Chick-fil-A reaches $2-billion sales mark

ATLANTA — Chick-fil-A said it earned more than $2 billion in system-wide sales for 2006.

 

According to a news release, this will mark its 39th consecutive sales increase since the brand's inception in 1967. (Read also Old-fashioned principles keep Chick-fil-A flying high)

 

"Chick-fil-A's growth is first attributed to the caliber of people that operate each restaurant," said Chick-fil-A president and chief operating officer Dan T. Cathy. "Our family of franchise operators and their restaurant team members are among the best in the food service industry."

 

Cathy said Chick-fil-A's operator retention rate was 95.6 percent in 2006.

 

"Their loyalty has resulted in the same patterns from their customers who consistently reward our restaurants with visits for their dedication to delivering the highest quality in the food we prepare and the customer service we extend," Cathy said.

 

The chain said sales benefited from new menu items, such as four flavors of Hand-Spun Milkshakes. In the height of summer at some stores, more milkshake sales were reported than its hero product, the original Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich.

 

An expansion rate of 6 percent also contributed to this year's sales success as new locations (especially in Western markets), the company said. By the end of the year, Chick-fil-A will have opened 76 restaurants, including 64 stand-alone locations, two mall outlets, and approximately 10 licensed operations (e.g., college campuses and airports).