Chick-fil-A is launching its own entertainment app featuring family-oriented programs and podcasts.

• The Play app, aimed at families with children aged 12 and under, will be launched by Chick-fil-A.
• Dustin Britt, Chick-fil-A's executive director of brand strategy, entertainment and media, discovered a link between consuming content and mealtimes through research and customer conversations.
• Rapidly growing, Chick-fil-A is the third-largest U.S. restaurant chain in sales, surpassed only by Starbucks and McDonald's.

Are chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, milkshakes, and now TV shows and podcasts?

On November 18, Chick-fil-A will introduce a new app featuring original animated shows, podcasts, games, recipes, and e-books for families.

Chick-fil-A has been expanding beyond food for years, with the ultimate goal of increasing its customer base. Since 2019, it has been the third-biggest U.S. restaurant chain by sales, with many fewer locations than Starbucks and McDonald's. In 2020, its revenue reached $7.89 billion, according to franchisee disclosure documents.

The company has boosted its restaurant sales by selling branded merchandise, such as a sleeping bag resembling its chicken sandwich packaging, and launching a spinoff brand called Pennycake, which offers family-friendly games and puzzles. Additionally, for the past five years, the company has released animated shorts on YouTube during the holiday season as part of its "Stories of Evergreen Hills" series.

Dustin Britt, Chick-fil-A's executive director of brand strategy, entertainment and media, stated that through analyzing research and customer conversations, it was discovered that content and games are closely related to mealtime.

As we enhance their experience, we provide them with a reason to continue enjoying Chick-fil-A with us.

The first 22-minute episode of "Legends of Evergreen Hills," the continuation of protagonist Sam's adventures in the fantasy world of Evergreen Hills, was previewed by CNBC. Additionally, the first installment of "Hidden Island," a scripted podcast about a family that shipwrecks on a deserted island, was shown. Lastly, a step-by-step cooking tutorial that uses a Chick-fil-A milkshake as a key ingredient was also featured.

The Chick-fil-A Play app can be downloaded for free on iPhones, iPads, and Android devices before its launch next month.

Why Chick-fil-A is betting on content

The app was developed by Chick-fil-A after years of customer feedback and a shift in consumer behavior towards shorter restaurant visits.

Chick-fil-A's customers are increasingly using its drive-thru lanes and ordering delivery, while its in-restaurant playgrounds are still popular, according to Khalilah Cooper, Chick-fil-A's vice president of brand strategy, advertising and media. Meanwhile, its rival has removed its PlayPlaces, possibly due to a decline in children using the playgrounds, health and safety concerns, and a shift away from marketing to children.

"Cooper stated to CNBC that the app is intended to provide a digital playground for the entire family to enjoy, regardless of their location, whether they are in the restaurant, drive-thru, driving to soccer practice, or relaxing at home. The app is intended to be an extension of the in-restaurant signature hospitality and generosity."

The app's content, as per Cooper, emphasizes themes such as generosity, friendship, problem-solving, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Chick-fil-A created the app's content to attract children aged 12 and below, as well as their parents.

"Legends of Evergreen Hills" will release new episodes weekly through the holidays, followed by "Hidden Island." In 2022, the Play app will launch "Ice Lions," a scripted audio series based on the true story of Kenyan teenagers who aim to form the country's first ice hockey team.

Chick-fil-A's app content was primarily created by its internal team and external partners, with some licensed content. The company did not reveal the identities of its external partners.

Cooper stated that they are continually considering what extra features they can incorporate into the app in the future.

In August, Deadline reported that Chick-fil-A has been collaborating with external production companies for content, including unscripted programs, such as a family-oriented game show.

Britt stated that we are currently exploring various types of content and considering everything as a potential opportunity for us. We will continue to learn, explore, and determine what works.

Restaurants as media brands

Streaming services have made it challenging for legacy media players like and to create content and attract viewers due to the abundance of options available.

Unlike other brands, Chick-fil-A focuses on selling its own products rather than generating revenue through subscriptions or advertisements. This approach has been successful since the company's inception, with its first sponsored daytime radio show promoting its soap, which became known as the "Chick-fil-A soap opera."

Goodway Group's chief media officer, Stephani Estes, stated that media houses create a lot of content for brands, and brands desire to utilize this content because it appears more authentic. According to Estes, this content feels like it is produced by a media house rather than an advertisement.

This summer, Sugar23 announced a partnership with More recent entrants include Chuck E. Cheese, which said it's working with "Top Chef" producer Magical Elves to create its own game show.

As a marketing professional, my biggest question would be to determine the business problem that you are trying to solve. Additionally, I would want to know if the dollar invested in content creation or a specific initiative will yield a higher return than spending that dollar elsewhere in the marketing funnel, according to Estes.

By creating branded content, Chick-fil-A can connect with children without the negative connotations of direct advertising, and in doing so, cultivate positive feelings towards the brand among their parents.

Unlike Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, Chick-fil-A has the freedom to determine if an investment is successful because it is a family-owned company and not bound to shareholders who may oppose costly marketing campaigns.

Chick-fil-A's rapid growth over the past decade has resulted in significant cash reserves, as evidenced by its nearly doubling of systemwide sales from 2018 to 2023 and its $1.07 billion in net earnings last year. Additionally, the company's founder, Dan Cathy, has a net worth of $10.6 billion, according to Forbes estimates.

Dan Cathy, owner of Atlanta-based Trilith Studios, has faced criticism for his opposition to same-sex marriage and donations to anti-LGBTQ groups. Despite this, the company's stages have been used in many Marvel movies and TV shows, as well as Francis Ford Coppola's 2024 flop "Megalopolis." Tax breaks and cheap labor have helped Atlanta become the "Hollywood of the South" over the last decade.

According to Cooper, Dan Cathy did not participate in the creation of the Play app or make decisions regarding its content. Additionally, Chick-fil-A has not collaborated with his studio at this time.

We haven't worked directly with Trilith yet, but we continue to explore possibilities where it benefits both our businesses and brands.