[Vigilanteman]

I want to know how Chick-Fil-A gets all the best workers the fast food industry has to offer.

All three of my daughters worked there for their first job, so I can offer an opinion as follows:

1. They seek out genuinely nice kids. They like evidence of good grades and involvement in positive high school activity, chorus, marching band, sports, whatever.
   
2. They give extra training, not just 'following Joe around.' They have classrooms, films, role playing and you don't fly solo until you pass muster. My kids actually got their first jobs in college with minimal interviews because of the Chick-Fil-A experience.
   
3. They put more help on the floor than they think they'll need. You will notice that even when waiting lines stack up, they will have people walking the line to take orders so the kitchen staff can have them ready by the time you are to the front of the line. If they don't, you'll get a table placard and they bring it to you.
   
4. They know their kids there are going to make it a career, generally. So they are very flexible about giving time off for school, church or family activities. Even if they just can't allow all the time off requested, they work with employees to share a shift so each gets at least part of the day off they wanted.
   
5. They are trained and encouraged to look for things which need done and positively rewarded. We were there one evening when all three daughters were working and my middle girl noticed ample help behind the counter, but trash cans getting full and tables needing wiped. She asked the supervisor if she could move away from the counter and take care of the matter. Rather than getting chewed out for showing her supervisor up (as would happen in too many places), she was rewarded with a couple of food coupons for noticing and acting on something that her supervisor had missed.
   
6. In short, and without even getting into the quality of food and preparation techniques, they really know how to run a pop stand!

[DUMBGRUNT]

Thank you!

[Boojum]

A couple of years ago we stopped at a CFA in NC. Though it was a late lunch, the pace was packed. The place looked new and I asked the lady wiping tables how long it had been open. She said it was 20 years old, but had been remodeled a couple of years ago.

Found out later the table wiper was the wife of the owner.

Love me some CFA!