Living in the Atlanta, Georgia area, one of the more popular fast food choices around is Chick-fil-a. While this chain has spread and opened some locations across the United States, it got its start in Georgia. In the Atlanta area, Chick-fil-a has as many individual locations as some of the big burger chains. There are some interesting facts about Chick-fil-a that set this company apart from many other big chain restaurants. Whether or not you support the company and its founder’s beliefs, you have to admire how the company has flourished—without backing down. As you attempt to grow your business, consider taking a lesson from Chick-fil-a on how to build an “empire” without compromising your principles. The facts below show you the ways in which Chick-fil-a is not afraid to be different from the competition.
- Chick-fil-a is Closed on Sunday – Today, more companies are operating longer hours, fuller work weeks and even staying open for holidays. CFA is an exception to this rule. Every Chick-fil-a store is closed on Sunday. Founder Truett Cathy believes that his employees need a day to spend with their family, relaxing or attending church. Despite being open only six days compared to most fast food restaurants being open seven, store revenues remain high.
- Chick-fil-a Supports Community – Something you will notice upon visiting any Chick-fil-a restaurant is that there is a large amount of community support happening. The restaurants host school spirit nights, hold fundraisers and even create events to encourage the community to come together. While the community benefits, so does the company—these events bring in a large amount of traffic.
- Chick-fil-a Cares – Most CFA restaurants have programs in place to provide free or highly discounted food item to police officers, firefighters and other community service members. This does result in some food going out the door for “free”, but the company benefits when these people bring a friend to dine too. An added benefit for the stores is that often the police will keep a close eye on the store too. This is free security that is better than anything money can buy.
- Chick-fil-a is Friendly – One of the first things you will notice about Chick-fil-a is that the staff is very friendly. The company pays a bit more than other fast food restaurants and has a strong tradition of promoting within. These benefits allow the company to attract the best possible employees. The company also encourages (read: requires) a level of friendliness from staff members that is far above other fast food restaurants.
As you can see, Chick-fil-a is not afraid to be different and these differences have paid off. No matter if you own a small or large business, you can take a page from Chick-fil-a’s playbook and strive to be your best—without backing down from your beliefs. Stand behind the principles you hold while you start your business, whether you sell tasty food, hire content writers, repair roofs or sell trendy clothes. You will find that not only does your company grow, but also it grows into something you can feel good about owning.
Tracy S is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
