Religion is at the core of the Chick-fil-A business model because the fast-food restaurant chain’s founder was a Baptist who claimed that profit wasn’t so important to him to abandon his beliefs.
As a result, all franchise restaurants are closed on Sundays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas so their employees can attend mass or spend holidays with their families.
The Chick-Fil-A mission statement is ‘to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A’ hasn’t changed since 1982.
Staying loyal to the ideas behind its corporate purpose has been Chick-fil-A’s main priority and helped forge its identity.
The statement reflects the company’s orthodox views and corporate culture, but it offers little insight into how Chic-fil-A intends to fulfill its purpose.
Let’s look over the messages that the Chick-fil-A mission statement sends to its target audience.
| Name | Chick-fil-A, Inc. |
| Founded | May 23, 1946, Hapeville, Georgia (as Dwarf Grill) |
| Headquarters | 5200 Buffington Road, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Market cap | Not available, privately owned company |
Chick-fil-A – In-Depth Analysis
Samuel Truett Cathy started the Dwarf Grill restaurant in an Atlanta suburb in 1946, six years after the McDonald brothers opened their first restaurant in California and a few decades before the first Subway restaurant opened its doors.
Unlike McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A remains a family-owned company, as its current chairman and CEO, Dan Cathy, is Samuel Cathy’s son.
Moreover, the company’s executive vice president Donald Cathy and the brand ambassador Trudy Cathy White are also Samuel’s children. They continue running the fast-food chain in accordance with their father’s principles.
Hence, honoring their father’s legacy is also a part of the company’s mission, which also includes the following elements:
- Serving customers with care and affecting their lives
- Running the business based on biblical principles
- Remain the nation’s favorite fast food restaurant
Even though it stays true to its roots, the company keeps up with the times by incorporating online orders and introducing an organic menu.
Serving Customers with Care and Affecting Their Lives
The company’s restaurant network extends over 47 states, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, and South Africa. Each restaurant upholds the brand’s service standards by offering the same menus and excellent customer service.
Chick-fil-A was voted America’s fast food chain with the best customer service for four years in a row because of its hospitable employees.
The brand’s recent growth was fueled by customer satisfaction, as its 81.86 Reputation Quotient is one of the highest in the industry. Aside from innovative marketing strategies, the company’s menu is its main driving force in attracting and retaining customers.
Although the company extended and modernized its menu over the years, all Chick-fil-A restaurants have the famous chicken sandwich that is still one of the most popular items on the menu.
Waffle fries, chicken nuggets, and spicy chicken sandwiches are also among the reasons why Chick-fil-A has a loyal customer base.
Running a Business Based on Biblical Principles
As a devout Baptist, Samuel Truett Cathy shaped his business model in accordance with religious views.
He reached this decision in 1946, soon after opening his first fast-food restaurant, as he realized that running a business 24 hours a day, seven days a week, left no time for rest or worship.
More than half a century later, all Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays in order to allow their employees to honor God and spend time with their families. Moreover, the fast food chain is famous for playing Christian music at all its locations and serving fish sandwiches during the Lent season.
Adhering to religious beliefs has made Chick-fil-A appealing to its primary target groups as the restaurants mainly attract families and churchgoers.
In recent years, the company made efforts to extend its target audience by including organic and vegetarian options on its menu.
Keeping the Title of the Nation’s Favorite Fast Food Restaurant
Judging solely by the annual revenue McDonald’s is the most popular fast food chain in the United States, as the company grossed over $46 billion in 2021. That’s almost three times more than Chick-fil-A’s sales income in the same period.
However, the company’s revenue streams have been steadily rising since 2017, making it America’s third most profitable fast food restaurant chain. It’s also worth adding that an average annual revenue of a single Chick-fil-A restaurant is around $5 million.
Most of the brand’s competitors, like Chipotle or Burger King, aren’t primarily chicken fast food restaurants.
The numbers indicate that Chick-fil-A is already the nation’s favorite chicken fast food restaurant as it generates significantly more revenue than KFC of Church’s Chicken.
The company’s customer-oriented mission statement suggests that the franchise intends to maintain the current growth trend by focusing on serving delicious food to its customers at home and abroad.
Chick-fil-A – Vision Statement
Despite being scrutinized for its same-sex marriage views, Chick-fil-A insists on being a cohesive force within the communities it serves. Hence, the company’s vision revolves around the care for the customers and the planet.
Nonetheless, the company doesn’t have a clearly outlined vision statement. Instead, its plans for the future are embodied in the following quote from the company’s founder:
‘I have always found more joy in giving when I did not expect anything in return.’
The so-called ‘Giving Philosophy’ serves as the company’s guideline that provides an insight into its short and long-term goals.
Moreover, running the company in accordance with S. Truett Cathy’s principles remains a top priority for his children.
Chick-fil-A promotes inclusion, equality, and diversity through a wide range of programs and initiatives. It supports nonprofit organizations and their employees by enabling them to work towards achieving their dreams.
Here’s a quick overview of the franchise’s plans for the future.
Creating Opportunities for Employees
Chick-fil-A’s founder launched the Remarkable Futures Scholarship initiative in 1973 to help his employees pursue a college education.
Decades later, this initiative is a cornerstone of the company’s efforts to provide its employees with opportunities to build successful careers.
In addition, Chick-fil-A’s partnership with Scholarship America ensures the company’s employees can receive tuition discounts, making it easier for the team members to enroll in a college or university they choose.
Employees must work at a Chick-fil-A restaurant for at least twelve months before they can apply for True Inspiration or Leadership scholarships.
Supporting Communities through the Network of Locally Owned Restaurants
The company’s network spans over 47 states, Canada, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom and it includes more than 2,800 restaurants.
In 2021, Chick-fil-A restaurants opened at 150 new locations, and the company announced partnerships with sixty new operators.
Operators have the freedom to choose how they want to support the local community, as they can organize events to help army veterans or promote family values.
Restaurant owners can also donate to the company’s nationwide initiatives aimed at high school students or disadvantaged communities. Chick-fil-A restaurant operators can also nominate local nonprofits for True Inspiration grants.
This program is available to organizations in US and Canada that work to improve the living conditions in impoverished neighborhoods, provide education opportunities or deal with environmental issues.
Combating Hunger
More than 1,300 Chick-fil-A restaurants donate food to soup kitchens and shelters that deliver meals to families below the poverty threshold.
The Chick-fil-A Shared Table program was launched in 2012, and since then, it has created more than 15 million meals for communities in Canada and United States. Besides fighting hunger, the program also reduces food waste and lowers the company’s environmental footprint.
Extending the reach of its Shared Table program by involving more restaurant operators is one of the company’s key goals for the future. The company also hopes to establish lasting relationships with local communities through this program.
Delicious and Responsibly Sourced Food
Free-range chicken, cage-free eggs, and locally grown fruits and vegetables are a part of Chick-fil-A’s efforts to deliver healthy and tasty food to its customers.
The ‘No Antibiotics Ever’ policy ensures the company adheres to the ‘Animal Wellbeing Standards’ and guarantees that the food at all Chick-fil-A locations is healthy.
Chick-fil-A Core Values
The company’s purpose, vision, and values are based on the Cathy family’s religious beliefs. All new operators and team members have to align the company’s philosophy and rules to become a part of the organization.
Chick-fil-A’s culture is built on the following principles:
- We’re here to serve
- We’re purpose driven
- We’re better together
- We pursue what is next
Let’s take a quick look at the company’s core values.
We’re Here to Serve
Providing the best possible service to all its customers is the company’s top priority. Besides serving customers, operators and team members should also do everything in their power to serve and support their communities.
We’re Purpose Driven
Staying in touch with the latest market developments and implementing them into the company’s day-to-day operations has enabled Chick-fil-A to become one of the largest fast food franchises in the United States.
Moreover, being purpose-driven allowed the company to make a positive impact on the lives of its customers and employees.
We’re Better Together
Chick-fil-A promotes a culture of collaboration and inclusion by encouraging all its employees to work together. The company condemns all forms of workplace discrimination and celebrates diversity and equal access to career opportunities.
We Pursue What’s Next
The ability to adapt to the shifting market conditions has made Chick-fil-A a fast food industry giant. In addition, the company’s willingness to pursue what’s next has enabled it to stay in touch with its customer base and cater to their needs.
Key Takeaways
- Chick-fil-A’s mission statement is based on the founder’s religious views
- Even though the company doesn’t have a vision statement, its philanthropic efforts show determination to tackle some of the biggest problems communities in the United States, and Canada are facing
- The company’s purpose doesn’t reveal its business model. Still, it suggests that Chick-fil-A doesn’t value profit more than its customers.
- Donating surplus food to shelters and charities is consistent with the company’s mission to have a positive influence on the lives of its customers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chick-fil-A Mission Statement
Question: Does Chick-fil-A have a catchphrase?
Answer: All employees respond with ‘my pleasure’ to customer requests. The company prints this catchphrase on its souvenirs.
Question: Can I Buy Chick-fil-A Stock?
Answer: Chick-fil-A is a privately owned company, and its stocks aren’t available to the public.
Question: What is the Most Popular Item on Chick-fil-A’s menu?
Answer: The most popular items on Chick-fil-A’s menu are waffle potato fries, chicken nuggets, and chicken sandwiches.
Question: Is Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Pressure Cooked?
Answer: The chicken at Chick-fil-A is first dipped in milk and egg wash and breadcrumbs and then pressure cooked in peanut oil.
Question: Does Chick-fil-A Have a Delivery Service?
Answer: None of the franchise’s restaurants have their own delivery service. However, the company collaborates with Uber Eats, Postmates, Grubhub, and other delivery services with national coverage.
Other Companies with Similar Values
Aside from McDonald’s and Starbucks, no other restaurant chain in the US generates higher revenues than Chick-fil-A.
Unlike most fast food franchises, Chick-fil-A is a privately-owned company that built its culture on Christian values, which makes its business model unique. I’ve listed some of the nation’s most popular fast food restaurants, so here’s a quick overview of their values.
- Kentucky Fried Chicken: Serving tasty food and inspiring its customers to be the best versions of themselves are some of KFC’s core values.
- Church’s Texas Chicken: Even though its headquarters are no longer based in Texas, Church’s Texas Chicken remains dedicated to ‘bringing people together to savor the authentically unique flavor of Texas.’
- Popeyes: Arguably the best chicken fast food restaurant chain in the United States, Popeyes has built its reputation by preserving the company’s heritage.
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References
- https://www.businessinsider.com/chick-fil-a-best-customer-service-in-fast-food-2019-6?IR=T
- https://www.qsrmagazine.com/reports/2022-qsr-50-industrys-leading-annual-report
- https://www.entrepreneur.com/living/25-interesting-facts-you-should-know-about-chick-fil-a/311452
- https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/09/business/chick-fil-a-my-pleasure/index.html
- https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/8-success-lessons-entrepreneurs-can-learn-from-chick-fil-a/322793
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