Chick-fil-A intends to remain a privately held, family-owned company even as it expands into international markets and broadens its menu, chief executive officer Andrew Cathy has confirmed.
Cathy, who took over leadership nearly five years ago after his father Dan and founder grandfather S. Truett Cathy, said the Atlanta-based chain is satisfied with its performance.
"This has been a good year," Cathy said in downtown Manhattan ahead of an event for the chain's Shared Table hunger relief program.
Financial disclosures show Chick-fil-A's 2025 revenue rose 14% to $10.3 billion, while net income edged up 1% to $1.05 billion.
Systemwide sales reached $23.92 billion across roughly 3,000 locations, according to the figures.
Private Ownership and Long-Term Planning
Cathy credited franchise owners with managing daily operations well and upholding core brand principles during uncertain economic conditions for the industry.
"Our operators have done such a good job executing on the fundamentals and adding the hospitality to it," he said.
While competing restaurant brands struggle on public stock markets or prepare initial public offerings, Chick-fil-A opened 179 new locations last year.
It also expanded into Canada, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Cathy said staying private lets leadership focus on long-term strategy rather than short-term market performance.
"We're able to plan for the quarter century, and we don't have to plan for the quarter," he said.
The company keeps foundational traditions such as remaining closed on Sundays, while launching beverage concept Daybright and pursuing a $1 billion international initiative.
Cathy described balancing core brand values against evolving consumer dining habits.
"I look at driving this business like driving a race car — there's a reason that the windshield's bigger than the rearview mirror," he said.
He added that foundational goals remain constant despite broader operational updates.
"It's important for the rear view to be grounded on where you are, and there are things that we think about our purpose, our mission, that won't change, but everything else we have to be able to evolve and change," he said.
On technology such as drone delivery, Cathy said the company approaches automated service options with a human-centered focus.
"We think about all these new things into the future, about how will people want to receive food in the future?"
he said.
He added that exploring new tools creates opportunities to elevate customer experience.
"As you think about drone delivery and all the other kind of things that could be coming, it's a fun time in the industry, to think about all the possibilities of what we can do to make a better experience for our guests," he said.
Unlike competitors testing artificial intelligence order takers in drive-thru channels, Chick-fil-A avoids AI voice ordering in favor of personal employee interactions.
"From our experience, we really want that hospitality to be human to human," Cathy said.
He stressed that real human engagement is central to building the company's service environment.
"We're not gonna substitute that interaction with technology, because we feel like that hospitality is so important to create that warm environment for consumers," he said.
The brand also monitors limited-time offerings closely, converting popular trial items into permanent menu additions like its Pineapple Dragonfruit beverage line.
"We're very careful about what we want to do, because we," Cathy said.
