Here's a dilemma: Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A is opening a kiosk in the Atlanta Falcons' new football stadium. The Falcons play all but one of their 2017 games on Sundays there. Chick-fil-A isn't open on Sundays.
By a mandate that the chain's late founder, Truett Cathy, made in 1946, all 2,100 of Chick-fil-A's restaurants are closed on Sundays.
The Chick fil-A inside the Falcons new stadium will be closed on Sundays, only open for one Falcons game https://t.co/kKRqxY6ZQP
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 16, 2017
That means Dallas Cowboys fans who want a chicken fix on Nov. 12 will have to find other dining options in $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Some other options are Atlanta Grill and Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q.)
Chick-fil-A will be open Dec. 7 when the Falcons play a Thursday-night game against the New Orleans Saints.
Should 2019 Super Bowl be moved from Falcons new stadium because Chick-fil-A concession stand closed on Sundays? Buy or sell? Fish or fowl?
— Woody Paige (@woodypaige) August 16, 2017
It's not a total wash for Chick-fil-A. The stadium's Chick-fil-A stand will be open for non-Sunday events such as concerts and other sports events. The stadium will be the site of two college football games -- Alabama vs. Florida State on Sept. 2, a Saturday; and Georgia Tech-Tennessee on Sept. 4, a Monday. It will also sell chicken during non-Sunday games played by the Atlanta United of Major League Soccer.
In an email to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution on Thursday, Chick-fil-A responded:
"We're always looking for ways to get Chick-fil-A to our loyal and passionate customers in the most convenient and personal ways. What better place than at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, particularly with the upcoming Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Atlanta United matches," John Mattioli, Chick-fil-A senior manager of partnerships and activation marketing, said in the email.
"We're excited to have the chance to serve customers at a number of other events taking place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium throughout the year, including non-Sunday Falcons games, concerts, and the many other marquee events this best-in-class venue will host."
In another strange Falcons-chicken twist, Zaxby's was named the official chicken of the Falcons this week, but there is not a Zaxby's in the stadium at the moment, a Zaxby's spokeswoman told the Journal-Constitution.
CORRECTION, 1 p.m., Aug. 20, 2017: An earlier version of this story incorrectly used a photo of a Super Chix sandwich. It has been replaced by a correct version of a Chick-fil-A sandwich.
