Chick-fil-A Draws 100,000 Applicants for 200 Operator Slots as $10,000 Fee Holds for 50 Years
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 13
Chick-fil-A Draws 100,000 Applicants for 200 Operator Slots as $10,000 Fee Holds for 50 Years
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 13
Summary
About 100,000 people apply each year for roughly 200 Chick-fil-A owner-operator openings, St. Charles operator Julian Good said, underscoring how selective the chain’s model is.
The entry fee is just $10,000 and has stayed unchanged for 50 years, but applicants without Chick-fil-A experience can wait three to five years for an opportunity.
More than 25% of newly selected operators had never worked for Chick-fil-A, which says it recruits full-time leaders from fields including health care, education, law enforcement and retail.
Unlike typical franchises, Chick-fil-A keeps ownership of the restaurant, equipment and usually the real estate, so operators cannot build equity, sell the business or pass it to heirs.
That structure fits a company culture that also keeps all restaurants closed on Sundays, a long-standing policy Good said reflects Chick-fil-A’s religious and community focus.