It’s Easier To Get Into Harvard Than Get A Chick-Fil-A Franchise
An Ivy League school may be difficult to get int, but this fast-food company is almost impossible to join. Chick-Fil-A sets itself apart from other fast food giants due to the values and business model that are fairly unique to the company. The company bases their values on the religious beliefs of the founder S. Truett Cathy, who was a devout Southern Baptist. The company is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as every Sunday. The company is also well-known for their extremely selective vetting process for potential restaurant operators ( what the company calls their franchisees).
According to Carrie Kurlander, vice-president of public relations for Chick-Fil-A, the Georgia-based company received more than 40,000 interest inquiries every year from people inquiring about opening and operating a Chick-Fil-A restaurant. There is a formal written application that must be filled out, then several rounds of recorded, live video and then finally in-person interviews conducted by the company. Kurlander said that the company takes into consideration an applicant's past business expertise and leadership skills among other factors. Out of those 40,000 inquiries, only 100 to 115 new Chick-Fil-A's open with one new restaurant operator running each. From there if chosen, it only costs the person $10,000 since Chik-Fil-A retains ownership of the restaurant, even the land the establishment is built on!
To compare, if you were trying to get into Harvard, there would be almost 43,000 people applying for the school with a little less than 2,000 being accepted. Chick-Fil-A can be so selective with their vetting process because of how desirable their brand is. Since 2010, Chick-Fil-A has earned the most revenue per restaurant in the United States, according to a QSR report. Chick-Fil-A raked in about 4.44 million in sales, while the second Whataburger came in with $2.7 million