Who’d have thought? Out of the blue – and left field – the pioneer of the chicken breast sandwich, is bursting ‘out of its bun’. Long a champion of family values, Chick-Fil-A is starting its own ‘family-friendly’ streaming service…
S. Truett Cathy: Family patriarch, restaurant founder, devout Christian …
It’s been a tumultuous time for the Christian conservative community over the past 8 years. During the Trump administration, the country’s established social and moral values (which were widely labelled ‘liberal’) began to shift right. The Trump regime appointed many new conservative Supreme Court justices. Over the past 4 years, many states began to tighten their own laws on contentious issues such as abortion and same sex marriage.
Perhaps buoyed by this wave of resurgent conservatism, Chick Fil-A is once again stepping up to bat for the family…
A tradition
The man who started CFA, the late S. Truett Cathy, championed the concept of family from the start. “He knew what it was like to work seven days a week in restaurants, so he saw the importance of letting his employees set aside one day to rest and worship if they choose,” the CFA website explains. And, as fans will know, “That’s a practice we still uphold today.”
The Cathy family still owns CFA.
According to Wikipedia: “[The] late founder […] was a devout Southern Baptist. Reflecting a commit-ment to Sunday Sabbatarianism, all Chick-Fil-A restaurants are closed for business on Sundays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. During the Western Christian liturgical season of Lent, Chick-Fil-A promotes fish sandwiches, following the Christian tradition of abstinence from meat during Lent.”
In addition, “The company’s conservative opposition to same-sex marriage has caused controversy, though the company began to loosen its stance on this issue from 2019.”
What they’re planning
Word of the streaming plan may have surfaced, quietly, as early as last year. CFA posted a recruiting notice seeking an Entertainment Producer‘.
The detailed job description reveals:
“We are looking to produce original entertainment – not necessarily about Chick-Fil-A products or the Chick-Fil-A brand – but, rather, content that accomplishes the following.:
- Connection: provide families a good reason to gather.
- Care: fuel moments of kindness and optimism.
- Community: facilitate family conversation, activity and life beyond the screen.”
It appears they’re planning both scripted and unscripted (reality) shows – and even a game show or two.
“This original programming is intended for Chick-fil-A’s soon-to-be-launched PLAY entertainment app and may include scripted podcasts and audio adventures, original animation, reality and game shows, and other live-action scripted or non-scripted programming.”
Broadening it’s commitment
The plan to launch a ‘family friendly’ video streaming service is seen as an extension and broadening of the Cathy family’s traditional commitment to family values.
But unlike traditional corporate ‘sponsorship’ initiatives, the Cathys are creating the streaming brand, and retaining control. Not just funding an existing or burgeoning effort.
The CFA organization says it has, ‘nothing further to share’ at the moment. But there are hints, in the job description, that the app and inaugural programming could appear later this year.
My take
Good for the Cathys, once again stepping up, and putting their money and name where their collective heart is!
My questions for you:
Will you download the app, and at least sample the wares of the new CFA Network?
If not, why not?
Do you feel it’s appropriate for a restaurant chain to pursue such a venture?
Does CFA taking a new, high-profile stance as a Christian conservative entity make you uncomfortable?
If so, and you are a fan of the food, are you uncomfortable enough to consider moving your chicken sandwich business elsewhere?
Muse on that…
~ Maggie J.