New York lawmaker Tony Simone has introduced a bill that could see, if approved, certain Chick-fil-A eateries inside the state open on Sundays. The bill would require restaurants inside New York rest stops to be open seven days a week, a move that Business Insider reported could impact nine local Chick-fil-A restaurants.
“Chick-Fil-A could easily serve their customers better if their restaurants were open seven days a week,” a representative for Simone told Business Insider in an email.
“The bill addresses the need for any restaurant that serves travelers to be open seven days a week,” they continued. “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.”
Chick-fil-A is famously closed on Sundays for religious reasons, according to founder Truett Cathy.
“Our founder, Truett Cathy, made the decision to close on Sundays in 1946 when he opened his first restaurant in Hapeville, Georgia,” according to the fast-food chain’s website.
“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 practice we uphold today. Most Chick-fil-A restaurants operate between the hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with breakfast served from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and lunch and dinner served from 10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Some hours may vary by location so check with your local Chick-fil-A restaurant.”
The Atlanta-based fast-food chain has not yet provided a comment on the bill.
