Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People by S. Truett Cathy. Looking Glass Books. 200 pages. 2002 ****
Chick-fil-A’s main focus is their corporate purpose. The loyalty impact that has been established through a unique connection with the Chick-fil-A operators is discussed. Chick-fil-A is currently one of the largest privately-owned restaurant chains in the nation. The initial standalone eatery opened in 1986 and licensed restaurants on college campuses, businesses, hospitals, etc. Were introduced in 1992. Subsequently, due to concerns regarding the consistent quality of the sandwiches, Truett decided to open his first Chick-fil-A restaurant in a shopping mall in 1967. Following that, a second Dwarf House would be destroyed by fire. Truett would then marry Jeannette, who had a positive influence on both his and their three children’s spiritual lives. Unfortunately, Ben and his other sibling Horace would lose their lives in a plane crash in 1949. He states that their commitment was the key to their success, emphasizing that when one is fully devoted, peculiar and extraordinary occurrences take place. From the very beginning, the brothers made the choice to close on Sundays in order to attend church, where Truett would also teach Sunday School to thirteen-year-old boys, a role he would fulfill for numerous years. In 1946, Truett and his brother Ben established a restaurant named the Dwarf Grill (later renamed the Dwarf House) after World War II. At the age of eight, Truett began selling Coca-Colas door to door. Years later, he would apply his mother’s techniques of marinating and cooking chicken when he developed the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich. His mother, who was a diligent worker, took in lodgers. Truett did not have a positive relationship with his father, as neither of them ever expressed their love for one another. He was very harsh towards his family and seemed to derive pleasure from verbally attacking his wife. The Great Depression and his inability to financially support his family deeply impacted him. His father sold insurance policies and collected premiums, but never earned enough from that occupation to sustain his family. When Truett was three years old, his nearly destitute parents left their rural lifestyle in search of better opportunities in Atlanta. He begins recounting his life story by stating that he was born in Eatonton, Georgia in 1921. To seize unexpected opportunities, one must remain open and available. When they embraced these opportunities, they often found themselves abundantly blessed. Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A who passed away in 2014, asserts that the lesson of his life is to make the most of unforeseen opportunities, and that the history of Chick-fil-A is a sequence of unexpected opportunities. There are few organizations that I hold in higher regard than Chick-fil-A.
To honor God by responsibly managing everything that is given to us.
To exert a positive impact on everyone who interacts with Chick-fil-A.
It was interesting to read about the successful and respected organization, Chick-fil-A, and how some of their principles or philosophies are associated with the organization. The billboard advertising campaign introduced in 1995, featuring the “Eat Mor Chikin” cows, was particularly successful.
The book Sprinkled contains testimonies from several A-fil-Chick operators about the impact that the principles of the organization have on their day-to-day restaurant operations. He is passionate about his work with foster children at WinShape Centre. The book shares many intriguing stories throughout.