One of Commack’s most prominent fast food restaurants, Chick-fil-A is the only franchise to have their sales be greater than the year before, with profits having only increased since their establishment in 1967.
“I would say besides the great tasting food is the service we provide. I think, I tell the team members, people will not remember what we do for them working at Chick-fil-A, but how we make them feel when they come here,” says Chick-fil-A team captain Antonino Riccobono.
The desire to provide quality hospitality is a character trait Chick-fil-A employers search for in applicants.
“[…] I want someone who wants to work here, who doesn’t want to work here to get free food, who wants to work here to also build leadership or personal skills, like I did, [and] I want them to be eager and hungry to grow and learn. I want them to boost the morale of the whole team,” said Riccobono.
The quality of Chick-fil-A’s hospitality is the reason why many guests continue to patron Chick-fil-A on a weekly basis.
“I patronize Chick-fil-A once a week or once every two weeks [because] they treat customers very well and make sure food is given fast and made perfectly,” said senior Amantej Rana.
Chick-fil-A stands out as being a unique restaurant compared to other fast food franchises because the way in which they make their menu more engaging is quite creative.
“People will see a new item on the menu and they want to try it, so we will make a lot of profit in the first week or two of releasing that, and then maybe it will die down a little bit […] but I think it’s nice to add a little change to the menu. We bring new sandwiches, new beverages, sauce, sometimes, milkshakes, and it makes people want to try the new Chick-fil-A item [we] have; we’re getting new stuff in the summer,” said Riccobono.
Guests acknowledge Chick-fil-A’s unique menu choices, as well as ensuring their satisfaction with every meal and interaction they have at the restaurant.
“Not only do they correct their mistakes, which is rare that they ever actually make a mistake, but often times they will give you extra for the minor inconvenience, for example if I ordered a small fry and it’s not in my bad when I collect my order, I’ll tell them and sometimes they give me a medium fry instead,” said senior Joseph M.
The positive interactions between guests and team members can be displayed through all facets of the restaurant; no matter how busy it may get, there is always time for the guest.
“I would highlight the drive thru because even when it’s full of cars, the workers still get people through quickly,” said Amantej R.
Lots of work occurs behind the scenes to ensure team members are as productive and efficient as possible, even under the most busy of times during the day.
“We have different strategies: when it get busy, for example, we have upstream, when the line is full, full up front […] we get the iPad, we start half way down the line and go back down the line and the register takes the payment, make the drinks,” said Riccobono.
The compassionate nature of Chick-fil-A contributes to its success of attracting repeat guests.
“While Chick-fil-A is good, it does not take away the fact that I like other foods, but does make me want to choose CFA over them when I want a specific kind of food,” said Amantej R.
Guest engagement is critical to encouraging positive interactions that entice people to return as well as enjoy their experience while dining within and outside of the restaurant.
“If I’m order taking, I like to use their first name more than one time, […] I like to go check on them while in the dining room, and talk about their life and talk about my life and have a ten minute conversation with a guest which makes them feel good,” said Riccobono.
Chick-fil-A’s ideology outlined with four core principles summarizes the ideal manner in which employees can enhance the dining experience of any and all guests.
“The Core Four is pretty much the base of hospitality; you have to create eye contact while talking to the guest, you need to speak with enthusiasm as well, you want to make a connection from your heart, […] and always say ‘my pleasure’ because we want to stand out from other fast food chains. […] It is my pleasure to provide you with hospitality and your service,” said Riccobono.
Chick-fil-A has positively impacted the lives of the team members, leaders, and employees outside of work, facilitating personal growth and development.
“I’m at the food store and I’m grabbing something on the top shelf for an older woman and I would usually just walk in with airpods and pass her, but I realized that you just got to help people out whenever they need it and I think I’m much better person since I’ve been working here,” said Riccobono.
Chick-fil-A provides future careers for those who pursue opportunities within a specific field of study, while simultaneously allowing employees to continue working for their company which they’ve grown to appreciate.
“I do want to get a job in Chick-fil-A as my career; I’m going to school for cybersecurity and there is a job for Chick-fil-A cybersecurity, so I will still have my job from my degree and also be within the franchise which is kind of cool, so I want to climb up as far as I can here and then hopefully go to the corporate office in Atlanta […] and have that be my career,” said Riccobono.
From food that attracts hundreds of guests a day, to service that makes costumes smile, Chick-fil-A’s method of providing fast and accurate service has made them one of the most successful fast food franchises in Commack. ◼️
