From Restaurant events to a catered congressional salute on the Hill
It’s been a longstanding tradition for local Chick-fil-A Owner-Operators to show their support of veterans, active-duty military and those who have honorably served by hosting a Military Appreciation Night in May. Celebrated at more than 90 participating locations, Owner-Operators provide a complimentary meal to these groups and their families to thank them for their service.
This year, Restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area took it a step further, participating in two special events on top of the annual Military Appreciation Night.
Veterans Honored in Arlington
George Demetriades, Jr., local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Crystal City and Chick-fil-A Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia, distributed meals to visiting veterans through Honor Flight Network flying in and out of Reagan National Airport. These vets from Wisconsin, Texas, North Carolina and other states visited area memorials to pay their respects, including the Iwo Jima Memorial, the Air Force Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
Georgia’s Congressional Delegation Sponsors Event on Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C. Owner-Operator Deeben “DK” Kang held a special lunchtime event at Rayburn House Office Building, bringing together veterans, active-duty personnel, employees of veteran service organizations (VSOs) and congressional staff for a panel discussion. The Georgia Congressional Delegation hosted this gathering on the Hill, which highlighted military-to-civilian leadership transitions.
DK, who served five years in U.S. Army counterintelligence and 18 years as a Sergeant with the U.S. Capitol Police, opened Chick-fil-A 7th Street in Chinatown in 2023. As one of the panelists, he shared how military service prepared him as to be an entrepreneur with Chick-fil-A.
“During my time on Capitol Hill, I’ve gotten to know some incredible veterans,” said DK. “I’ve also met other Chick-fil-A Owner-Operators with fascinating military backgrounds, so this event seemed like a wonderful way to celebrate the honor of service—something at the core of Chick-fil-A’s identity.”
Other panelists included:
- Mike Athanasakis, a former U.S. Special Operations Force helicopter pilot and local
Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Chantilly Air and Space (Chantilly, VA). - Mayrin Munguia, a former Air Force officer and local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Kentlands Square (Gaithersburg, MD).
- Daniel English, General Manager at Chick-fil-A 7th Street, who will soon become a Judge Advocate General (JAG Officer), handling legal matters for the Marines following his graduation from law school.
“There are a lot of lessons from the military that carry over into a career as a local Chick-fil-A
Owner-Operator,” said DK. “Leadership, organizational skills and a heart that drives you to care for others all come into play.”
How the military connection began
Chick-fil-A’s founder, S. Truett Cathy, started the company following his Army service during World War II. He often reflected on how the military taught him about structure, respect and doing tasks “the right way every time.” All of these lessons found their way into Chick-fil-A’s culture and high operational standards.
The tradition of Chick-fil-A restaurants hosting Military Appreciation Nights began over a decade ago in San Diego and expanded across the company. Over the years, local Owner-Operators in the D.C. market have provided more than 145,500 complimentary meals to veterans, active-duty military, those who have honorably served and their family members.
Read more about how Chick-fil-A honors military service here.
