Inside Chick-fil-A’s rise to 3rd-largest restaurant brand

Chick-fil-A has become the country’s third-largest restaurant chain, rising four spots in the Nation’s Restaurant News Top 200 sales rankings, up from No. 7 a year earlier.

The chicken chain grew its domestic systemwide sales 16.7% in its latest fiscal year to reach nearly $10.5 billion, putting it behind only McDonald’s and Starbucks.

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It was the fifth year of double-digit sales growth for Chick-fil-A, fueled by powerhouse unit-level sales — despite only doing business only six days a week.

Here’s a look at how the nearly 60-year-old brand has stayed relevant and found its place among the country’s most dominant chains.