Chick-fil-A has blazed past competition to become the third biggest restaurant chain in the United States. Only behind McDonald’s and Starbucks, Chick-fil-A has recorded a 17 percent increase for the year according to Restaurant News’ latest countdown. Chick-fil-A’s growth comes as a standalone in the market, where most competitors are focusing on staying afloat.
What is Chick-fil-A doing differently? Despite its focus on consistent faith-based decision making, which has brought the company problems with the press, Chick-fil-A continues to provide a unique customer experience. For example, Chick-fil-A has opened around 100 new franchises since 2003, where each store offers the first 100 customers free Chick-fil-A for a year. On top of that, the Chick-fil-A stereotype is that their workers are the friendliest employees by far. On top of that, Chick-fil-A has been known to utilise technology to help streamline customer experience through initiatives like physically walking through the lines in busy drive-thrus and taking orders via iPad.
Chick-fil-A growth does not look as though it is slowing, either. The opening of a store in New York City in 2015 was met with critical success, and expansion continued to develop in the area. Furthermore, Chick-fil-A receives consistent interest from overseas to acquire the brand.
