Chick-fil-A Standing Its Ground And Will Not Open Its Stadium Franchise On Super Bowl Sunday

Chick-fil-A, an Atlanta based business is also based in Christianity, and as such, founder Truett Cathy has never had the restaurant chain open on Sundays since the first restaurant opened its door in Hapeville, Georgia in 1946. When it comes to the upcoming Super Bowl, the policy remains the same and he is sticking to his guns. As a result, the Chick-fil-A stand in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will not be open the Sunday of the Super Bowl.

The famous chicken sandwich stand is located in section 123 of the stadium, and will indeed be closed on Super Bowl Sunday, as will all other chains of the franchise. A representative with the franchise has confirmed the closure, even though the stadium is host to the showdown between the New Englan Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams on February 3rd, there are no plans to make that particular Sunday an exception.

On the company’s official website, Truett explains the reasoning behind his deciding to close his franchises on Sundays from the very beginning:

“Having worked seven days a week in restaurants open 24 hours, Truett saw the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest and worship if they choose—a practice we uphold today.”

Fans of the Atlanta Falcons have only had one chance to enjoy Chick-fil-A during the regular season, and that was when the Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosted a rare Monday night game. Although the stadium also hosts Atlanta United, as well as a variety of other games, these do not as a rule fall on a Sunday.

Three times the company has opened its doors on Sundays and all three were times of emergency and need. One instance was the in Dallas in 2015 after the tornadoes; another was in 2016 in Orlando after the mass shooting that occurred, and the final instance was in the Atlanta airport just last year when thousands of passengers were stranded as a result of power failure.

Even thought Chick-fil-A will not be offering their fast food items during the Super Bowl, the stadium does have a contingency in place. As it has most all season on Sundays, “Fries Up” will be open at section 123, standing in for Chick-fil-A. The stadium will also offer its usual fan-first menu, which will include beers, hot dogs, and much more.

So, what’s the verdict—you decide.

Should Chick-fil-A make an exception and open Super Bowl Sunday at the stadium?