Chick-fil-A will remain privately owned as it pursues further international expansion, chief executive Andrew Cathy has said, rejecting the prospect of an initial public offering or outside investment.
The family-run chicken chain, which has expanded from its south-eastern US roots into markets including Canada, Singapore and the UK, plans to grow in what Mr Cathy described as a “calculated” and “conservative” way.
“We’re able to plan for the quarter century, and we don’t have to plan for the quarter,” he said, highlighting the longer-term approach available to a private business.
Chick-fil-A does not publish quarterly results, but franchise disclosures show that its revenue rose by 14 per cent to $10.3 billion (£7.7 billion) in 2025. Net income increased by 1 per cent to $1.05 billion, while its roughly 3,000 restaurants generated $23.92 billion in system sales.
The figures made Chick-fil-A the third-largest US restaurant business by sales last year, behind McDonald’s and Starbucks. It opened 179 restaurants during the year.
Mr Cathy, who succeeded his father Dan as chief executive almost five years ago, said the chain had avoided the sharp downturn experienced by some rivals despite inflation and consumers becoming more selective about eating out.
“This has been a good year,” he said, crediting restaurant operators with executing “the fundamentals” while adding the company’s emphasis on hospitality.
Chick-fil-A keeps hospitality at the centre
The company is seeking to balance its growth plans with traditions that have defined the brand. Some, including closing every restaurant on Sundays, will not change, while its approach to customer service is being adapted to changing ordering and eating habits.
Chick-fil-A is exploring artificial intelligence for behind-the-scenes operations, but does not plan to introduce AI voice ordering in its drive-through lanes.
“From our experience, we really want that hospitality to be human to human,” Mr Cathy said. “We’re not gonna substitute that interaction with technology, because we feel like that hospitality is so important to create that warm environment for consumers.”
The chain has topped the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s fast-food rankings for more than a decade, although Jersey Mike’s overtook it in the 2026 study. Chick-fil-A’s score was unchanged from the previous year.
Competition in the chicken market has intensified since Popeyes helped trigger the US “chicken sandwich wars” in 2019. Chick-fil-A retained about 43 per cent of the US market in 2024, compared with roughly 11 per cent for Popeyes, according to Barclays.
McDonald’s is also preparing to test hand-breaded chicken strips and sandwiches. Mr Cathy said competition was welcome because it encouraged the company to improve the details of the customer experience.
Expansion beyond the core restaurant business
Chick-fil-A has set out a $1 billion international expansion plan and is also developing new concepts through its Red Wagon Ventures arm.
One such project, Daybright, focuses on coffees, smoothies, juices and doughnuts rather than chicken sandwiches and waffle fries. The company’s Little Blue Menu experiment, which served burgers, pizza and onion rings alongside Chick-fil-A food, will have its final site converted into a traditional Chick-fil-A next year.
Red Wagon Ventures has also launched Acrew Home Professionals, a home repair and maintenance business built around the idea of “service with a smile”. Mr Cathy said the division would consider acquiring family businesses, particularly those without a succession plan or seeking a sale.
He said the company’s main focus remained improving Chick-fil-A, while a small team developed ideas that could support future growth.
That expansion is taking place alongside cautious menu development. Seasonal items including chicken and waffles and the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich are used to test new flavours, with successful products potentially becoming permanent additions.
