I don’t know how they do it. Despite writing branding for Chick-fil-A for 3 years and working closely with President Dan Cathy, I never learned one really important secret about that company.
How do they make you want Chick-fil-A on Sunday when they’re closed more than any other day of the week?
I’ve written about Chick-fil-A before and their West Coast Rival, In-n-Out, before. (They’re like Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. of Christian food.) We’ve talked about them a few times, but never have we gotten to the bottom of this unexplainable phenomenon.
Today, I want to walk us through the five steps you go through on a Sunday when you think about Chick-fil-A.
Step 1: Excitement
You wake up and in your stomach does a little, “Chicken Biscuit” dance. I know McDonald’s is trying to pretend they’re all southern serving sweet tea and biscuits, but they’re just carpet bagging. We want Chick-fil-A!
Step 2: The Drive
You actually get in the car and head to Chick-fil-A. Today is the day! It’s going to be great. Maybe you missed breakfast but now you can get lunch. It’s all coming up Milhouse!
Step 3: The Thrill
Look how empty the parking lot is! Hooray, this is going to be the best trip to Chick-fil-A ever. Nobody is here, you’ve got the whole restaurant to yourself. That guy who refills your drink is going to be like a personal butler today. Awesome.
Step 4: The Disappointment
Wait, what? Why is the door locked? Why are the lights off? Oh no, it’s Sunday or “the Sabbath” if you will. The horrow, the horror. Popular comedian Aziz Ansari, from the drastically improved “Parks & Recreation” and “Flight of the Conchords,” recently said on the radio, “I’m always excited to get a Chick-fil-A on Sunday and then it’s like ‘nooooo they’re closed!’ It’s always heartbreaking.”
Step 5: The Idea
Could you buy some Chikc-fil-A on a Saturday and then eat it on a Sunday? Would that work or would that be like when the Israelites tried to gather up double portions of manna? Didn’t that work for them on Sunday? Are you really comparing Chick-fil-A to manna? Yes, yes you are and that feels about right.
Step 6: The Substitute
You’re still hungry. Even though you respect Chick-fil-A for being all Hobby Lobbied and closing on Sunday, you’re still hungry and you want to get a spicy chicken sandwich. So you begrudgingly go to Wendy’s and look at that sweaty heathen with her Pippy Longstocking braids. You may have lost today but tomorrow is Monday and you can fil-a all day long if you so desire.
Am I the only one that this happens to?
Have you ever wanted to eat Chick-fil-A on a Sunday?
