{
  "id": 14980116,
  "title": "How Chick-fil-A grew from a small Southern diner to the third-largest restaurant chain in the US",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/how-chick-fil-a-grew-from-a-small-southern-diner-to-the-third-largest",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-16T15:17:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/chick-fil-a-chain-fast-food-history-controversies"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "Chick-fil-A has come a long way since opening as a small roadside diner in Georgia in 1946.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}