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Chick-fil-A Chain Celebrates 41st Consecutive Year of Positive Sales.


ATLANTA -- Despite the struggling economy, Chick-fil-A([R]) enjoyed an unprecedented year of sales growth in 2008. The Atlanta-based restaurant chain today reported 2008 system-wide sales of $2,962,253,976, representing a 12.17 percent increase over the chain's 2007 overall sales performance and a strong same-store sales increase of 4.59 percent.

Chick-fil-A's record sales performance marked the chain's 41st consecutive year of system-wide sales gains - a streak that the chain has sustained since its inception in 1967 - and its 16th straight year of double-digit sales growth.

"Of all of our years of sales growth, we are truly grateful for our customers' support as reflected in our 2008 sales. Chick-fil-A was able to endure a number of challenges that could have been detrimental to any other chain, including targeted product competition among our quick-service rivals and a challenging economic environment, but our restaurant Operators and team members remained committed to excellence which resulted in another solid sales year," said Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer Chief Operating Officer (COO)

The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president.
 Dan T. Cathy. "While we by no means are immune to the economic challenges our country is facing, we do believe we will continue to remain healthy as long as we stay committed to the qualities that have shaped the Chick-fil-A brand thus far: providing exceptional customer service and unmatched product quality to every customer on every visit. God has truly blessed our business and we pray that He will continue to keep His hand upon us."

The chain's 2008 sales performance complemented a number of business highlights, including:

* Continued restaurant expansion with 83 new locations.

* While the competition was imitating many of Chick-fil-A's signature menu items, the chain conducted the most aggressive product rollout year in its history, introducing a Chargrilled Chicken and Fruit Salad, a new Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips([R]) product that is 50-percent larger than the chain's previous strips offering, and an enhanced Chick-fil-A([R]) Chicken Salad Sandwich, which tripled in sales upon rollout.

* In fall 2008, Chick-fil-A eliminated artificial trans fat trans fat  
n.
1. A trans fatty acid.

2. Trans fatty acids considered as a group.



trans fat  

A fat containing trans fatty acids.
 from its entire menu, becoming one of the first national quick-service restaurant chains The following is a list of restaurant chains.

See also: Fast-food restaurant, Casual dining, List of reference tables. International

  • Bennigan's
  • Burger King
  • Charley's Grilled Subs
  • Domino's Pizza
  • Hard Rock Cafe
 to offer a complete menu - from entrees down to condiments - with zero grams of trans fat.

* Chick-fil-A was recognized with a number of prominent industry awards, including:

* Business Week named Chick-fil-A as one of 25 national Customer Service Champs in 2008.

* Men's Health recognized Chick-fil-A as America's Healthiest Chain Restaurant for Kids.

* Chick-fil-A topped QSR QSR Quick Service Restaurant
QSR QoS (Quality of Service) Satisfaction Rate
QSR Quality System Regulations
QSR Quality Status Report
QSR Quality System Review
QSR Quarterly Status Report
QSR Quality System Requirement
 magazine's 2008 Best Drive-Thru in America survey for the fifth time.

* Restaurants & Institutions magazine named Chick-fil-A as its Platinum winner for "Choice in Chains" award in the chicken category.

* In August, the chain hosted the inaugural Chick-fil-A College Kickoff football game between the University of Alabama and Clemson University Clemson University, at Clemson, S.C.; coeducational; land-grant; state supported; opened in 1893 as a college, gained university status in 1964. The university includes programs in textile and computer research, wildlife biology, and aquaculture and maintains  at the Georgia Dome Atlanta Falcons
    [
 in Atlanta, Ga. Alabama will return to face Virginia Tech for the 2009 event.

* Chick-fil-A awarded 48 franchise Operators new cars as part of the chain's Symbol of Success sales incentive Noun 1. sales incentive - remuneration offered to a salesperson for exceeding some predetermined sales goal
bonus, incentive - an additional payment (or other remuneration) to employees as a means of increasing output
 program. Through the program, franchisees are awarded a new Ford vehicle of their choice for meeting their annual sales goals.

Philanthropy also continued to be a major focus in 2008 for the entire chain, a tradition set by its 87-year-old Founder and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board.  S. Truett Cathy. Truett Cathy received the President's Call to Service Award for lifetime volunteer service achievement in 2008 and became the first recipient to receive the award in the Oval Office. Other significant charitable endowments for the chain included continued support for WinShape([R]) Foundation, a non-profit organization and charitable foundation established by the Cathy Family, and the 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl[TM], which led all college football bowl games by contributing more than $1.2 million to charities and scholarships. Chick-fil-A also celebrated the 35th anniversary of its Leadership Scholarship Program by donating more than $1.4 million in college scholarships to its restaurant team members in 2008, and will exceed the $25 million mark in total scholarships later this year.

Dan Cathy also noted that restaurant growth will continue to be an integral factor in sustaining sales momentum this year. Chick-fil-A will continue its steady restaurant growth with 76 new locations planned for 2009, including 64 stand-alone restaurants, two mall/retail locations and 10 licensed outlets. Additionally, the chain feels it also is critical to reinvest in some of its existing restaurant sites. The chain will renovate 65 restaurants throughout the year in a reinvestment effort to extend the life cycle of each location and introduce new efficiencies that will help Chick-fil-A's franchise Operators attract and accommodate greater sales volumes.

About Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is the nation's second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain (based on sales), with more than 1,425 restaurants in 38 states and Washington D.C. Credited with inventing the boneless Bone´less

a. 1. Without bones.

Adj. 1. boneless - being without a bone or bones; "jellyfish are boneless"
 breast of chicken sandwich Noun 1. chicken sandwich - a sandwich made with a filling of sliced chicken
sandwich - two (or more) slices of bread with a filling between them
 and first introducing the chicken nugget concept, Chick-fil-A serves nutritious and freshly prepared food products in mall locations, stand-alone restaurants, drive-thru-only restaurants, Chick-fil-A Dwarf House([R]) and Truett's Grill([R]) full-service restaurants, and through licensed outlets in college campuses, hospitals, airports, businesses and industrial sites. More information about Chick-fil-A is available on the chain's websites, located at www.chick-fil-a.com, www.chick-fil-a.com/pressroom or www.truettcathy.com.
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Publication:Business Wire
Article Type:Company overview
Date:Jan 29, 2009
Words:854
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