Chick-fil-A recorded $23.9 billion in U.S. systemwide sales in 2025, an increase of approximately 5% from $22.7 billion a year earlier. Yet CEO Andrew Cathy says he has never calculated the sales forgone by remaining closed on Sundays: abandoning the policy is not under consideration. He attributes that flexibility to private, family ownership, which allows the business to prioritize employees' guaranteed day off rather than maximize every sales opportunity.
The policy originated in 1946, when Cathy's grandfather, S. Truett Cathy, opened his first restaurant in Hapeville, Georgia. Having worked seven days a week in restaurants, the founder wanted himself and his employees to have time for rest, family, or worship. Andrew Cathy says the certainty of a weekend day off remains valuable to workers. Exceptions have been rare: in 2017, the chain opened on a Sunday to feed travelers stranded during a power outage at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport.
Applying the chain's average daily sales to a seventh operating day produces a theoretical ceiling near $4 billion in additional annual sales. That calculation does not account for customers who already shift purchases to Saturday or Monday. Industry observers have also argued that Sunday closures strengthen the brand and encourage visits during the remaining six days. Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A is one of just three U.S. restaurant brands exceeding $20 billion in sales. The others, McDonald's and Starbucks, operate far more locations and open every day.
