Ready for a different type of expansion, Chick-fil-A is currently planning to launch a “family-friendly” streaming service.
Deadline reports that the fast food brand is working with several major production companies to create family-friendly TV shows in the “unscripted” space. It is also working on licenses and acquiring content.
This includes a family-friendly game show Glassman Media, which created NBC’s The Wall, and Michael Sugar’s Sugar23. That show reportedly has a ten-episode order and budgets on the unscripted portion are believed to be $40,000 per half-hour.
Brian Gibson, who previously worked on History’s Top Gear remake and Fox’s adaption of The X Factor, is said to be leading the programming charge for Chick-fil-A’s streaming service.
Chick-fil-A is notably the latest company not part of the entertainment industry to make its own original series. Previously, Lyft launched the game show Lucky Lyft with Bob The Drag Queen. Airbnb also produced the documentary, Gay Chorus Deep South, which aired on MTV.
Chick-fil-A also produced content on its own platform before with Stories of Evergreen Hills, which was a series of short, animated films.
A source told Deadline that Chick-fil-A moving into the streaming service space is a “positive move” for the reality TV industry. A fellow insider noted it was a “good opportunity” as well.
Chick-fil-A has yet to comment on the news.
Chick-fil-A Debuts First Restaurant With ‘Elevated Drive-Thru’ Amid Streaming Service Plans
Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A recently opened the first restaurant with an “elevated drive-thru.”
According to USA Today, the restaurant is located in McDonough, Georgia, which is just south of Metro Atlanta. The drive-thru-only restaurant has four drive-thru lanes and an elevated kitchen with a “unique meal transport system,” which is described by the company as a “sophisticated conveyer belt” that streamlines food delivery by “quickly moving the meal.”
The kitchen notably doubles the size of a typical Chick-fil-A restaurant kitchen. The conveyor belt allows for a meal to be delivered to a team member every six seconds. There is no dining room or dine-in services at this restaurant. However, the four-lane drive-thru has the capacity to support “two to three times more vehicles.”
The restaurant will provide two options for customers to get their meal:
- Customers can order ahead on the Chick-fil-A app and pick up using the dedicated Mobile Thru lines
- Customers can place their order with a Team Member in the traditional drive-thru lanes
Jonathan Reed, Executive Director of Design for Chick-fil-A, further spoke about the new location in a recent press release. “With the new Elevated Drive-Thru design, featuring our first four lane drive-thru, we’re aiming to deliver quality food and genuine hospitality in a way that’s uniquely Chick-fil-A,” he said. “And gives our Guests time back in their day.”