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Fast-food chain Chick-fil-A's history dates back to the 1940s, when its founder S. Truett Cathy opened the Dwarf House. Two decades after introducing one of the country's first chicken sandwiches there, he used that recipe to open the first-ever Chick-fil-A in Atlanta in 1967.
Related: 5 Things You Need to Know Before Investing in a Chick-fil-A Franchise
It wasn't long before that Chick-fil-A skyrocketed in popularity. Today, the company generates more revenue per restaurant than any other fast-food chain. It's almost made its way into all 50 states, with only Hawaii, Alaska and Vermont without a location. It's also been reported that the company will likely become the third-largest fast-food chain within the next two years, surpassing Wendy's, Burger King and Taco Bell.
It's a growing phenomenon and there's much to learn from the chicken chain and all its success. For more, here are 25 crazy facts about Chick-fil-A.
1. Before Chick-fil-A, there was the Dwarf House.
Chick-fil-A didn't get its catchy name right off the bat. Before Chick-fil-A, there was the Dwarf House, which founder S. Truett Cathy opened in 1946 in Hapeville, Ga. Ironically, the Dwarf House's menu focused on hamburgers and steaks. There are still 12 Dwarf House restaurants across the U.S.
2. It was officially founded in 1967.
After much success with the Dwarf House, Cathy opened the first-ever Chick-fil-A in 1967 in Atlanta.
3. Chick-fil-A's founder popularized the chicken sandwich.
After the hamburger came the chicken sandwich, and Cathy might be to credit for its widespread popularity. In 1964, while at The Dwarf House, Cathy was approached by a local poultry supplier who'd produced too many chicken breasts. Taking the extra supply, Cathy came up with a fast-food cooking method to offer his lunch patrons a new option: the chicken sandwich.
Related: 5 Cues on Brand Loyalty You Can Take From Chick-fil-A
4. The "A" in "Chick-fil-A" has a meaning.
The "A" at the end of "Chick-fil-A" isn't just a play on the word "fillet." It also means Grade A.
5. All Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays.
According to the Chick-fil-A website, after Cathy's experience working in restaurants that were open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, he understood the importance of time off. That's why you'll never see a Chick-fil-A restaurant open on Sundays. As the website explains, Cathy set aside one day of the week for himself and his employees "to rest and worship if they choose."
6. The first 100 customers at a new Chick-fil-A restaurant get free Chick-fil-A for a year.
Dubbed the "First 100 Campout," Chick-fil-A encourages fans to camp out in front of its new locations the day before they open and promises to reward the first 100 customers free Chick-fil-A for a year.
7. Only three states don't have a Chick-fil-A restaurant.
Chick-fil-A has made its way into nearly every U.S. state. There are locations in 47 states, plus Washington D.C. The only states it has yet to set up in are Alaska, Hawaii and Vermont.
8. It has one Hawaiian-themed restaurant.
For a tropical twist, one of Chick-fil-A's largest restaurants is Hawaiian-inspired, called Truett's Luau and located in Fayetteville, Ga. The 8,000-square-foot dine-in restaurant offers an array of seafood, pork and chicken options.
9. Opening a Chick-fil-A franchise is cheap.
If you're interested in becoming a fast-food franchisee, but worried about what it might cost you, check out Chick-fil-A. There are little financial prerequisites needed to apply for a Chick-fil-A franchise, and opening a restaurant only costs $10,000. Not only that, but Chick-fil-A pays for all startup costs including real estate, construction and restaurant equipment.
10. It's extremely competitive to become a Chick-fil-A franchisee.
While opening a Chick-fil-A franchise might be cheap, the competition is high. The chain gets more than 20,000 franchisee applications a year and chooses only 75 to 80, according to Business Insider. That means you have less than a 1 percent chance of becoming a Chick-fil-A franchisee.
Related: Just How Much Does It Cost to Own a Fast-Food Franchise?
11. It's the largest buyer of Sunkist lemons in the world.
In 2014 alone, Chick-fil-A served 121 million cups of lemonade, using 250 million lemons, making it the largest purchaser of Sunkist lemons in the entire world. According to an earlier press release, in 2014, "[it] purchased more lemons from Sunkist than the entire country of Japan."
12. It's the largest buyer of peanut oil in the country.
It's not only breaking records when it comes to lemons, but peanut oil too. The ingredient behind Chick-fil-A's crispy chicken taste turns out to be peanut oil, and it's the largest domestic buyer of it. Chick-fil-A's culinary senior manager once explained in a press release: "I don't know what you'd call it -- serendipitous or magical -- but the peanut oil makes our chicken sandwich nearly impossible to replicate."
13. Chick-fil-A employees are extremely polite.
"Please" and "thank you" are common words you'll hear around Chick-fil-A restaurants. According to a 2016 annual drive-thru report by QSR Magazine, Chick-fil-A was voted the most polite chain restaurant. Compared to 15 other fast-food chains in the survey, employees at the chicken chain were voted the most likely to say "please" and thank you" to customers.
14. Its grilled nuggets took seven years and $50 million to create.
To get the recipe just right, it took Chick-fil-A lots of time and money to craft its Grilled Nuggets. In fact, it took a whopping seven years and $50 million. Much of that was spent by Chick-fil-A scientists creating a special grill just for the nuggets.
15. Its waffle fries are the most-ordered menu item.
While you might expect the chicken sandwich to be the most popular, it turns out the most-ordered menu item doesn't even have chicken in it. According to a Chick-fil-A press release, waffle fries are its most popular menu item.
16. The company will never go public.
Before Cathy passed away in 2014, he made his children sign a contract agreeing that Chick-fil-A will always remain a private company. However, he did agree that they could sell it if they wished.
17. Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwich recipe is locked up.
To make sure no one ever gets a hold of Chick-fil-A's secret chicken sandwich recipe, the company has locked it up in a vault at its headquarters in Atlanta.
Related: 7 Fast Food Restaurants That Feature Secret Menus
18. Chick-fil-A sauce is just a medley of other sauces.
Chick-fil-A's famous sauce is no secret. In fact, in a tweet, the company revealed its simple formula: a blend of honey mustard, barbecue and ranch.
19. The restaurants make their pickles on-site.
Every Chick-fil-A restaurant is responsible for making its own pickles, a process that takes three days and involves cutting up cucumbers and soaking them in brine for three days.
20. Chick-fil-A helps its employees go to college.
Cathy was always a big believer in higher education. Since 1973, Chick-fil-A has given more than $35 million in college scholarships to Chick-fil-A employees.
21. It has a secret menu.
Like a number of other fast-food chains, Chick-fil-A offers its own secret menu. Some of the tasty items on this hidden list include a double decker sandwich, cheese fries, a chicken quesadilla, lettuce-wrapped sandwiches and a rootbeer float.
22. It makes more money per restaurant than any other fast-food chain.
Chick-fil-A's popularity is sky-high. According to data from QSR Magazine, in 2017 alone its average sales per restaurant was about $4 million, compared to its competitor McDonald's, whose average was $2.6 million.
23. It's expected to become the third-largest fast-food chain.
By 2020, Chick-fil-A is expected to become the third-largest fast-food chain, surpassing Wendy's, Taco Bell and Burger King, according to a recent report by Buzzfeed.
24. Franchisees can only one operate one location.
One reason why it's so cheap to start a Chick-fil-A restaurant -- it only costs $10,000 -- is because the private restaurant chain is very specific about who can run one of the sandwich shops. It's very difficult to become a Chick-fil-A franchisee, or operator, and if you do, the company expects you to devote your time and effort to that store. In fact, according to AOL, an operator can only run one Chick-fil-A store at a time.
25. Chick-fil-A has a location inside a football stadium.
This is odd, of course, because Chick-fil-A locations stay closed on Sundays, when most football games take place. But as the company points out in a blog post, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta hosts about 100 events per years, giving customers plenty of opportunities to chow down on chicken sandwiches and fries.
To delve into Chick-fil-A's history and business model, it's important to recognize its inception and founder, S. Truett Cathy. The genesis of Chick-fil-A traces back to Cathy's entrepreneurial spirit in the 1940s when he established the Dwarf House, initially centered on hamburgers and steaks. It evolved to introduce the iconic chicken sandwich in 1964, revolutionizing fast-food offerings.
Chick-fil-A's nomenclature reflects more than a play on "fillet"; the appended "A" signifies Grade A quality, reflecting Cathy's commitment to excellence. Another notable facet is the company's closure on Sundays, a practice rooted in Cathy's beliefs about the importance of rest and worship.
The franchise's innovative marketing strategies, like the "First 100 Campout," illustrate its knack for fostering customer loyalty and engagement. Despite its meteoric rise in popularity and widespread presence across 47 states, Chick-fil-A maintains selective franchisee acceptance, receiving over 20,000 applications annually but approving only around 75 to 80 individuals.
Operational uniqueness further defines Chick-fil-A. It boasts being the largest purchaser of Sunkist lemons and domestic peanut oil, essential ingredients in its menu offerings. Moreover, the company's emphasis on politeness among employees and its investment in product development, exemplified by the seven-year, $50 million endeavor for Grilled Nuggets, underscores its commitment to quality.
Chick-fil-A's menu diversity, from signature waffle fries (the most-ordered item) to its secret menu options, resonates with customers. The company's stance on remaining privately held and safeguarding its recipes—locking up the chicken sandwich formula—distinguishes it in the competitive fast-food landscape.
Financially, Chick-fil-A's revenue per restaurant outpaces industry giants, with its average sales per outlet soaring to $4 million in 2017, dwarfing competitors like McDonald's. The company's projected ascent to become the third-largest fast-food chain by 2020, surpassing Wendy's, Taco Bell, and Burger King, speaks volumes about its growth trajectory.
Lastly, Chick-fil-A's unique presence, such as Truett's Luau in Fayetteville, Ga., showcases its adaptability while maintaining a stringent focus on operational standards, limiting franchisees to operating a single location and ensuring consistent quality.
In essence, Chick-fil-A's success is multifaceted, driven by its historical roots, innovative strategies, quality-centric approach, and unwavering commitment to its core values, which collectively position it as a thriving and unique entity in the fast-food industry.
