How Chick-fil-A grew from a small Southern diner to the third-largest restaurant chain in the US
Chick-fil-A has come a long way since opening as a small roadside diner in Georgia in 1946.
Chick-fil-A, the third-largest restaurant chain in the United States, has its roots in a small Southern diner that began operations in 1946. The story of Chick-fil-A's rise to prominence begins with S. Truett Cathy, the founder who opened the Dwarf Grill in Hapeville, Georgia. In 1967, the first Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta, marking the beginning of the chain's modern era.
The first official Chick-fil-A locations were situated within shopping malls, credited by the company as being an early pioneer of what would become the modern mall food court. The company experimented with drive-thru-only restaurant locations, with the first-ever drive-thru-only Chick-fil-A restaurant opening in 1993 in Greenville, South Carolina.
As of 2025, Chick-fil-A has grown to more than 3,200 US restaurants, generating nearly $24 billion in systemwide sales, trailing only McDonald's and Starbucks. Despite facing controversy over the company's stance on LGBTQ+ equality, Chick-fil-A remains committed to providing a welcoming environment for all customers.
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