Since 1973, Chick-fil-A has awarded more than $92 million in educational scholarships to nearly 60,000 Team Members
ATLANTA (March 9, 2020) – Chick-fil-A® will invest $17 million in restaurant Team Members’ college educations this year, awarding scholarships to 6,700 Team Members in 47 states. As part of Chick-fil-A’s Remarkable Futures education initiative, scholarships can be applied to any area of study at any accredited institution, and the scholarships further Chick-fil-A’s long-standing commitment to education and to helping Team Members achieve their academic dreams.
To celebrate, Chick-fil-A invited 12 Team Members to corporate headquarters on March 6 to surprise each with a $25,000 True Inspiration Scholarship. Throughout March, local Chick-fil-A franchise Operators will award $2,500 Leadership Scholarships to 6,688 Team Members.
Before our founder, Truett Cathy, began awarding scholarships in 1973 with a desire to incentivize Team Members to further their education, and that mission still holds true today,” said Dan Cathy, chairman and chief executive officer at Chick-fil-A. “Restaurant Team Members have a commitment to service that extends far beyond the walls of our restaurants, and our goal is to help these emerging leaders pursue their career aspirations inside and outside of our restaurants.”
Chick-fil-A’s scholarships initiative offers unique benefits to restaurant Team Members:
- Up-front payment: Chick-fil-A scholarships are awarded to recipients up front and can be directly applied to tuition costs, without requiring tuition reimbursement. This program is one of the highest unrestricted per-employee scholarship investments in the quick service restaurant industry.
- Applicable at any college or university: Scholarships can be applied in any area of study at any accredited institution of the Team Member’s choice, including any two- or four-year colleges and universities, online programs or technical/vocational schools.
- Employment requirements: There is no requirement of hours worked or length of service to qualify.
In a 2019 survey of scholarship recipients, 58% of Chick-fil-A restaurant Team Members stated their scholarship made it possible to attend college, with 17% being first-generation college students. Nearly 100% of the 2019 scholarship recipients surveyed said that scholarship opportunities are an important benefit to working at Chick-fil-A.
There are three ways Chick-fil-A Team Members can receive educational assistance through the Chick-fil-A scholarships:
- $25,000 Scholarship: This year, 12 restaurant Team Members will receive an individual, one-time $25,000 True Inspiration Scholarship, amounting to $300,000. Supported by their local Operator, Team Members who demonstrate financial need, academic achievement, leadership and community involvement are encouraged to apply. This year’s 12,679 applicants collectively volunteered more than 1.4 million hours in their communities within one year of the application.
- $2,500 Scholarship: In 2020, 6,688 Team Members will receive a $2,500 Leadership Scholarship for the upcoming academic year. Team Members may reapply for a potential total of $10,000 for college while working at a Chick-fil-A restaurant. For the first time, more than 150 Team Members were awarded a scholarship for the fourth year in a row.
- Educational Assistance Opportunities: In addition to scholarships, Chick-fil-A offers all 180,000 restaurant Team Members access to tuition discounts of up to 30% and other educational benefits at 115 colleges and universities across the country. The benefits can be combined with either of the above scholarships.
Since 1973, Chick-fil-A, Inc. has awarded more than $92 million in scholarships to nearly 60,000 Team Members. To be eligible for a scholarship or educational assistance, applicants must be employed by a Chick-fil-A franchise Operator, a Chick-fil-A, Inc.-operated restaurant or an S. Truett Cathy (STC) brand restaurant.
About Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is a family owned and privately held restaurant company founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. Devoted to serving the local communities in which its franchised restaurants operate, and known for its original chicken sandwich, Chick-fil-A serves freshly prepared food in more than 2,500 restaurants in 47 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada.
A leader in customer service satisfaction, Chick-fil-A was named top fast food restaurant in Newsweek’s 2019 America’s Best Customer Service report and received several honors in QSR’s 2019 Reader’s Choice Awards, including “The Most Respected Quick-Service Brand” and “Best Brand for Overall Experience.” Additionally, Glassdoor named Chick-fil-A one of the top 100 best places to work in 2020. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com.
Corporate Media Hotline: (800) 404-7196
Email: cfapressroom@chick-fil-a.com
