The Secret Meaning Behind The Name Chick-Fil-A

To know Chick-fil-A is to love it, from its world-class chicken sandwiches to its insanely popular and delicious frosted lemonade. It has been a fast-food favorite nationwide for years, competing with long-time giants like Taco Bell and Mcdonald's, per QSR.  From its first location in Hapeville, Georgia, back in 1967 to neighborhoods around the world, the chicken sandwich chain has been making a name for itself with both good and bad publicity (via Vox). Drama aside, we can't argue that its food is incredible, its employees are joyful, and its influence is wide-reaching. 

With winning recipes for both food and business, Chick-fil-A is here to stay —  but how did the fan-favorite chicken sandwich chain get to where it is now? It all started with a name, and Chick-fil-A put a lot of thought into it. It not only rolls off the tongue, but it also lets you know exactly what you're getting yourself into — a chicken-packed menu, of course! But that's not the end of the story.

When Chick-fil-A's founder, S. Truett Cathy, invented his hugely famous chicken sandwich back in 1964, it was originally served at his first restaurant, Dwarf Grill, in an Atlanta suburb. The toasted bun topped with pickles and a big, juicy chicken breast quickly became a hit, and three years later, Truett was opening the doors to his first-ever Chick-fil-A restaurant inside of a shopping center (per Chick-fil-A). He was determined to create a meaningful name for this new restaurant that marked a new chapter in his life. He didn't know then that the name he chose would be known by the masses.

He once compared his hot and juicy chicken sandwich to a fine filet of beef — the nicest cut –. Adopting this terminology to the chicken he was serving, he started the naming process with "Chicken filet." It then changed from "Chicken filet" to "Chick filet," with the final touch being the switch from "filet" to "fil-A" because the A represented that he served the highest quality food. He went on to add a number of other deliciously satisfying comfort foods, like mac and cheese, to his menu but has remained iconic for his fried chicken sandwich.

While it's a bit difficult to ascertain whether or not Cathy invented the fried chicken sandwich, he certainly pioneered it in the fast food game. His creation was seemingly the result of a series of random events. During the time Cathy co-owned Dwarf Grill, just outside Atlanta with his brother, he was approached by a local poultry supplier with some extra chicken that needed to be used, per Chick-fil-A. 

The supplier actually was creating boneless skinless cuts of chicken breast cuts for a local airline to use in their in-flight meals, meaning they had to fit a certain size specification. There were a good number of chicken breasts that couldn't be used for the airline meals, so they were offered to Cathy's restaurant to prevent waste.

Seeing it as an opportunity to add chicken to his menu, Cathy set his wheels turning and found inspiration from his mother's preparation of chicken. Frying the chicken in high-quality peanut oil all the while pressing it down with another pan to simulate a pressure cooker left Cathy with a juicy piece of chicken that cooked fast and tasted delicious, according to the Chick-fil-A website. After a few more tweaks and additions, including a crispy buttered bun and two slices of pickle, Cathy had the Chick-fil-A secret recipe nailed down perfectly. As proof of that, it remains the same over 50 years later.