Chick-fil-A

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Showing 1–14 of 14 articles

Operations & Management

Faster pickup handoffs led drive-thru gains in 2026 study

Faster pickup handoffs led the study’s service-time gains. Dunkin’ and Chick-fil-A examples show how kitchen work and lane design connect.

OCT 7, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

People & Culture

Chick-fil-A adds a second $1,500 scholarship window

Restaurant employees can apply in fall and spring. Operators submit recommendations after employee applications.

OCT 7, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

people

People & Culture

Chick-fil-A’s 2026 scholarships show the value of upfront funding

Chick-fil-A announced roughly $29 million for more than 16,000 restaurant workers. Award timing affects how much tuition money a recipient must arrange.

APR 7, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

people

People & Culture

Why QSR Employee Retention Programs Keep Failing

QSR turnover exceeds 130% annually. The industry spends billions on recruitment. Most retention programs do not work. The data on what actually does work is clear, but most operators ignore it.

MAR 20, 2026 · 10 MIN READ

operations

Operations & Management

The Hidden Economics of QSR Drive-Thru Lane Design

A single drive-thru lane can process 120 cars per day. A dual lane can push past 140. And Chick-fil-A's four-lane prototype aims for 720 cars per hour. How lane configuration decisions translate directly into revenue.

MAR 20, 2026 · 10 MIN READ

finance

Finance & Economics

The Franchise Fee Audit: Are Operators Overpaying for Marketing, Tech, and 'Other' Charges?

Royalties are just the beginning — the real cost of being a franchisee is buried in marketing funds, tech fees, and line items most operators never question

MAR 19, 2026 · 10 MIN READ

finance

Finance & Economics

The $800K New Build: Why Restaurant Construction Costs Exploded

From material inflation to labor shortages, franchisees face unprecedented barriers to expansion as build-out costs surge past historical norms

MAR 18, 2026 · 10 MIN READ

industry

Industry Analysis

The Regional Chain Advantage: Why Whataburger, Culver's, and Wawa Are Outperforming National Brands in Customer Satisfaction

While McDonald's languishes at the bottom of satisfaction rankings, regional powerhouses are proving that disciplined growth, owner-operator culture, and geographic identity are the real competitive moats in QSR.

MAR 18, 2026 · 9 MIN READ

people

People & Culture

Training at Scale: How McDonald's Hamburger University, Chick-fil-A's Leadership Development, and Starbucks Academy Set the Standard for QSR Employee Education

Inside the corporate universities and tuition programs reshaping what it means to work in quick service

MAR 18, 2026 · 9 MIN READ

marketing

Marketing & Growth

The QSR Catering Boom: How Chains Like Chipotle, Panera, and Chick-fil-A Built Billion-Dollar Catering Programs

As the U.S. catering market races toward $130 billion, fast-casual and quick-service chains are treating group orders as their next major growth engine

MAR 18, 2026 · 9 MIN READ

finance

Finance & Economics

The QSR Real Estate Land Grab: How Chick-fil-A, Wingstop, and Dutch Bros Are Winning the Best Sites

Data analytics, billion-dollar unit volumes, and drive-thru-only formats are transforming the battle for prime restaurant locations

MAR 18, 2026 · 11 MIN READ

marketing

Marketing & Growth

Loyalty Programs Are the New Moat: How Starbucks, McDonald's, and Chick-fil-A Weaponized First-Party Data

With 210 million active McDonald's users and Starbucks processing 57% of U.S. sales through rewards members, QSR loyalty programs have evolved from punch cards to the industry's most powerful competitive weapon

MAR 18, 2026 · 10 MIN READ

marketing

Marketing & Growth

The LTO Machine: How Taco Bell, Popeyes, and McDonald's Engineer Viral Menu Items

Behind the $65 million earned-media moments and 90-day innovation pipelines that turned limited-time offers from promotional gimmicks into the QSR industry's most potent growth engine

MAR 18, 2026 · 10 MIN READ

operations

Operations & Management

Why Chick-fil-A's Drive-Thru Processes 30+ Cars When Others Max at 15

Inside the operational playbook that turns parking-lot gridlock into the industry's highest per-unit revenue

MAR 18, 2026 · 9 MIN READ