Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy said the restaurant chain has no plans to open on Sundays, maintaining a policy that has been in place since the company’s founding in 1946. Cathy discussed the decision in an interview with NBC’s “Today” co-anchor Craig Melvin.
Cathy said the business originally operated six days a week, around the clock, and that Sunday closures were common among businesses in the 1940s. He said the day off was intended to give workers time to attend church or rest. According to Cathy, employees value having a guaranteed day away from work each week.
Asked whether he had considered how much Sunday operations could add to sales, Cathy said he had not looked into the potential revenue. He said the company was not considering changing the policy because it mattered too much to the business. Cathy also described private, family ownership as allowing Chick-fil-A to retain a practice that does not aim to maximize sales every day of the week.
The chain’s reported sales and expansion figures provide context for the policy. The source reported that Chick-fil-A’s average annual sales volume was $9,161,239 in 2025, and said it exceeded figures for Wendy’s and Burger King. It also reported that the company opened 179 franchise and company-operated locations during 2025, bringing its total to 2,863. Cathy told “Today” that Chick-fil-A receives about 150,000 franchise applications annually.
Cathy has led the company as CEO for five years, according to the source. He said the Cathy family’s Christian faith informs the company’s stated purpose: to glorify God through stewardship and to have a positive influence on people who interact with the business.
Some parts of the company are changing. Chick-fil-A announced a new Spicy Chick-fil-A Sauce, which the source described as its first new sauce in 10 years. The sauce is scheduled to become available beginning Nov. 16. The Sunday closure, however, remains in place.
The source said Fox News Digital contacted Chick-fil-A for comment. It did not include a response from the company.
