For Chick-fil-A’s 80th anniversary, the chicken chain is going all out: retro packaging, collectible cups, themed merch and even the chance to win free food for a year.
The chain’s anniversary comes as the restaurant industry struggles with declining traffic. To win back diners, many restaurants have leaned into deals, buzzy promotions and larger marketing budgets.
As a privately held company, Chick-fil-A does not disclose quarterly financial results, but franchise disclosure documents show that the company’s system sales growth slowed to 5.4% in 2024, making it the first year in more than a decade with less than double-digit sales growth.
Chick-fil-A has stayed out of the so-called value wars other restaurants have leaned into to compete, but the anniversary gives the chain the opportunity to attract more customers to its restaurants. The yearlong marketing campaign kicks off on Monday and represents the biggest promotional push ever for Chick-fil-A. Khalilah Cooper, Chick-fil-A’s vice president of brand strategy, advertising and media, told CNBC that new advertising will spotlight the anniversary in both national TV spots and on social media.
At the center of the campaign is what the company is calling “newstalgia,” a portmanteau of “new” and nostalgia.”
