Sunday closure

The founder's beliefs are responsible for the chain's most well-known and distinctive feature: in
accordance with the Christian doctrine of first-day Sabbatarianism, all Chick-fil-A locations (both
corporate owned and franchised) are closed on Sundays,[9][45] as well as
on Thanksgiving and Christmas.[46] Cathy states as the final step in his Five-Step recipe for Business
Success "I was not so committed to financial success that I was willing to abandon my principles and
priorities. One of the most visible examples of this is our decision to close on Sunday. 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."[47]
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." The younger Cathy also quoted his father as saying, "I don't want to ask people to do
that what I am not willing to do myself."[48]
Chick-fil-A's Sunday closures extend to non-traditional locations. In addition to countless shopping
malls and airports, a Chick-fil-A location at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is closed on Sundays
despite the fact that its main tenant, the Atlanta Falcons, plays most of their home games on
Sundays. The location is open when the Falcons have a Monday night, Thursday night or Saturday
home game, as well as non-Sunday home games of Atlanta United FC and other events at the
stadium. The Chick-fil-A remained closed for Super Bowl LIII. On Sundays, the digital signs are
flipped and concessionaire Levy Restaurants sells nonbranded food and drinks at the location. [49]

Lenten observance
To honour the Western Christian liturgical season of Lent, Chick-fil-A promotes fish sandwiches in
respect of the fact that this part of the Church Year is associated with the Friday Fast, with many
practicing Christian vegetarianism throughout all the forty days of Lent. [11][12]

Serving chicken without antibiotics

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), antibiotics used in livestock, many of which
are also used to treat humans, have contributed to the rise of dangerous bacteria. In December
2012, the FDA announced plans to phase out certain antibiotics in the food production industry. [50]
In February 2014, Chick-fil-A announced plans to serve chicken raised without antibiotics in its
restaurants nationwide within five years. Chick-fil-A was the first quick service restaurant to set forth
a plan and commit to serving only poultry raised without antibiotics. [51] They achieved this goal in May
2019.[52]

Recipe changes
In 2011, food blogger and activist Vani Hari wrote a post titled "Chick-fil-A or Chemical Fil-A?" on her
website, FoodBabe.com. She asserted that Chick-fil-A sandwiches contained nearly 100 ingredients,
including peanut oil with TBHQ.[53] In October 2012, Chick-fil-A invited Hari to meet with company
executives at its headquarters.[54] In December 2013, Chick-fil-A notified Hari that it had eliminated
the dye Yellow No. 5 and had reduced the sodium content in its chicken soup. The company also
said that it is testing a peanut oil that does not contain TBHQ and that it would start testing sauces
and dressings made without high-fructose corn syrup in 2014.[54][needs update]
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
center food court at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.[55] This location did not
perform very well and was closed within two or three years. [citation needed] The company returned to the
province of Alberta by opening an outlet at the Calgary International Airport in Calgary in May 2014.
[56][57]
 This restaurant closed in 2019.[58][59]
In July 2018, Chick-fil-A announced plans to expand within Canada by opening a new restaurant
in Toronto, Ontario, in 2019.[60] That location opened on September 6, 2019 in the Yonge and Bloor
Street area, marked by protests criticizing the company's violation of animal rights and "history of
supporting anti-LGBTQ causes".[61] 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.[62] The chain's second Toronto location opened at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in January
2020.[63]
The company expanded to other areas of Ontario in 2021, opening standalone locations with drive-
thrus in Kitchener and Windsor, in August and October respectively.[64][65]

South Africa
In August 1996, Chick-fil-A opened its first location outside of North America by building a restaurant
in Durban, South Africa.[66] A second location was opened in Johannesburg in November 1997.
[67]
 Since neither of the South African locations was profitable, both of these locations were closed in
2001.[68]

United Kingdom
A Chick-fil-A operated in Edinburgh during Spring 2018.[69] On October 10, 2019, Chick-fil-A returned
to Europe, with the opening of a store at The Oracle shopping centre in Reading, UK.[70] 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. [71]
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. The reason
for closing however was not the controversy (only 1,000 signatures were gained in a petition) but
the pop-up nature of the experiment and the competition from more established outlets. [72]
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. [73] In December 2020, it was
announced the company would open a new location in Puerto Rico.[74] The first Puerto Rican location
opened on March 3, 2022 in Bayamón.

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.[8] The slogan is often seen in advertisements, featuring Holstein dairy cows[75] that are often
seen wearing (or holding) signs that (usually) read "Eat Mor Chikin" in all 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 who still appears as the C on the logo. [76][77]
Chick-fil-A vigorously protects its intellectual property, sending cease and desist letters to those they
think have infringed on their trademarks.[78] 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. [79]
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. [80] The incident drew criticism
from Vermont governor Peter Shumlin, and created backlash against what he termed Chick-fil-A's
"corporate bullying."[81] 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. [82]
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." [83]

Sponsored events
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.[84][85] 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.
[86]

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.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Challenge
The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Challenge is a premier head coach and celebrity pro-am held
each April at Reynold's Plantation on Lake Oconee. [citation needed]

Same-sex marriage controversy

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.[87][88][89] In response, students at several colleges and
universities worked to ban or remove the company's restaurants from their
campuses.[90][91][92]
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".[93] Several prominent politicians expressed disapproval. [94] Boston
Mayor Thomas Menino and Chicago Alderman Proco "Joe" Moreno said they hoped
to block franchise expansion into their areas.[95] The proposed bans drew criticism
from liberal pundits, legal experts, and the American Civil Liberties Union.[96] 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.[97] Chick-fil-A stopped
distributing the toys, claiming that unrelated safety concerns had arisen prior to the
controversy.[98] 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." [99]
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.[100][101][102] 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." [103]
In April 2018, Chick-fil-A reportedly continued to donate to the Fellowship of
Christian Athletes, which opposes gay marriage. [8][104][105] 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. [106][107]
Related restaurants
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.[14] At the original Chick-fil-A Dwarf Grill, in addition to the full-
size entrances, there is also an extra small-sized front door. [108] 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. [108] 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 6 Chick-fil-A Dwarf House restaurants were operating in the
metro Atlanta area, including Duluth, Riverdale. Woodstock, Jonesboro, Forest Park
and Fayetteville.[14]

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.[109] 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. [110][111][112] In 2017, Chick-fil-A demolished several Dwarf
House locations to replace them with Truett's Grill locations. [113][114]

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. The restaurant offers
breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are three locations including Newnan, Rome and
Stockbridge Georgia.[citation needed]