Church-fil-a

Chick-fil-a is my first choice when looking for a quick place to grab a bite to eat.  I like the atmosphere and the food is good.  There is also a consistency to the level of service.  Being from up north, I was not familiar with Chick-fil-a until we moved to Dallas thirty years ago.  I enjoyed the food the first time I tried it, but it was a visit from a Chick-fil-a owner that made me a loyal fan.   I was serving as youth and young adult minister at Holy Cross Lutheran Church.  He stopped by to drop off an information packet and some job applications.  He was hoping I would pass them on to members of the youth group.  I was impressed with his openness about his faith and his desire to mentor young people.  He also talked about Chick-fil-a’s program to help student employees set aside money for their education. 

Ypulse recently published an article on the favorite restaurants among young people ages 13-35.  I was surprised because at the top of the list was Chick-fil-a. I would have expected Starbucks (#5) and Chipotle (#13) to the leaders but it seem like young people share my passion for Chick-fil-a.  In case you are curious, Taco Bell, McDonald’s and Subway were the others in the top five. 

I think the church could learn some things from Chick-fila.

 

A welcoming Smile: People who work at Chick-fil-always seem to be happy.  They greet you with a smile.  I have visited churches where no one greeted me; much less met me with a smile.  Often we get so engaged talking and checking in with friends that we miss and even ignore the strangers in our midst.  There are no strangers at Chick-fil-a.

Servant heart:  “Can I refresh your drink?”  That is not something you will hear at other fast food restaurants.  There are actually people at Chick-fil-a who want to serve you.  There are workers who just walk around clearing tables, picking up trash and making sure customer’s needs a met.  It seems like everyone at Chick-fil-a has servant heart.

Mentor youth: All fast food restaurants depend on young people to fill out their staff.  Chick-fil-a seems to do a better job of training and then mentoring their young workers.  Students who are working their first part-time job are not a disposable commodity.  They are individuals who are at the beginning of a life-long journey. 

In-N-Out Burger is another chain that seems to have caught the vision.  Since they are still viewed as a regional chain, they did not make the Ypulse list.  They too are a faith-based company and I see many of the same characteristics.  Oh yes, and when you are done with your fries if you turn over the container you will find a scripture verse.