“WE DIDN’T INVENT THE CHICKEN; JUST THE CHICKEN SANDWICH,” is a slogan many people living in theU.S. might recognize, but few know what is truly behind the Chick-fil-A coperation.
On Wednesday, Aug. 25, over 200 curious SMU undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, friends and family gathered to hear Dan T. Cathy, president and chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A, speak in the James M. Collins Center about the company’s achievements.
SMU was the last stop in Cathy’s four-day trip where he spoke to various people regarding the secrets behindChick-fil-A’s success.
Chick-fil-A began in 1946 when S. Truett Cathy, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Chick-fil-A, opened a small restaurant in Hapeville, Ga. called “Dwarf Grill.”
Fewer than 20 years later, Cathy invented the chicken sandwich; by 1967, the first Chick-fil-A was open for business in the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta.
Since then, Chick-fil-A has expanded to more than 1,400 locations and continues to grow each year. But what is their secret?
Cathy explained to his attentive audience that the secret to Chick-fil-A’s success is in the saying, “If someone forced you to go one mile, then go with him two miles,” from Matthew 5:41. To put another way, “2M2N,” meaning or, “Making the 2nd mile 2nd nature.”
“Consumers expect to get what they pay for [in the first mile],” Cathy said.
“But if you want to grow your business, you can’t just go the first mile.”
The first mile is about the customer and includes doing what you’re told to do and the transaction of the sale, Cathy said.
However, the second mile is about all people in general, having compassion, learning to obey impulses, doing what’s right and building a relationship with everyone who surrounds you.
Cathy gave a variety of examples that demonstrate Chick-fil-A “going the second mile,” from having fresh flowers on the tables in their restaurants to providing fresh ground pepper.
But when Cathy shouted out another second mile strategy for Chick-fil-A, having hand lotion in the men’s bathrooms, an enthusiastic audience member shouted, “That’s [the] third mile.”
Rachel Bledsoe, senior finance major who attended the lecture, felt the most important thing Cathy said was about the second mile.
“Cathy explained how greatness is achieved when you go the extra mile,” Bledsoe said.
“It was a really great idea because that idea applied to everyone in the room—from students to parents to business owners. That really is the biblical key to success.”
Another part of the second mile that Cathy did not boast about is the amount that Chick-fil-A gives back to their surrounding communities and staff members.
According to a Chick-fil-A brochure, its Leadership Scholarship Program has offered almost $23 million in financial assistance to 22,000 employees.
And through Truett Cathy’s WinShape Homes foster care program, they have helped more than 130 children find safe homes.
Although the company is a family business and now has three generations working in management, all family members are required to work outside the business for two years before starting.
Also, because family is so valued in the company, all Chick-fil-A’s remain closed on Sundays.
They do this so that employees can take time off to spend with family and friends (and worship if they so desire).
Danielle DiCesare, senior management and Italian area studies double major, found the no work on Sunday idea to be refreshing.
“I knew the restaurant was closed on Sunday, but I had no idea why,” DiCesare said.
“After the presentation, I found the day off to be a really interesting part of the company culture.”
Chick-fil-A’s success can also be attributed to their creative advertising campaign by The Richards Group, which is based in Dallas.
The ‘Eat Mor Chikin’ campaign began in 1995 and has stayed with the company ever since.
Megan Lee, junior advertising major and history minor, believes it is evident that the ‘Eat Mor Chikin’ campaign is a success.
“Every time I see cows, I can’t help but think of Chick-fil-A,” Lee said.
“A great ad campaign definitely helped contribute to their increased sales.”
According to a Chick-fil-A brochure, the company experienced a 12.17 percent increase in sales between 2007 and 2008.
Steady increases like this might account for the “too good to be true” statistic—in 18 months, Chick-fil-A will be debt free.
Lee was upset, however, that more undergraduate students weren’t present.
“I feel very fortunate that SMU gives us this opportunity to meet with professionals,” Lee said.
“It was disappointing that there were so few undergraduate students there. SMU should try to advertise these events better to the student body.”
Although there were a small number of undergraduates, it was evident that the many who did attend took a lot from the event.
“He [Cathy] definitely inspired me,” Bledsoe said. “You don’t have to sell out to be great.”
