RISE - Menu Monitor

Chick-fil-A
Headquarters
5200 Buffington Rd., Atlanta, Georgia 30349 USA
Tel: (404)765-8038 Fax: (404)765-8971
www.chick-fil-a.com
Ownership: Private
Segment: Limited Service Chicken
System Characteristics 2006 2005 2004
U.S. Systemwide Sales ($000) 2,275,000 1,975,000 1,746,398
Company-owned ($000) 1,960,000 1,690,000 1,466,975
Franchised ($000) 315,000 285,000 279,423
U.S. Number of Units 1,295 1,237 1,191
Company-owned 1,090 1,039 991
Franchised 205 198 200
International Sales ($000) - - -
International Units - - -
Average Sales/Unit ($000) 1,795 1,645 1,677
Concept Positioning |
Chick-fil-A operates a chain of limited-service chicken restaurants, specializing in breaded chicken breast sandwiches, wraps,
strips, nuggets and salads. Food at Chick-fil-A units is prepared almost exclusively from scratch at the unit each day.
Operators may experiment with new items, subject to corporate approval. Regional tastes also may vary the moderately priced
menu. Chick-fil-A appeals to a wide demographic of diners, from teens and adults to families with children. Its quick-service
format draws customers on-the-go, typically shoppers, due to the chain’s presence in and around major suburban retail
properties. Chick-fil-A Inc. owns the chain and operates a mix of corporate and franchised stores. While the majority of units
are company-owned, Chick-fil-A is offering licenses and profit-sharing options to franchisees.
Most stores are located in shopping malls. Several size prototypes are used with the average measuring 1,410 sq. ft. An ideal
size is 1,600 sq. ft. with a 50-seat dining area. In malls with more than 1 million sq. ft., the 1,800-sq.-ft. store, seating 72
customers, is frequently used. Units have little storage space; deliveries of supplies are accepted daily or three times a week.
New freestanding units, with 3,600 sq. ft. and seating for 90, feature a natural light core with an inside playground and a drivethru
window. The company also has a double drive-thru prototype for freestanding units. The company has begun an
aggressive expansion in nontraditional markets including college campuses, school lunch programs, supermarkets, hospitals,
airports, etc., whether the unit is freestanding or kiosk and cart operations.
CFA also operates Chick-fil-A Dwarf House restaurants, a family-dining concept that has often served as the testing ground for
Chick-fil-A operations. A gradual expansion of the concept began in mid-1991. Units offer all the menu items available at
Chick-fil-A units as well as specialties like Hot Brown, a chicken casserole topped with cream sauce, bacon strips and paprika,
burgers, steak and made-to-order breakfast combinations.
S. Truett Cathy, the operator of a chain of Dwarf House coffee shops outside of Atlanta, introduced Chick-fil-A's signature item
at the 1962 Southern Hotel and Restaurant Convention. Its first chain location opened in 1967 in Atlanta. In 1997, the
company opened its first Truett’s Grill, a 50's-themed concept located in Morrow, GA. It was named in honor of Cathy and his
50 years in the restaurant business. Chick-fil-A has targeted central Florida and the western U.S. as its two top growth
markets, with an expansion goal of 65–70 new units in these areas.
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