Chick-fil-A hit $23.9 billion in sales while closed every Sunday. Its CEO explains why that won’t change, even if it costs the chain billions

Chick-fil-A has maintained its tradition of closing every Sunday for nearly 80 years, a policy that its CEO Andrew Cathy believes will remain unchanged. In an interview with NBC’s Today, Cathy revealed that he has never calculated the potential sales lost due to this weekly closure. He emphasized that the decision is a luxury afforded by the company's family ownership structure, allowing them to invest in other areas that matter to their team members.

The Sunday closure dates back to the chain's founding in 1946 by S. Truett Cathy, who wanted himself and his employees to have a day off for rest, family time, or worship. While the company has made rare exceptions, such as opening on a Sunday in 2017 to aid stranded travelers during a power outage, Cathy believes the policy is deeply ingrained in the brand's identity.

According to recent estimates, closing on Sundays costs the chain at least $1.2 billion annually in sales. However, analysts suggest that adding a seventh day could potentially yield a ceiling near $4 billion in sales. Despite these figures, Cathy is unwilling to change the policy, citing the employees' value of having a guaranteed day off and the brand's allure that drives traffic throughout the week.