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Chick-fil-A fans are sounding off after one of its restaurants offered to pay employees entirely with chicken sandwiches instead of money.
The restaurant, located in in Hendersonville, North Carolina, posted a Facebook message stating that it was looking for volunteers to work its drive-thru in exchange for five free entrees per shift for one hour worked.
Hey @ChickfilA can you explain why your allowing a franchisee to hire unpaid positions? This is unacceptable. #chickfila #unionize pic.twitter.com/mR3RUOBRML
— __ Bona Bones __ (@Bona_Bones) July 27, 2022
The Facebook post, which has now been deleted, stirred up controversy on social media as people began to slam Chick-fil-A for the payment arrangement.
A chicken sandwich from Chick-Fil-A in North Carolina costs $4.45.
They're offering 5 per hour to volunteers who can help work lunch hours ($22.25/hr rate).
The average pay for a kitchen team member is $12.29/hour.
They can afford to pay a living wage. They just choose not to.
— Hayden LaCelle (@LaCelleHaydenT) July 28, 2022
As much as I wish this wasn’t real, it is. And it’s absurd. @chickfila, you can’t pay rent in chicken sandwiches. https://t.co/JYe2oFfSOc
— Liz Shuler (@LizShuler) July 29, 2022
The national median monthly rent price is $2,000, or 466 Chick-fil-A sandwiches. pic.twitter.com/eL9nQOFDx1
— jordan (@JordanUhl) July 28, 2022
Chick-fil-A startin to act like it ain’t they pleasure no mo alil bit __
— ᦔ ꪮꪶꪶꪗ (@OhDolll) July 22, 2022
Chick-fil-A's owners are worth $14 billion. The average location makes $8.1 million annually, up 15% in a year.
They're asking people in North Carolina to "volunteer" without pay (but they get chicken sandwiches).
Maybe "no one wants to work" for freehttps://t.co/xBdvB4gONS
— Dan Price (@DanPriceSeattle) July 28, 2022
While it is commonplace for restaurants to offer a meal to workers for free when they work, the deal to pay entirely in food is not typical.
In response to the criticism, the Hendersonville Chick-fil-A posted a response in the comments of the now-deleted Facebook post, which was captured by Today.
“Thanks for everyone’s concern on this matter. This is a volunteer based opportunity, which means people can opt in to volunteer if they think it’s a good fit for them. We’ve had multiple people sign up and enjoy doing and have done it multiple times. People who sign up for this chose it voluntarily. We are still hiring full time and part time team members, so if you are interested in working in our store, we pay $19/hr.”
A Chick-fil-A spokesperson told the Washington Post that the restaurant has since ended the program, adding, “Most restaurants are individually owned and operated, and it was a program at an individually owned restaurant. This was not endorsed by Chick-fil-A, Inc.”
The operator of the Hendersonville restaurant, Joel Benson, also posted on Facebook a message about the meals-for-work program on Thursday evening, which has also since been deleted but was captured by Today.
Benson wrote in part, “After carefully reviewing claims and other details brought to our attention, as you possibly have, we have decided to stop this program and not move forward any further.
He continued, “We are always looking for fun and creative ways to engage our raving fans, and positively impact our community, and team members. Unfortunately, this time we brought unnecessary negativity and misplaced regional/national attention to our town instead. I apologize for this and will continue to make all efforts to treat our guests with honor, dignity, and respect. This idea was a little too creative and the consequences unintended.”
The restaurant has now seemingly limited who can comment on its public Facebook posts since the backlash erupted.
Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/GettyImages
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