Chick-fil-A won't open on Super Bowl Sunday because of religious values

Chick-fil-A won’t make a Sunday exception for the Super Bowl – because the founder was a devout Southern Baptist.

The fried chicken chain, which has a location in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, where the New England Patriots will face off against the Los Angeles Rams, confirmed that it will remain closed during Super Bowl LIII – as it is on every Sunday, according to AJC.

The policy of being closed on Sundays was first established by founder Truett Cathy in 1946 to allow employees a day of rest and worship – and 73 years later, the tradition is still in place.

On the Chick-fil-A website, it reads: “Our founder, Truett Cathy, made the decision to close on Sundays in 1946 when he opened his first restaurant in Hapeville, Georgia.

“Having worked seven days a week in restaurants open 24 hours, Truett saw the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest and worship if they choose – a practise we uphold today.”

Despite its strict policy, the chain decided to open a location in Mercedes-Benz Stadium – where the majority of NFL football games take place on Sundays – because other events are also held at the stadium, as explained on the website.

Acknowledging it is a “reasonable question to ask” why a Chick-fil-A would open in a professional football stadium, franchise operator Jonathan Hollis explained: “We’re open for about 100 events a year that happen right here at the stadium” including soccer games, concerts, and college football games.

The chain’s commitment to its values despite the location of the 53rd Super Bowl has been applauded on social media.

“I truly admire the fact that they’re sticking to what has made them successful,” one person wrote.

Another said: “They stand by their principles, I respect that.”

Someone else jokingly asked why the Super Bowl couldn’t be moved to a Saturday instead, to accomodate Chick-fil-A.

“Why can’t the Super Bowl make an exception and move to Saturday?” they tweeted.

In the past, the chicken chain has made exceptions to its Sunday rule – but only in circumstances where it can help people.

In 2015, Chick-fil-A locations in Texas opened on a Sunday to feed people for free after tornadoes killed 11 people, and in 2016, Chick-fil-A locations in and near Orlando, Florida opened their doors on a Sunday to feed first responders and volunteers following the Pulse nightclub shooting, which left 49 people dead.

The Super Bowl will take place on February 3.