The southern belle of quick service restaurants, Chick-Fil-A decided to offer a summer camp for kids. But the concept raised hackles and tempers among parents and others. It had to do with the activity program…
The Chick-Fil-A of the future: Artist’s concept. Still seeking to
help kids develop a good, old fashioned work ethic…
The chain’s West Hammond, Louisiana outlet announced on Facebook earlier this month that it was going to offer a summer day camp program for kids. The program would offer three one-day sessions in July, cost $35 per kid and include ‘a kid’s meal, a t-shirt and a snack’.
According to CFA corporate, the program was created by a Houston operator 6 years ago: “It continues to run every summer and receives positive comments from parents and kids alike – this year’s kids camp at that restaurant sold out in seven minutes, 200 spots.”
Okay, so far… But some folks had big problems with the original camp curriculum.
Just a jolly summer outing?
According to FOX 5 in Washington, DC, “In an earlier announcement, the Chick-Fil-A location shared different activities that it was offering to campers including: ‘learning dining room host and customer service skills, learn how to take a guest order, learn how to bag a guest order, tour the kitchen and box your own nugget, and make your own ice dream cone or cup’.
Child labour plot?
The announcement attracted over a thousand of negative comments from Facebook followers. In a matter of hours. The gist of the objections centred on charges of ‘exploitation’.
One indignant commenter wrote: “Wait. You’re wanting parents to *check notes* pay you, to use their young children as laborers. But they get a free meal, snack and shirt that will give you free advertising?”
Another said: “Just because it’s the ’20s’ again doesn’t mean we should bring back child labor. It didn’t go great the last time, spoiler alert,” another Facebook user wrote. And tagged their comment with a link to the US Labor Department.
Fans fight back
However, there were many CFA fans who struck back at protesters, reaffirming their support for the camp concept:
“I’ll go against the grain here. Kudos to you, Chick-Fil-A Hammond,” one mother wrote. “It’s nice to see an offer to teach young children about work ethic and responsibility, while having a little fun at the same time.”
Another pointed out the obvious: “Why is everyone in the comments tripping?? Kids would LOVE this.”
The resto reacts
Perhaps bouyed by the host of supportive comments among the criticisms, the resto came back with a modified description of the camp program. And they added several more sessions, perhaps recognizing a stronger opportunity than they originally planned for.
My take
I’m with the moms who pointed out that the camp program offers something the kids will love, and which would expose them to grown-up work situations and ethics.
That’s the same noble idea promulgated for decades by McDonald’s who, at one point in history, touted themselves as having provided more ‘first jobs’ for teens than any other company in America.
Those detractors who complained about ‘child exploitation’ apparently aren’t aware of the historical context surrounding such programs. This is a prime example of a knee-jerk reaction by folks who have nothing better to do than troll Facebook, are woefully ill-informed, and still feel they must exercise their constitution-given right to free speech…
~ Maggie J.