in the fast-food business, Cathy found a pressure-fryer that could cook the chicken sandwich in the same time it took to cook a hamburger.[19] Following this discovery, he registered the name Chick-fil-A, Inc. The company's trademarked slogan, "We Didn't Invent the Chicken, Just the Chicken Sandwich,"[20] refers to their flagship menu item, the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich. Though Chick-Fil-A was the first national chain to make a fast, fried chicken sandwich its flagship item, it has been shown that Cathy's claim to have "invented the chicken sandwich" is false.[21]

From 1964 to 1967, the sandwich was licensed to over fifty eateries, including Waffle House and the concession stands of the new Houston Astrodome.[22][23] The Chick-Fil-A sandwich was withdrawn from sale at other restaurants when the first dedicated location opened in 1967, in the food court of the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta.[17]

During the 1970s and early 1980s, the chain expanded by opening new locations in suburban malls' food courts.[24] The first freestanding location was opened April 16, 1986, on North Druid Hills Road in Atlanta, Georgia,[25] and the company began to focus more on stand-alone units rather than food courts. Although it has expanded outward from its original geographic base, most new restaurants are located in Southern US suburban areas.[17]

Since 1997, the Atlanta-based company has sponsored the Peach Bowl, an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta on New Year's Eve. Chick-fil-A also sponsors the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference of college athletics.[26]

In 2008, Chick-fil-A was among the first fast-food restaurants to become completely free of trans fats.[27]

In October 2015, the company opened its largest restaurant, a three-story 5,000 square feet (460 m2) restaurant in Manhattan.[28][29]

 
Sign posted at the Spotsylvania Towne Centre Chick-fil-A location in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Chick-fil-A Sauce was invented at this location in 1983.[30][31]

On December 17, 2017, Chick-fil-A broke their tradition and opened on a Sunday to prepare meals for passengers left stranded during a power outage at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport,[32] and on January 13, 2019, a Chick-fil-A franchise in Mobile, Alabama, opened on Sunday to honor a birthday wish of a 14-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and autism.[33]

On February 13, 2023, they began offering their first non-meat sandwich, a breaded cauliflower sandwich.[34]

In May 2023, Chick-fil-A closed its original location in Greenbriar Mall, without stating a reason.[35]

Business model

 
Chick-fil-A in Hillsboro, Oregon, formerly a Newport Bay restaurant. This unit opened in March 2016 and was the first in Oregon to open in over a decade.

Chick-fil-A's business strategy involves a focus on a small menu and on customer service.[36] While many fast food chains offer many dishes, Chick-fil-A's is focused on selling chicken sandwiches.[36] The name's capital A is intended to indicate that their chicken is "grade A top quality".[37] The company's emphasis on customer service is reported to have contributed to its success[38][39] and growth in the United States.[36][38]

Chick-fil-A builds and owns its restaurants.[40] Chick-fil-A franchisees need a US$10,000 initial investment.[41] Franchisees are selected and trained, a process that can take months.

Chick-fil-A grossed an average of $6.71 million per restaurant in 2022, despite opening only 6 days a week, the highest sales of all fast-food restaurants in the United States. (Raising Cane's was second with $5.44 million per restaurant average).[42]

In 2019, Chick-fil-A reported $11.3 billion in sales in the United States, behind only McDonald's with $40.4 billion in sales that year.[43][44][45]

To compete with Chick-fil-A, fried chicken chain Popeyes, followed by others, introduced a fried chicken sandwich in 2019, starting the Chicken Sandwich Wars.

Retail sale of sauces

In the spring of 2020, Chick-fil-A test-trialed the sale of two of their dipping sauces at some supermarkets in Florida, with all profits earmarked for a scholarship fund for company's store level employees.[46][47] The trial was considered successful, and distribution was expanded nationwide by 2021.[48] Two more sauces were added in 2023.[49]

In October 2022, the company trialed expansion of the program to include its salad dressings in the Cincinnati metropolitan area and in parts of Tennessee,[50][51] and expanded nationwide in spring 2023.[52]

Corporate culture

S. Truett Cathy was a devout Southern Baptist; his religious beliefs had a major impact on the company.[53] The company's official statement of corporate purpose says that the business exists "To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."[54] Cathy opposed the company becoming public for religious and personal reasons.[55]

A company spokesperson said in 2012, "The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our Restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect –regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender."[56]

Sunday closing

In accordance with the founder's belief in the Christian doctrine of first-day Sabbatarianism, all Chick-fil-A locations are closed on Sundays,[10][57] Thanksgiving, and Christmas.[58] Cathy said "Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and of directing our attention to things that mattered more than our business."[59]

In an interview with ABC News's Nightline, Truett's son Dan T. Cathy told reporter Vicki Mabrey that the company is also closed on Sundays because "by the time Sunday came, he was just worn out. And Sunday was not a big trading day, anyway, at the time. So he was closed that first Sunday and we've been closed ever since. He figured if he didn't like working on Sundays, that other people didn't either."[60]

Even Chick-fil-A locations at sports stadiums close on Sundays, although many games are played on Sundays.[61]

Lenten observance

During the Western Christian liturgical season of Lent, Chick-fil-A has in the past promoted fish sandwiches, following the Christian tradition of abstinence from meat during Lent.[12][13] They no longer offer this product.[62]

Serving chicken without antibiotics

In February 2014, Chick-fil-A announced plans to serve chicken raised without antibiotics in its restaurants nationwide within five years, the first fast-food restaurant to make this commitment.[63] This was implemented by May 2019.[64] Later the company stated that "to maintain supply of the high-quality chicken", they would shift from a policy of No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) to No Antibiotics Important To Human Medicine (NAIHM) starting in the spring of 2024.[64] In March 2024, Chick-fil-A announced it would depart from the company's previous commitment of using only "antibiotic-free" chicken.[65][66]

Removal of additives

In 2011, food blogger and activist Vani Hari noted that Chick-fil-A sandwiches contained nearly 100 ingredients, including peanut oil preserved with tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), made from butane.[67] In October 2012, Chick-fil-A invited Hari to meet with company executives at its headquarters.[68] In December 2013, Chick-fil-A said that it was removing high-fructose corn syrup and artificial dyes, and was testing a new peanut oil[needs update]. Chick-fil-A, like other companies, does not publicly announce such changes unless already in the news, because it focuses attention on these ingredients.[68]

International locations

Canada

 
Chick-fil-A at One Bloor in Toronto.

In September 1994, Chick-fil-A opened its first location outside of the United States inside a student centre food court at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta.[69] This location did not perform very well and was closed within two or three years.[citation needed] The company opened an outlet at the Calgary International Airport in Alberta in May 2014,[70][71] and closed it in 2019.[72][73]

Chick-fil-A opened a restaurant in Toronto, Ontario, on September 6, 2019, in the Yonge and Bloor Street area. There were protests criticizing the company's violation of animal rights and "history of supporting anti-LGBTQ causes".[74] Chick-fil-A announced that it would open two other locations in Toronto during 2019, and 12 additional stores in the Greater Toronto Area over the subsequent five years.[75] The chain's second Toronto location opened at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in January 2020.[76]

The company expanded to other areas of Ontario in 2021, opening standalone locations with drive-through restaurants in Kitchener in August, and Windsor in October.[77][78]

In 2024, the company opened a location in the Phase III food court of West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta.[79]

South Africa

In August 1996, Chick-fil-A opened its first location outside of North America by building a restaurant in Durban, South Africa.[80] A second location was opened in Johannesburg in November 1997.[81] Neither was profitable, and they were closed in 2001.[82]

United Kingdom

A Chick-fil-A operated in Edinburgh during Spring 2018.[83] On October 10, 2019, Chick-fil-A returned to Europe, with the opening of a store at The Oracle shopping centre in Reading, UK.[84] The store closed in March 2020 after The Oracle opted not to continue the lease of the location beyond the six-month pilot period in the face of continued protests over the chain's anti-LGBTQ stance.[85]

In February 2019, Chick-fil-A opened a store on a 12-month pilot scheme in Aviemore, Scotland. The store was closed in January 2020 amidst protest and controversy from locals and customers regarding the chain's former donations to charities supporting anti-LGBT rights causes. Chick-Fil-A said that they had always planned a short-term stay at the location.[86]

Later the company changed some policies, appointing its first head of diversity, in 2020, and focused its charitable activities on education and hunger alleviation rather than opponents of same-sex marriage. In September 2023 the company said that it planned to open five restaurants in the UK from early 2025, investing over $100M over the following ten years in the UK. The chain said that it would apply its charitable policies, including a $25,000 donation to a local organisation on opening a Chick-fil-A restaurant and donation of surplus food to local charitable causes, to its UK branches too.[87]

Puerto Rico

Chick-fil-A opened its first location in Puerto Rico in 2022 and has now expanded to seven restaurants[88] with the plan for up to 25 locations by 2030. The unique menu includes coffee 100% grown and roasted in Puerto Rico.

Expansion to Asia and Europe

Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy announced in March 2023 that it planned to open restaurants in both Asia and Europe by 2026, and was set to expand to a total of five overseas markets by 2030. The Wall Street Journal reported that it was seeking countries with "stable economies, dense populations, and a demand for chicken".[89]

Singapore

On 26 June 2024, Chick-fil-A held the event in Singapore, the first Asian country to open the restaurant.[90] On 17 October 2024, Chick-fil-A officially announced it would be opening in Singapore in late 2025, making the first Asian country to open the brand, and would be investing US$75 million into its first restaurant in the country for 10 years.[91]

Planned locations

In July 2018, Chick-fil-A announced it would be opening its first location in Hawaii in Kahului in early 2022, with additional locations in Honolulu and Kapoleo to follow.[92] The first Puerto Rican location opened on March 3, 2022, in Bayamón.[93]

Advertising

 
Chick-fil-A trucks displaying the "Eat Mor Chikin" slogan

"Eat Mor Chikin" is the chain's most prominent advertising slogan, created by The Richards Group in 1995.[9] The slogan is often seen in advertisements, featuring Holstein dairy cows[94] that are often seen wearing (or holding) signs that (usually) read "Eat Mor Chikin" in capital letters. The ad campaign was temporarily halted on January 1, 2004, during a mad cow disease scare, so as not to make the chain seem insensitive or appear to be taking advantage of the scare to increase its sales. Two months later, the cows were put up again.[citation needed] The cows replaced the chain's old mascot, Doodles, an anthropomorphized chicken that still appears as the C on the logo.[95][96]

Chick-fil-A vigorously protects its intellectual property, sending cease and desist letters to those they think have infringed on their trademarks.[97] The corporation has successfully protested at least 30 instances of the use of an "eat more" phrase, saying that the use would cause confusion of the public, dilute the distinctiveness of their intellectual property, and diminish its value.[98]

A 2011 letter to Vermont artist Bo Muller-Moore who screen prints T-shirts reading: "Eat More Kale" demanded that he cease printing the shirts and turn over his website.[99] The incident drew criticism from Vermont governor Peter Shumlin, and created backlash against what he termed Chick-fil-A's "corporate bullying".[100] On December 11, 2014, Bo Muller-Moore announced that the U.S. Patent Office granted his application to trademark his "Eat More Kale" phrase. A formal announcement of his victory took place on December 12, 2014, with Shumlin and other supporters on the Statehouse steps. His public fight drew regional and national attention, the support of Shumlin, and a team of pro-bono law students from the University of New Hampshire legal clinic.[101]

After 22 years with The Richards Group, Chick-fil-A switched to McCann New York in 2016. Along with the cows, ads included famous people in history in a campaign called "Chicken for Breakfast. It's not as crazy as you think."[102]

Chick-fil-A Classic
The Chick-fil-A Classic is a high school basketball tournament held in Columbia, South Carolina, featuring nationally ranked players and teams.[103][104] The tournament is co-sponsored by the Greater Columbia Educational Advancement Foundation (GCEAF), which provides scholarships to high school seniors in the greater Columbia area.[needs update]
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, first known as the Peach Bowl until 2006 and renamed Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in 2014, is a college football bowl game played each year in Atlanta, Georgia.[105]
Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game
The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game is an annual early-season college football game played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia; before 2017, it was played at the Georgia Dome. It features two highly ranked teams, one of which has always been from the Southeastern Conference. In the 2012 season and again in the 2014 season, the event was expanded to two games. It was also two games in 2017.[citation needed] On July 12, 2023, Georgia-based insurance company Aflac, became the new sponsor of the game.[106]

Controversies

Same-sex marriage

Main article: Chick-fil-A and LGBT people

Chick-fil-A has donated over $5 million, via the WinShape Foundation, to groups that oppose same-sex marriage.[107][108][109] In response, students at several colleges and universities worked to ban or remove the company's restaurants from their campuses.[110][111][112]

In June and July 2012, Chick-fil-A's chief operating officer Dan T. Cathy made several public statements about same-sex marriage, saying that those who "have the audacity to define what marriage is about" were "inviting God's judgment on our nation".[113] Several prominent politicians expressed disapproval.[114] Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Chicago Alderman Proco "Joe" Moreno said they hoped to block franchise expansion into their areas.[115] The proposed local bans drew criticism from liberal pundits, legal experts, and the American Civil Liberties Union.[116]

The Jim Henson Company, which had a Pajanimals kids' meal toy licensing arrangement with Chick-fil-A, said it would cease its business relationship, and donate the payment to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.[117] Chick-fil-A stopped distributing the toys, claiming that unrelated safety concerns had arisen prior to the controversy.[118] Chick-fil-A released a statement on July 31, 2012, saying, "We are a restaurant company focused on food, service, and hospitality; our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena."[119]

In response to the controversy, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee initiated a Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day movement to counter a boycott of Chick-fil-A launched by same-sex marriage activists. Many of the chain's stores reported record levels of customers that day.[120][121][122] The United States Federal Aviation Administration also responded to two cities that were preventing Chick-fil-A from opening in their international airport, citing "Federal requirements prohibit airport operators from excluding persons on the basis of religious creed from participating in airport activities that receive or benefit from FAA grant funding."[123]

In April 2018, Chick-fil-A reportedly continued to donate to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which opposes gay marriage.[9][124][125] In a November 18, 2019, interview, Chick-fil-A president Tim Tassopoulos said the company would stop donating to The Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.[126][127]

Drive-through traffic

The popularity of Chick-fil-A's drive-throughs in the United States has led to traffic problems, police interventions, and complaints by neighboring businesses in more than 20 states. The long drive-through lines have been reported to cause traffic backups, blocking emergency vehicles and city buses and increasing the risk of collisions and pedestrian injuries.[128][129][130]

Hapeville Dwarf House

Truett Cathy opened his first restaurant in 1946, The Dwarf Grill – later renamed the Dwarf House – in Hapeville, Georgia, and developed the pressure-cooked chicken breast sandwich there.[17] At the original Chick-fil-A Dwarf Grill, in addition to the full-size entrances, there is also an extra small-sized front door.[131]

The original Dwarf House in Hapeville, Georgia is open 24 hours a day, six days a week, except on Sundays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The store closes at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday nights, and the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas and reopens at 6 a.m. on Monday mornings and the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas. It has a larger dine-in menu than the other Dwarf House locations as well as an animated seven dwarfs display in the back of the restaurant.[131] It was across the street from the former Ford Motor Company factory called Atlanta Assembly.

Dwarf House

Opened in 1986, Truett's original, full-service restaurants offer a substantial menu and provide customers a choice of table service, walk-up counter service or a drive-thru window. There are currently five of the original eleven Chick-fil-A Dwarf House restaurants still operating in the metro Atlanta area, including Duluth, Riverdale, Jonesboro, Forest Park and Fayetteville.[17]

Truett's Grill

In 1996, the first Truett's Grill was opened in Morrow, Georgia. The second location opened in 2003 in McDonough, Georgia, and a third location opened in 2006 in Griffin, Georgia.[132] Similar to the Chick-fil-A Dwarf Houses, these independently owned restaurants offer traditional, sit-down dining and expanded menu selections in a diner-themed restaurant.[133][134][135] In 2017, Chick-fil-A demolished several Dwarf House locations to replace them with Truett's Grill locations.[136][137]

Truett's Chick-fil-A

Truett's Chick-fil-A is designed in honor of founder S. Truett Cathy. The restaurant is decorated with family photos and favorite quotes of the restaurant founder. The restaurant offers drive-thru, counter, and sit-down service for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are four locations including Newnan, Rome, Stockbridge, and Woodstock, Georgia.[138][139]

Truett's Luau

Truett Cathy visited Hawaii; at the age of 92 he opened Truett's Luau in Fayetteville, Georgia in 2013.[140] The menu includes island favorites with a southern US spin. The restaurant offers sit-down, counter and drive-thru service.

Dwarf House and Truett's Grill in Griffin, Georgia
  •  
    Chick-fil-a Dwarf House entrance, Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia
  •  
    Truett's Grill, 1455 N Express Way, Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia
  •  
    Chick-fil-a Dwarf House, Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia

Senior leadership

 
Chicken sandwich and waffle fries from Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A has been run by the Cathy family since the restaurant chain's founding in 1946; as of 2021 it was being led by the third generation of the Cathy family.[141]

List of chairmen

  1. S. Truett Cathy (1946–2013)
  2. Dan Cathy (2013– )

List of chief executives

  1. S. Truett Cathy (1946–2013)
  2. Dan Cathy (2013–2021)
  3. Andrew T. Cathy (2021– )

List of presidents

  1. Jimmy Collins (1968-2001)
  2. Tim Tassopoulos (2016-2023)

In 2018, the most-ordered item was the waffle fries, followed by soft drinks, chicken nuggets, and the original chicken sandwich.[142] Chick-fil-A's website lists all menu items and nutrition information.[143]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Number of Chick-Fil-A locations in the United States". ScrapeHero. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  2. ^ [1] Archived September 17, 2021, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ^ Ravneberg, Christi (June 25, 2019). "Inside Chick-fil-A's rise to 3rd-largest restaurant brand". Nations Restaurant News. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  4. ^ <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "Chick-fil-a about-us". Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  5. ^ Ravneberg, Christi (June 25, 2019). "Dominating the chicken market". Nations Restaurant News. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  6. ^ Beile, Kelly Anne (March 8, 2018). "Hurry to Chick-fil-A now for free breakfast". KFOX-TV. Archived from the original on June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  7. ^ "Chick-fil-A Operator Website - Home Page". www.cfarestaurant.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  8. ^ "Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich". Chick-fil-A. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Piepenbring, Dan (April 13, 2018). "Chick-fil-A's Creepy Infiltration of New York City". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on April 13, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018 – via www.newyorker.com.
  10. ^ a b Adkins, Cooper (November 6, 2019). "New Kanye West album shocks listeners". The Georgetonian. CXXXVIV (20): 8.
  11. ^ "About Chick-fil-A". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on January 11, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  12. ^ a b Meyer, Zlati (March 7, 2019). "Chick-fil-A serves up fish sandwiches for Lent, now through April 20". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Puhak, Janine (March 3, 2020). "Chick-fil-A brings back limited-edition fish sandwich for Lent". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  14. ^ Heil, Emily (November 18, 2019). "Chick-fil-A drops donations that angered LGBTQ groups, and conservative leaders cry betrayal". The Washington Post.
  15. ^ "Chick-fil-A Beats the Boycott The restaurant chain remains the most popular in America, despite political attacks". The Wall Street Journal. July 5, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  16. ^ "2023 QSR top 30 list of fast food chains by per-unit sales - Retail Watchers". www.retailwatchers.com. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  17. ^ a b c d e <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "Company Fact Sheet". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on November 11, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2012. Headquarters Chick-fil-A, Inc. 5200 Buffington Road Atlanta, GA 30349-2998
  18. ^ "Chick-fil-A's original Georgia restaurant reopens in Hapeville". Tomorrow's News Today. February 17, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  19. ^ Nickerson, Michelle & Dochuk, Darren (2011). Sunbelt Rising: The Politics of Place, Space, and Region. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 295. ISBN 978-0812243093. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  20. ^ "We Didn't Invent the Chicken, Just the Chicken Sandwich: Detailed trademark information from the official US federal trademark database (USPTO)". Markify. n.d. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  21. ^ "[Hungry for History] Chick-Fil-A Didn't Create the Fried Chicken Sandwich". Ebony. August 23, 2019. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  22. ^ McConnell, Akila Sankar (2019). A Culinary History of Atlanta. Arcadia Publishing. p. 114. ISBN 9781467141239.
  23. ^ Robinson, Steve (2019). Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A: How Faith, Cows, and Chicken Built an Iconic Brand. Thomas Nelson. p. 13. ISBN 9781400213191. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  24. ^ Grem, Darren (March 8, 2012). "The World of Chick-Fil-A and the Business of Sunbelt Evangelicalism". Southern Spaces. doi:10.18737/M7QW2S. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  25. ^ <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "North Druid Hills FSU". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  26. ^ Odesser-Torpey, Marilyn (n.d.). "Reaching Out to NASCAR Nation". QSR. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007.
  27. ^ "No Trans Fats on Chick-fil-A Menu". Quick Serve Restaurant. Vol. 24, no. 10. October 9, 2008. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  28. ^ Taylor, Kate (August 10, 2015). "The Country's Largest Chick-fil-A Will Open in New York City in October". Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on August 13, 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  29. ^ "Chick-fil-A opening its largest outpost in New York City". CBS News. October 2, 2015. Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  30. ^ "Serendipitous Sauce: The Chick-fil-A Sauce Story". Chick-fil-A. June 23, 2015. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  31. ^ LANCE-STAR, CATHY JETT THE FREE (August 15, 2019). "Discover magazine: Chick-fil-A's most popular sauce originated in Spotsylvania". Fredericksburg.com. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  32. ^ AOL Staff. "Chick-fil-A broke tradition and opened on a Sunday for the most heartwarming reason". AOL.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  33. ^ McKinley Corbley (January 16, 2019). "Chick-Fil-A Opened On a Sunday in Order to Grant the Birthday Wish of a Boy With Special Needs". GoodNewsNetwork. Archived from the original on January 23, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  34. ^ "Chick-fil-A tests its first plant-based sandwich". Associated Press. February 9, 2023.
  35. ^ Valinsky, Jordan (May 18, 2023). "Chick-fil-A's first-ever restaurant is closing". CNN. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  36. ^ a b c "Chick-fil-A's Lean Menu Helps Chain Bulk Up". The Wall Street Journal. May 8, 2019. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  37. ^ "Who We Are". Chick Fil A. Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  38. ^ a b "Chick-fil-A is dominating the fast-food industry in one key area and it reveals the secret to the chain's success". Business Insider. July 5, 2018. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019. Chick-fil-A's reliably impressive customer service scores have played a major role in the chain's explosive growth
  39. ^ "Study: Chick-fil-A Has the Most Satisfied Customers". SQR Magazine. June 2018. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  40. ^ "Company Fact Sheet". Chick-fil-A. n.d. Archived from the original on November 11, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  41. ^ Norman, Jan (August 7, 2012). "Franchises weather Chick-fil-A's controversy". The Orange County Register. p. Business 2. Archived from the original on March 9, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  42. ^ Magazine, Q. S. R. (August 1, 2023). "Ranked: The Top 50 Fast-Food Chains in America". QSR Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  43. ^ Taylor, Kate. "Chick-fil-A is the third-largest fast-food chain in America, and that should terrify Wendy's and Burger King". Business Insider. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  44. ^ Sugar, Rachel (December 20, 2018). "Chick-fil-A's controversial politics haven't stopped it from becoming one of the biggest fast-food chains in America". Vox. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  45. ^ Reiley, Laura (June 19, 2019). "Experts cite careful growth, strong customer service and an embrace of new technologies for the chicken chain's surge". The Washington Post.
  46. ^ Wiener-Bronner, Danielle (March 11, 2020). "Chick-fil-A will start selling bottles of its signature sauce | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  47. ^ Saxena, Jaya (March 11, 2020). "Chick-fil-A Will Sell Its Signature Sauce at Grocery Stores for DIY Chicken Sandwich Wars". Eater. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  48. ^ "You Can Finally Buy Chick-fil-A Sauce In More States". Delish. March 17, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  49. ^ Cherico, Rebecca (April 17, 2023). "Chick-Fil-A Is Sending Two More Sauces To Grocery Stores (And We Got The Merch)". Mashed. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  50. ^ "Chick-fil-A Salad Dressings Are Coming To A Store Near You". Delish. October 14, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  51. ^ "Chick-fil-A Salad Dressing Is Now Available In Grocery Stores". Southern Living. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  52. ^ "Chick-fil-A launches Bottled Salad Dressings nationwide". Chick-fil-A (Press release). May 11, 2023.
  53. ^ <!-not stated--> (March 10, 2010). "The World's Billionaires, No. 655 S. Truett Cathy". Forbes. Archived from the original on October 24, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  54. ^ "Executive Biographies: Dan T. Cathy, President and Chief Operating Officer". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  55. ^ Taylor, Kate. "Why Chick-fil-A will never go public". Business Insider. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  56. ^ Aarthun, Sarah (July 28, 2012). "Chick-fil-A wades into a fast-food fight over same-sex marriage rights". CNN.
  57. ^ "Chick-fil-A's Closed-on-Sunday Policy" (PDF) (Press release). Chick-fil-A. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  58. ^ "Chick-fil-A". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on June 1, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  59. ^ <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "About Truett". truettcathy.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  60. ^ Mabrey, Vicki & Marsh, Mary (September 23, 2009). "Nightline(ABC-TV) presents: Chik-fil-A Wins Customers ... by closing". ABC News. Archived from the original on December 28, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2010.
  61. ^ Wagner-McGough, Sean (August 16, 2017). "The Falcons' billion-dollar stadium will have a Chick-fil-A that's almost never open". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  62. ^ "What can I eat from Chick-fil-A restaurants during Lent?". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  63. ^ "Chick-fil-A to Serve Antibiotic-Free Chicken". Restaurant News. February 11, 2014. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  64. ^ a b "No Antibiotics Ever". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on August 8, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  65. ^ "Chick-fil-A is making a major change to its chicken, sparking backlash". TODAY.com. March 25, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  66. ^ Mather, Victor (March 25, 2024). "Chick-fil-A Modifies Its 'No Antibiotic' Chicken Policy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  67. ^ Choi, Candice (December 3, 2013). "Getting the dye out; Chick-fil-A cleans up buns and sauces". NBC News. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  68. ^ a b Strom, Stephanie (December 31, 2013). "Social Media as a Megaphone to Pressure the Food Industry". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  69. ^ Vesey, Susannah (August 25, 1994). "Outlet in Canada to open Sept. 8". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. F/3. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2018. In another new venture, Chick-fil-A will open its first Canadian outlet on Sept. 8 in the student center food court at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. The unit, which will serve a limited menu, will be run under a license agreement by the Canadian company Versa Services. Alternate link via NewsBank.
  70. ^ Robertson, Dylan (May 29, 2014). "U.S. fast-food chain Chick-fil-A opens Canadian franchise, talks down gay marriage controversy". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  71. ^ "YYC > Traveller Info > Shopping, Dining & Services > Dining". www.yyc.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  72. ^ Gladysz, Kayla (September 6, 2019). "Protesters surround opening of Chick-fil-A's first Canadian location". Daily Hive. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  73. ^ "Canada's first Chick-fil-A opens to protests over owner's record on gay issues". The Chilliwack Progress. September 6, 2019. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  74. ^ Warren, May (September 6, 2019). "Protesters rally at Chick-fil-A opening in Toronto over owner's record on LGBTQ issues". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on September 12, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  75. ^ Tobin, Ben (July 25, 2018). "Chick-fil-A starts its international expansion in Toronto next year". USA Today. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  76. ^ "Chick-fil-A is opening its second Toronto location next week". www.blogto.com. January 3, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  77. ^ "Chick-fil-A franchise to open in Kitchener on Saturday". Global News. August 3, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  78. ^ Saylors, Kathleen (October 29, 2021). "Chick-fil-A opens Windsor location with long lines and small protest". Windsor Star.
  79. ^ "Chick-fil-A opens West Edmonton Mall location". Edmonton. August 15, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  80. ^ "Business in brief - Chick-fil-A in Africa". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. July 13, 1996. p. C3. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2018. Chick-fil-A Inc. will open its first restaurant outside North America in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, next month. The Atlanta-based company said it granted DanCor Investments Pty Ltd., a family-owned South African company, exclusive rights to develop and operate 50 stores in southern Africa, of which 20 to 30 will be built in South Africa. Danie van den Heever, DanCor's founder and chairman, was named chief executive of Chick-fil-A Southern Africa, a new company formed to hold and operate the chicken franchise. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  81. ^ "Atlanta-Based Chick-Fil-A to Open Second South African Location". The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. October 11, 1997. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018 – via Highbeam Research.
  82. ^ "Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy regrets embroiling family chain in gay rights debate". Toledo Blade. March 30, 2014. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  83. ^ Murphy, Sean (April 24, 2018). "US restaurant chain Chick-Fil-A eye up Edinburgh following recent successful pop-up". Scotsman Food and Drink. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  84. ^ Hansen, James (October 14, 2019). "Cult-Followed Anti-LGBTQ Fried Chicken Restaurant Chick-fil-A Makes U.K. Debut". Eater London. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  85. ^ "Reading Chick-fil-A outlet to close in LGBT rights row". BBC. October 18, 2019. Archived from the original on October 19, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  86. ^ "Controversial fast-food chain Chick Fil A closes Scots outlet". STV News. January 21, 2020. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  87. ^ Hooker, Lucy (September 14, 2023). "Chick-fil-A to try again in UK four years after LGBT backlash". BBC News.
  88. ^ "Chick-fil-A Restaurants in Puerto Rico". July 25, 2024.
  89. ^ Haddon, Heather (March 13, 2023). "Chick-fil-A Wants to Serve Its Chicken Sandwiches in Asia and Europe". The Wall Street Journal.
  90. ^ "With no queue chaos, it was all smiles at Chick-fil-A's first Singapore pop up". The Straits Time. June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  91. ^ "American fast-food chain Chick-fil-A to open in Singapore in 2025". The Straits Time. October 17, 2024.
  92. ^ "Chick-fil-A is Coming to Hawaii". Chicken Wire. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  93. ^ "Chick-fil-A making a push into Puerto Rico". Food Business News. Archived from the original on December 29, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  94. ^ <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "Why does Chick-fil-A use dairy cows on its advertising?". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  95. ^ "20 Things You Didn't Know About Chick-fil-A". thedailymeal.com. The Daily Meal Staff. April 25, 2019. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  96. ^ Collier, Joe Guy (July 9, 2008). "Dress-as-a-cow day reflects Chick-fil-A's 'have fun' culture". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on July 14, 2008.
  97. ^ Pedicini, Sandra (May 13, 2010). "Chick-fil-A cries fowl over Eat More Produce". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  98. ^ Ring, Wilson (November 28, 2011). "Eat more kale: A David vs. Goliath fight with Chick-fil-A?". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on December 2, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  99. ^ Carapezza, Kirk (December 2, 2011). "In Vermont, Fighting for the Rights To 'Eat More'". Vermont Public Radio. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  100. ^ Bidgood, Jess (December 4, 2011). "Chicken Chain Says Stop, but T-Shirt Maker Balks". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  101. ^ Ring, Wilson (December 12, 2014). "Man celebrates his new 'eat more kale' trademark". WHDH. Archived from the original on December 12, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  102. ^ Wohl, Jessica (August 1, 2016). "No Sacred Cows: Why Chick-fil-A parted ways with The Richards Group after 22 years". Advertising Age. 87 (15): 18–20.
  103. ^ <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "Welcome to 8th Annual Chick-Fil-A Classic.com". Chick-fil-aclassic.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  104. ^ "GCEAF". Chick-Fil-A Classic. Archived from the original on March 31, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  105. ^ "Host Bowl of the College Football Playoff". Discover Atlanta. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  106. ^ Hansen, Zachary. "Aflac takes over title sponsorship of Kickoff game in Atlanta". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  107. ^ McWhirter, Cameron (July 27, 2012). "Chick-fil-A's Long Christian Heritage". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on August 5, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  108. ^ Winters, Rosemary (November 10, 2011). "Sugar House protesters say Chick-fil-A is anti-gay". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  109. ^ Boucly, Chris (July 24, 2012). "Gay youths plan protest against Chick-fil-A". The Orange County Register. Archived from the original on July 27, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  110. ^ Windmeyer, Shane L. (January 28, 2013). "Dan and Me: My Coming Out as a Friend of Dan Cathy and Chick-fil-A". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  111. ^ Schlanger, Zoë (March 5, 2012). "NYU Decided To Keep "Homophobic" Chick-fil-A Long Before Petition Launched". NYU Local. Archived from the original on September 8, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  112. ^ Rocheleau, Matt (February 28, 2012). "Northeastern cancels Chick-fil-A plans after student group denounces chain". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012.
  113. ^ Sources:
  114. ^ Lopez, Ricardo (July 26, 2012). "San Francisco is the third city to tell Chick-fil-A: Keep out". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 27, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  115. ^ Sources:
  116. ^ Drum, Kevin (July 26, 2012). "Rahm Emanuel Needs to Back Off on Chick-fil-A". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on July 27, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  117. ^ Sources:
  118. ^ Bartkewicz, Anthony (July 25, 2012). "Coincidence? Chick-Fil-A pulls Jim Henson toys". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  119. ^ Robinson, Steve (July 31, 2012). "Chick-fil-A Response to Recent Controversy". Chick-fil-A (Press release). Archived from the original on August 2, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  120. ^ Bingham, Amy (August 1, 2012). "Chick-Fil-A Supporters Gather for Appreciation Day". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  121. ^ Hsu, Tiffany (August 1, 2012). "Chick-fil-A fans and critics take to the streets". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 6, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  122. ^ Holpuch, Amanda (August 1, 2012). "Chick-fil-A appreciation day brings huge crowds to fast-food chain | Life and style |". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  123. ^ Gailey, Alex (May 29, 2019). "FAA launches religious discrimination investigation into Chick-fil-A's exclusion at U.S. airports". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  124. ^ Cruz, Maria (July 30, 2018). "Torontonians threaten to boycott conservative fast-food chain Chick-fil-A - Womens Post". Womens Post. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  125. ^ Israel, Josh (July 6, 2017). "Chick-fil-A is still bankrolling anti-LGBTQ causes". thinkprogress.org. Archived from the original on October 13, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  126. ^ Yaffe-Bellany, David (November 18, 2019). "Chick-fil-A Stops Giving to 2 Groups Criticized by L.G.B.T.Q. Advocates". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 20, 2019. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  127. ^ Brugh, Carter (November 18, 2019). "Exclusive: Chick-fil-A To Stop Donations To Charities With Anti-LGBT Views". Bisnow. Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  128. ^ Gibson, Kate (March 17, 2022). "California city may declare Chick-fil-A a "public nuisance"". CBS News. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  129. ^ Times Staff (March 15, 2022). "Chick-fil-A isn't the first to get backlash over a drive-through. It's a California tradition". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  130. ^ Russell, Stefene (March 17, 2022). "Here are the worst drive-thrus in Utah, according to you". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  131. ^ a b Bovino, Arthur (May 23, 2011). "Sandwich of the Week: Dwarf House Chick-fil-A, The Dwarf House in Atlanta – the original Chick-fil-A". The Daily Meal. Archived from the original on August 29, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  132. ^ <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "Truett's Grill". Truettsgrill.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  133. ^ <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "Chick-fil-A: Truett's Grill – Griffin". Cfarestaurant.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  134. ^ <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "Chick-fil-A: Truett's Grill – McDonough". Cfarestaurant.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  135. ^ <!-not stated--> (n.d.). "Chick-fil-A: Truett's Grill – Morrow". Cfarestaurant.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  136. ^ Campbell, Sarah Ray (April 1, 2017). "Chick-fil-A explains changes". The Newnan Times-Herald. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  137. ^ Staff Reports (May 16, 2017). "Chick-Fil-A Dwarf House to be Demolished, Popeyes Set to be Burger King". Coosa Valley News. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  138. ^ Parker, Joe Parker (October 1, 2021). "Chick-fil-A Truett's to open Thursday". Cherokee Tribune Ledger News. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  139. ^ "About Truett's Chick-fil-A". Chick-fil-A.
  140. ^ "We tried the 'Hawaiian Chick-fil-A' that's not actually a Chick-fil-A". USA TODAY. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  141. ^ Maze, Jonathan (September 16, 2021). "Dan Cathy steps down as Chick-fil-A CEO".
  142. ^ Lewis, Sabrina. "Chick-fil-A's most-ordered menu items of 2018". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  143. ^ "Chick-fil-A - Home of the Original Chicken Sandwich". Chick-fil-A. Archived from the original on April 5, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
 
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Fast food in North America.
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chick-fil-A.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chick-fil-A&oldid=1256174366"