Don’t Have A Cow! Appreciate the Chicken :)

Today might not seem like a significant day, but in fact it’s Cow Appreciation Day. As you know, my family is a fan of Chick-fil-A and on “Cow Appreciation Day,” they give away free ENTREES & COMBO MEALS depending how much you come in dressed like a cow.You can print out their cow costume kit here if you need help or create our own “costumes.” 

In preparation for this day, I had the honor to sit down with Chick-fil-A’s President & Chief Operating Operator Dan Cathy and talk to him about this great establishment.


Why do you think the the cows are so popular?
We had no idea that we would have “raving fans” who would loved Chick-fil-A so much that they would dress up like cows. It’s great! People love cows, and the quirkiness that the cows would refer you a chicken company makes it interesting. My dad (Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy) loves to see the excitement he has generated among our customers on “Cow Appreciation Day.”


How does being closed on Sunday effect your business strategy?
People want things that have limited accessibility. Being closed on Sunday drives people to come to our stores more often on Saturdays and Mondays. It has also heighten brand awareness. It is great to have entertainers like Tim Hawkins sing about Chick-fil-A.


In Eat More Chikin: Inspire More People, it is obvious that your Christian faith plays a roles in the way you do business. Explain how this makes you different than other chains who stay away from mentioning their spiritual beliefs.
Faith drives behavior. We believe that everyone is created in God’s image and should be treated with dignity and honor. We demonstrate this principle in the quality of food that we provide to customers and also through our staff. They are taught proper etiquette such as opening the door for a customer, walking their tray to their table or offering to replenish their drink.We also believe in orderliness by doing unto others as you would like to be done to you, which is why all of our restaurants are completely clean from the kitchen to the restrooms.


With the rise of childhood obesity, will Chick-fil-A have more healthy options for children and parents to “appreciate” your menu?
As a marathon runner, I understand the importance of having a healthy lifestyle. At Chick-fil-A, we are right now working on some healthy options for children. One of them being that when you order a kid’s meal, you can replace the waffle fries for a fruit cup at no extra cost. We also offer 1% milk for them. At Chick-fil-A, we encourage families to stay fit and healthy by eating a well balanced diet and exercising regularly.  

You can find more information on Dan and the rest of the Cathy family on their blog here: http://cathyfamily.com.