Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A is a quick-service restaurant chain headquartered in Atlanta that specializes in chicken.

Founded by S. Truett Cathy in 1946 as Dwarf Grill in a Hapeville, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta. In 1961, Cathy discovered a pressure cooker that could air-fry chicken in the same amount of time it took to make a fast-food hamburger, thus the chicken sandwich the chain would become known for was born. Chick-fil-A was rebranded to its current name in 1967 after Cathy trademarked the name and the company’s new slogan, "We Didn't Invent the Chicken, Just the Chicken Sandwich."

Though the first Chick-fil-A location was in a food court, the majority of units have become stand-alone stores mostly in the Southern U.S.

The chain is well-known for its weekly closure on Sundays due to its founder’s religious beliefs.

Chick-fil-A’s current CEO is Dan Cathy, son of founder S. Truett Cathy, who has kept his father’s principals by remaining closed on Sundays and keeping the company private despite its large size.

Key data: Chick-fil-A

Headquarters: Atlanta

Segment: Quick service

Restaurant segment: LSR Chicken

Number of U.S. locations: 2,675

2020 sales: $10.80 billion

Annual growth

Source: Datassential Firefly 500

CEO: Dan Cathy