Kelsea Kregel
As a college student, eating in the school cafe can get old quickly. On days where the only food available is mysterious meat and unseasoned vegetables, I treat myself to a meal off campus. More often than not, I find myself at Chick-Fil-A (unless I’m having a typical late night study session and the only chain open is Taco Bell). Not only does Chick-Fil-A satisfy my desire for tasty food, but it is also relatively inexpensive, saving me a text from an angry mother complaining I’m spending too much money.
As college students, most are on a tight budget and try to find a quick fix to aid their hunger. Between juggling classes, work, athletics, and studying, it is difficult to find the time to cook a meal. Not to mention the limited resources if you live on campus. What’s the next best thing to do when you aren’t able to cook yourself a meal? You go buy one. As a college student on a budget, it can be difficult to find quality food for a low price. Chick-Fil-A makes a point to appeal to their customers. Not only is food reasonably priced, but they also have excellent customer service. They go out of their way to ensure the customer has an enjoyable experience and based on personal experience, the employees have always ensured I have everything I need refills, extra sauce, the whole 9 yards. They also make the experience more enjoyable with their friendly, well-known phrase “my pleasure”. There are several options to choose from on the menu (all chicken, of course) and an average meal costs $7. For the quality of food you are paying for, $7 is a steal. A meal includes a chicken entrée, a classic side, and a medium drink.
The company also prides itself in the quality of its products. This appeals to customers because no one wants to pay for low quality food. The chicken itself is 100% breast meat with no fillers or additives and is cooked with 100% refined peanut oil which is a healthier choice to use for their chicken. The chicken is hand breaded in their kitchens and salads are fresh and hand chopped. Lemonade is freshly squeezed and tea is freshly brewed. The company also draws in customers by annually participating in Cow Appreciation Day. Every July, Chick-Fil-A franchises across the nation gives customers a free meal if they come dressed as a cow. This is a costly event and the company loses thousands of dollars on this day alone.
It is no secret the company operates under strong political beliefs. The franchise is closed on Sundays to offer employees a day of worship. This is a tradition that has been around since the franchise was founded in 1967. Chick-Fil-A is one of a few American businesses that is closed on Sundays due to religious beliefs. The CEO of Chick-Fil-A has also vocalized his religious beliefs. Dan Cathy, son of the original founder, made comments that turned the company’s several franchises into a temporary battleground between those supporting the comments made by Cathy and those opposing the comments. Several LGBTQ supporters held “kiss-ins” in front of Chick-Fil-A restaurants across the country to protest the fast food chain. Others supported Cathy by supporting former governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee’s declaration of August 1st as Chick-Fil-A appreciation day in light of the recent turmoil.
However, Chick-Fil-A has recently supported a LGBTQ film festival recently. This wasn’t a corporate sponsorship, but a franchisee sponsorship, and the film festival “Level Ground” is a faith-based film festival whose mission statement reads “Our mission is to create safe space for dialogue. We create the best and brightest minds to help us think through what’s happening in the world of faith, gender, and sexuality, and more importantly, how to talk about it.” Chick-Fil-A’s Christian values sets them apart from other fast food chains.
Chick-Fil-A is a successful fast food chain and is admirable due to its strong business model. According to the Journal of Law and Politics, the average individual Chick-Fil-A franchisee annually brings in roughly 2.7 million a year while it’s closest competitors McDonald’s and Panera annually brings in 2.4 and 2.2 million. Remember, Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays. This is a religious practice, but the reason this proves Chick-Fil-A has an excellent business model is because the company loses 1/7 of all potential sales by closing once a week. Yet, they still manage to bring in millions of dollars and keep up with top competitors.
Chick-Fil-A is one of the most successful fast food chains in the United States and there is no doubt they are a top competitor for many businesses. Their strong business model and their emphasis on customer satisfaction makes them an admirable and successful company. Chick-Fil-A offers customers more than just a meal, they offer customers an enjoyable experience leaving college students very satisfied.