Closed on Sunday
“Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you” (Ex 31:14).
Can a business have a Christian testimony without ever saying a word? Absolutely.
Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is America’s second-largest quick service chicken restaurant chain. The company’s stated corporate purpose is “to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us, and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.” The company is a great example of a business that is modeling Christian values and producing a quality product in the competitive fast-food industry. Chick-fil-A is one of the fastest-growing chains nationally, currently with over two billion dollars in annual sales.
One of the defining distinctions of Chick-fil-A is that the restaurants are not open on Sundays. From the time Truett Cathy, the company’s founder, started in the restaurant business in 1946, he believed that God wanted him to honor the Sabbath by keeping the stores closed on Sundays. Though the Biblical sabbath is Friday sundown to saturday sundown, most Christians today celebrate Sunday as a day of worship and as “Sabbath”.
Although he was challenged on this idea many times by shopping mall operators, Truett always held that “we will have more sales in six days than those who are open for seven.” This has proven to be true, and today it is no longer an issue to fulfill the malls’ requirement to remain open on Sunday.”
When you go to a Chick-fil-A restaurant, you can tell something is different about the people and the atmosphere. The messages in the company’s kids’ meals always reinforce education, values, and integrity. Although the employees do not wear their faith on their sleeve, the fruit of the company is known by many – especially the many young restaurant employees who receive educational scholarships each year. The company also focuses on character-building programs for kids, foster homes, and other community services. I have spoken at Chick-fil-A’s corporate headquarters several times and have met with Truett and his son, Dan. The appearance of their headquarters conveys their values – a sense of quality without extravagance.
