What was the net change in the number of company-owned Chick Fil A restaurants in 2023?
Chick_Fil_A Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
| Outlet Type | Year | Outlets at the Start of the Year | Outlets at the End of the Year | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franchised | 2022 | 2230 | 2338 | +108 |
| 2023 | 2331 | 2494 | +163 | |
| 2024 | 2494 | 2629 | +135 | |
| Company Owned | 2022 | 81 | 73 | -8 |
| 2023 | 80 | 58 | -22 | |
| 2024 | 58 | 55 | -3 | |
| Total Outlets | 2022 | 2311 | 2411 | +100 |
| 2023 | 2411 | 2552 | +141 | |
| 2024 | 2552 | 2684 | +132 | |
| Outlet Type | Year | Outlets at the Start of the Year | Outlets at the End of the Year | Net Change |
| Licensed | 2022 | 393 | 395 | +2 |
| 2023 | 395 | 412 | +17 | |
| 2024 | 412 | 425 | +13 | |
| Company Owned | 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total Outlets | 2022 | 393 | 395 | +2 |
| 2023 | 395 | 412 | +17 | |
| 2024 | 412 | 425 | +13 |
Source: Item 20 — Outlets and Franchisee Information (FDD pages 83–102)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Chick Fil A's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the net change in the number of company-owned Chick Fil A restaurants in 2023 was a decrease of 22. This means that Chick Fil A had 22 fewer company-owned restaurants at the end of 2023 than it did at the beginning of the year.
For a prospective franchisee, this indicates that Chick Fil A is moving away from operating its own restaurants and is instead focusing on franchising. This could mean that there are more opportunities to become a Chick Fil A franchisee. However, it could also mean that Chick Fil A is becoming more selective in its franchising process.
It is important to note that this number only reflects the net change in the number of company-owned restaurants. It does not reflect the total number of restaurants that were opened or closed during the year. It also does not reflect the number of restaurants that were transferred from franchisees to Chick Fil A or vice versa. To get a complete picture of Chick Fil A's restaurant operations, a prospective franchisee should review the entire Item 20 of the Franchise Disclosure Document.