Georgia Magazine - June 2017 - 18

The first Chick-fil-A billboard featuring the now-famous cows urging
folks to "Eat Mor Chikin" debuted in Texas in 1995.

3, appreciate and value as well.
GEORGIA Magazine: Will you share with us about
Truett's and Jeannette's love story?
Mark Cathy: They were neighbors as children. My
grandfather worked with his mom, who ran a boarding house to support the family. Sometimes, if they
were serving guests, they wouldn't have enough food
for the family. My grandmother, as a young neighbor of
theirs, would drop off an extra loaf of bread or eggs for
them. Granddad said that after seeing her do that, he
made a commitment that whenever he had more than
he needed, he'd share with others. That generosity was
something he learned from and loved about Grand-

mother, even before they were married, and carried on
the rest of his life.
GEORGIA Magazine: What does the immediate
future hold for Chick-fil-A?
Mark Cathy: We'll continue with a relevant menu,
continue to look at healthy and sustainable menu items
that are in line with customers' tastes and desires. By
the end of 2019, all of our chicken will be raised with
no antibiotics. And just this year, Chick-fil-A is doubling
the amount of scholarship money we provide for our
team members. Our scholarship program began after my
grandfather recognized a tremendous opportunity with
all the young people working in the restaurant. He saw it
as a way to invest in their education.
Granddad always said that Chick-fil-A is about
people first. He'd say, "We're in the people business
serving chicken." I always loved that about him.
Jackie Kennedy is a freelance writer living in
LaGrange. She interviewed Truett Cathy for an article in
the February 2005 issue of GEORGIA Magazine,
bit.ly/2cfila205.

web exclusive

For a timeline of Chick-fil-A milestones, see
page 18A in this month's digital edition, online at
georgiamagazine.org.
web exclusive

Touring Chick-fil-A
At the Chick-fil-A Support Center in Atlanta, visitors on the Home Office Backstage
Tour can view more than just mementos from
Chick-fil-A's past half-century. They also get
to see a dozen antique cars and numerous
Frederic Remington statues from Truett
Cathy's vast collections.
The walking tour features storytelling
inspired by the background, culture and
values of Chick-fil-A, according to Shelley
Riso, a tour host since 2012.
"Guests take the tour to discover more
about the company they love," she says.
"We see how much they enjoy learning
about Truett Cathy and Chick-fil-A. It's a
rags-to-riches story."
The tour leads visitors past displays of
historic Chick-fil-A memorabilia and includes
surprise features such as a real Batmobile.
"Truett purchased it after the movie
'Batman Returns' was made," Riso says. "If
you've seen the movie, you'll recognize the
car as the Flamethrower. After he got it, he
wore a Batman costume and drove it around
the Support Center."
Other cars on display include a 1923
Ford Model T and a 1909 Cadillac.
18

"Truett was 8 years
old when the Great Depression began, the same
year he started his first
business, selling CocaColas from a wagon,"
Riso says. "In his lifetime,
he saw monumental
changes in the transportation industry, beginning
with horses and buggies
Truett Cathy was an avid car collector and transportation-hison the street when he
tory buff, as evidenced by his impressive collection of antique
was a child."
and one-of-a-kind automobiles.
The Support Center
also is home to numerous
and business and school groups. "And
Remington bronze statues depicting the Old
Chick-fil-A restaurant operators bring team
West. In his lifetime, Cathy collected more
than 200 pieces, making him one of the larg- members from all over the country to experience their Support Center," Riso says.
est private collectors of Remington's work.
The one-hour walking tour costs $10.
"One of Truett's core values was excelThe deluxe tour, $20, includes the original
lence, and he appreciated Remington as a
man who embraced excellence as an artist," tour plus a shuttle bus ride to Kitchen,
where the culinary team works on product
Riso says. "Those familiar with Remington
development, and Hatch, the innovation
are delighted to be so close to museumcenter where ideas are transformed into
quality works of art when they visit us."
business methods. For more information or
Last year, approximately 25,000 guests
to book a tour, visit tours.chick-fil-a.com.
took the Backstage Tour, including families
More online at www.georgiamagazine.org

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

http://www.bit.ly/2cfila205 http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.tours.chick-fil-a.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - June 2017