Chick-fil-A’s roots have kept the company grounded throughout its journey of growth
In 1946, S. Truett Cathy opened a tiny diner called the Dwarf Grill (now known as The Dwarf House® restaurant) in Hapeville, Georgia. It was in this diner where Truett developed the signature original Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich and the quality service for which the family-owned business is known. Here’s a glimpse into the journey the company has gone on to get to where they are today.
How Chick-fil-A got started
It all started with a boneless chicken breast –hand-breaded, perfectly seasoned and pressure-cooked. Truett decided to serve the filet on a toasted, buttery bun with two pickle chips. Today, we still make the Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich the same way – and we still believe in serving great tasting food, made with quality ingredients and delivered with a warm smile.
The first Chick-fil-A® locations began in in shopping malls, with the first mall location opening in 1967 in the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta. The first standalone Chick-fil-A Restaurant was opened in 1986. Shortly after, the Dwarf House restaurant was opened, a replica of the Dwarf Grill and honors the legacy of the Chick-fil-A franchise.
Chick-fil-A today
The family-owned business grew well beyond its roots in Atlanta to now serving its signature brand of hospitality and food across the United States as well as in Canada, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Most Chick-fil-A® restaurants are locally owned small businesses, operated by independent franchised local Owner-Operators who are committed to serving their communities.
Many Operators and their Restaurants(s) support their communities by:
- Engaging with and supporting local communities through fundraisers
- Making charitable donations and getting involved with causes that matter to their communities and guests
- Supporting local schools and organizations.
- Investing in Team Members with opportunities for leadership roles and promotions that lead to management positions and respecting work-life balance (by closing on Sundays)
- Helping them earn college scholarships (Chick-fil-A, Inc has invested more than $215 million in college scholarships for Team Members since 1973).
Food made with care
Here are some ways we strive to provide top-quality food:
- All our chicken is real breast meat with no fillers or added hormones or steroids – in fact, no artificial or added hormones are allowed in the production of any poultry in the United States.
- Our chicken is hand-breaded in restaurant kitchens every day and is cooked in 100% refined peanut oil, which is trans-fat and cholesterol-free.
- Our Salads are prepared fresh daily from whole vegetables.
- Our fruit is delivered fresh to the restaurant up to six times a week.
What’s on the Chick-fil-A menu
At Chick-fil-A restaurants, we strive to offer a balanced menu that enables customers to make personal choices to accommodate their individual dietary preferences.
We tested more than 1,200 recipes over seven years to perfect our grilled chicken. We even invested $50 million to develop our own grill. The chicken is marinated in sea salt, lemon, garlic and savory herbs and then seared on cast-iron grates to give that smoky, backyard-grill taste. Over the years, we’ve evolved our grilled chicken sandwich options and added new grilled items such as Grilled Nuggets and the seasonal Grilled Spicy Deluxe Sandwich.
We’re constantly looking for new ways to offer more variety on our menu. From fan-favorite flavors that return seasonally, such as the festive Peppermint Chip Milkshake and the summertime Peach Milkshake, to limited-time offerings like the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich and the Pineapple Dragonfruit beverages. We are always working to diversify our menu offerings and elevate your experience at our restaurants.
Serving our communities
The True Inspiration Awards® program was established in 2015 to carry on Chick-fil-A Founder S. Truett Cathy’s legacy of generosity and community service. Since that time, 350 nonprofit organizations have received $33.8 million in grant funds.
Through the Chick-fil-A™ Community Scholars program, up to thirteen (13) $25,000 scholarships are awarded to leaders in our communities who want to continue learning, while also investing in their leadership development.
