A New York politician wants Chick-fi-A open seven days week

19.12.2023 14:03

Chick-fil-A operates nine restaurants in travel plazas in New York. A proposed bill requires all rest stop restaurants to be open on Sundays.

Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays.
But, a New York lawmaker wants to the chain to reconsider its policy.
Assemblyman Tony Simone wants all New York rest stop eateries to be open seven days a week.

A New York lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require restaurants inside state rest stops to be open seven days a week. It could impact nine Chick-fil-A restaurants that operate inside New York travel plazas if approved.

Chick-fil-A, among the busiest fast-food chains in the US, famously keeps its doors closed on Sundays. This bill, if approved, could force them to change their policy or exit the nine travel plazas where it operates in New York City.

A representative for Assemblyman Tony Simone, who introduced the bill, said the lawmaker believes "Chick-Fil-A could easily serve their customers better if their restaurants were open seven days a week."

"The bill addresses the need for any restaurant that serves travelers to be open seven days a week," a representative for Simone told Business Insider in an email. "When it comes to travel areas, like rest stops, bus stations, and airports, people are often traveling on Sundays, and so it doesn't make any sense for one of the few restaurants available at these locations to be closed on one of the busiest travel days of the week."

Simone told the New York Post that restaurants, including Chick-fil-A, should be open daily. "And if they can't, they shouldn't be in our rest stops."

Chick-fil-A did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

The chain has nine locations at travel plazas in New York, according to its website.

The fast food chain's Sunday closure policy stems from its founder Truett Cathy.

"Closing our business on Sunday, the Lord's Day, is our way of honoring God and showing our loyalty to Him," he wrote in his book "Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People."

Cathy and his brother Ben founded their first Georgia restaurant, Dwarf Grill, in 1946. That restaurant was closed on Sundays. Cathy continued that tradition when he opened the first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta, Georgia, mall in 1967.

"My children have committed to closing our restaurants on Sundays long after I'm gone," he wrote in his book. "I believe God honors our decision and sets before us unexpected opportunities to do greater work for Him because of our loyalty."

Here are the nine locations where Chick-fil-A operates in travel plazas in New York:

New York State Thruway - Pattersonville Travel Plaza

Mile Post 168 West
NY State Thruway
Pattersonville, NY 12137

NY State Thruway - Ardsley Travel Plaza

Mile 6
NY State Thruway
Hastings-On-Hudson, NY 10706

NY State Thruway - Chittenango Travel Plaza

2188 Tag Road
NY State Thruway
Chittenango, New York 13037

NY State Thruway - Clifton Springs Travel Plaza

State Route 96
NY State Thruway
Clifton Springs, New York 14432

NY State Thruway - Iroquois Travel Plaza

2576 State Route 5S
NY State Thruway
Little Falls, New York 13365

NY State Thruway - New Baltimore Travel Plaza