A seasoned restaurant analyst says that Chick-fil-A, the number two chicken fast-food chain, will surpass KFC in the next 10 years. Chick-fil-A’s growth numbers surpass KFC’s and as a smaller chain, it has room to grow, whereas KFC has thousands more outlets. Another significant difference is that KFC is part of a publicly held company, whereas Chick-fil-A is privately held, meaning it can make decisions without having to answer to shareholders who typically focus on short-term profits over other values, including what’s best over the long term.

Chick-fil-A’s growth rates look good despite the chain being closed on Sundays, which means, you guessed it, the chain has very strong Christian values. S. Truett Cathy, a Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher, and his two sons run the firm. The corporate mission, on a plaque at headquarters, is to “glorify God.” Franchisees and corporate employees are carefully vetted before coming on board to ensure that they fit in with the corporation's Christian values.

The franchise fee is a low $5,000, compared to KFC’s $25,000. Chick-fil-A pays for the land, the construction and the equipment. Its franchisees take home on average $100,000 per year from a single outlet (Jul 07 Forbes article) and are discouraged from taking on more than a few.

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