Chances are you pass a Chik-fil-A restaurant several times a week.

But besides selling great chicken sandwiches, how much do you know about this iconic Atlanta-based brand? We discovered that there is more to this fast-food powerhouse than humorous ads with cows urging us to “Eat Mor Chikin.”

For us, the “Deluxe Backstage Tour” of their corporate headquarters at 5200 Buffington Road in College Park, Atlanta, opened up the world of Chick-fil-A. And what a vibrant world it is.

While many corporate brand tours move quickly from origin story to focus on today’s product assortment, this takes a different tact. This tour tells the Chick-fil-A story through the life of its founder, S. Truett Cathy.

For example, you can understand the Coca-Cola story without delving deeply into its founder, Dr. John S. Pemberton. However, to appreciate Chick-fil-A and its corporate mindset, you must first understand Truett Cathy.

The hour-long “Backstage Tour” and the 90-minute “Deluxe Backstage Tour” take you on a journey through Truett’s humble beginnings, the Dwarf House, the invention of his chicken sandwich, and his legacy today.

The only difference is that the “Deluxe” tour transports you via bus across the street to their R&D facilities. And before you ask, sadly, there are no samples for you to try.

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Hard Work & Tenacity

The Chick-fil-A origin story begins with the birth of S. Truett Cathy in Eatonton, Ga., on March 14, 1921. Times were tough, and as a young boy, Truett helped his mother cook and clean for the guests they hosted at their boarding house.

By his eighth birthday, he had paid for his first bicycle by opening a Coca-Cola stand in his front yard to sell neighbors an ice-cold drink as they returned home from work. He also sold magazines and, for seven years, had an Atlanta Journal paper route.

He and his brother, Ben Cathy, eventually became the family breadwinners as teenagers, making them grow up quickly. When he turned 18, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving six years before being honorably discharged.

Once back home from the Army, Truett and his brother opened a 24-hour diner with the $ 10,600 they had raised.

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Dwarf Grill

Truett’s restaurant origins can be traced back to May 23rd, 1946, in Hapeville, Georgia. Here, he and his brother Ben opened their Dwarf Grill (later renamed the Dwarf House.)

As is often the case, location is everything for a restaurant, and this one was no exception. The 24-hour diner was across from the Ford Motor Company assembly plant near the Atlanta airport.

Initially, they didn’t sell boneless chicken sandwiches, but as the business grew, they experimented.

One of the turning points was when they used a pressure cooker to prepare the chicken. This method, combined with a heavy top layer that trapped the heat and moisture, produced a juicy piece of boneless chicken far quicker than it would have taken to pan fry or grill.

In 1967, two years after finally perfecting his chicken recipe, they were ready to open a restaurant based solely on this tasty sandwich. If you are an Atlanta native, you might remember the first Chick-fil-A restaurant, which opened in the Greenbrier Mall in 1967.

Even though it was only 384 sq feet, it was groundbreaking for a restaurant to be allowed to open in a mall.

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Getting A Franchise

Remember earlier when we mentioned that Truett and his brother opened their first diner with the $ 10,600 they raised? Fast-forward to today, and you can still open a Chick-fil-A for $ 10,000.

The $ 10,000 franchisee fee to open a new location is less expensive than that of every major fast-food chain in the U.S. In your agreement, Chick-fil-A buys the land, builds the facility, and provides all the necessary equipment.

Each restaurant Operator gives the parent company a percentage of sales plus a percentage of the monthly pretax profit. When the Operator succeeds, the corporation earns a return on its initial investment in the restaurant.

But don’t expect to walk in and get a franchise. The odds are not in your favor. In reality, you have less than a 1% chance of being approved to become a Chick-fil-A franchisee.

Annually, they receive more than 20,000 inquiries from franchisee candidates, but only 75 to 80 are selected.

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Facts & Stats

Here are some facts and stats you might not have known.

• In 1995, the billboard “Eat Mor Chikin” first appeared in Atlanta, Georgia.
• The restaurant’s Sunday closing has been the policy since the Dwarf Grill in 1946.
• The capital A in the name stands for “top grade-A quality.”
• Truett Cathy’s secret recipe for the original Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich is hidden in a safe at the Atlanta headquarters.

• Introduced in 1985, waffle fries are the most ordered menu item. They sell more orders of fries than chicken sandwiches.
• Biscuits take longer to make than any other breakfast item. Each is handmade and takes 30 minutes to mix, roll, and bake.
• In 2006, Chick-fil-A’s system-wide sales reached over $ 2 billion. In 2023, total sales reached $ 21.6 billion.
• Chick-fil-A is one of few family-owned businesses that has grown without stopping for the last 49 years.

• Chick-fil-A restaurants average about $ 9.4 million in sales annually among non-mall locations.
• In 1996, Chick-fil-A became the first and only title sponsor for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the ninth-oldest bowl game in the country.
• They also sponsor the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta.
• Before Cathy died in 2014 at 93, he set up a contract with his children stating that, while they could sell Chick-fil-A, the company must never go public.

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A Legacy In Review

Much like their beloved chicken sandwich, the Backstage Tour is done to perfection. This live storytelling journey brings Truett Cathy’s life, values, and vision to life.

When you consider what one humble man can accomplish, it is extraordinary. However, the small details that most don’t know about Truett stand out the most.

For example, in the 1980s, on a trip to Berry College, Truett and Jeannette Cathy saw a need for the college and set out to help. They renovated several buildings on this beautiful mountain campus, established scholarship programs, and launched summer camp initiatives.

The Cathys also established the Winshape Foundation, which has grown into several ministries, including WinShape Homes for foster children. His legacy continues even after Truett’s passing on September 8th, 2014.

If you have the opportunity, take the Backstage Tour because it opens up the world of Chick-fil-A.

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The post Deluxe Backstage Tour Opens Up The World Of Chick-fil-A first appeared on Vettes of Atlanta Magazine.

Vettes of Atlanta Magazine