The Power of Chick-Fil-A’s Core Values
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13
At Chick-Fil-A, we care about much more than serving delicious chicken. Although we think our food is fantastic, we exist for a greater purpose.
Our founder, Truett Cathy, once said, “We should be about more than just selling chicken. We should be a part of our customers’ lives and the communities we serve.” This quote is still displayed proudly on Chick-Fil-A’s corporate website.
If you’ve never visited Chick-Fil-A’s core values page, I encourage you to check it out. You’ll learn why we close our restaurants on Sundays and what we care about most as an organization. You’ll also discover our foundational purpose: “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-Fil-A.”
As a Chick-Fil-A owner, I care deeply about infusing this value into the work of our local franchise. It’s what led me to start this blog. It’s what motivates me to provide free college tuition for team members. It’s why our restaurant has donated over $750,000 to our community in food donations and support, along with $150,000 in food donations to our local homeless shelters.
Ultimately, the desire to improve our local community is what gets me out of bed in the morning. I believe I’m not in the chicken business but in the people business. Although I no longer work in traditional full-time church ministry, I see myself doing ministry every day by serving our guests and team members and exemplifying Chick-Fil-A’s core values.
Each person must determine what their core values are. If you’ve never spent time thinking about your core values, I would encourage you to reflect on the traits and qualities most important to you. Think about what goals and outcomes you’re willing to make sacrifices to achieve. Consider how you spend your time and money and what it says about what you truly care about. Ask others what they would identify as your core values based on what they know about you.
Most importantly, remember that you aren’t confined by where you currently stand. This is a foundational truth about “The Pursuit” (the title we intentionally chose for this blog). You don’t have to stay where you are. You have all the power to move forward, but unless you identify where you want to go, you will continue to wander aimlessly.
Lastly, don’t forget about what Jesus’ example demonstrates about God’s top values. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we learn that God values mercy, forgiveness, and the salvation of each person who puts their trust in Jesus. If a core value is something you’re willing to sacrifice for, there’s no greater sacrifice than what Jesus did for you and me on the cross.
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” – John 13:34