Chick-fil-A gears up for global domination

Despite the mediocre flying capabilities of its namesake, Chick-fil-A is ready for takeoff.

The company reportedly has a $1B plan under its wing to expand into Europe and Asia by 2026, per The Wall Street Journal.

• In the US, Chick-fil-A’s sales have quadrupled in the past decade, and it’s now the third-biggest fast-food chain by sales after McDonald’s and Starbucks.
• Despite being closed on Sundays, Chick-fil-A’s ~2.7k US locations averaged $6.3m each in 2021 revenue, ~4x that of KFC and Popeyes.

Since hatching in 1967, Chick-fil-A has tried at international expansion — in South Africa in 1996, and the UK in 2019 — to meager results and local opposition. It now has eight locations in Canada and three in Puerto Rico.

Currently, KFC runs the hen in Asia’s ~$33B fast-food chicken industry, with 39% market share. It also leads the way in Western Europe’s $6.1B market.

BTW: Last year, KFC owner Yum Brands opened a new restaurant around the world every two hours.