<P> The first Chick - fil - A opened in 1967, in the food court of the Greenbriar Mall, in a suburb of Atlanta . During the 1970s and early 1980s, the chain expanded by opening new franchises in suburban malls' food courts . The first freestanding franchise was opened April 16, 1986, on North Druid Hills Road in Atlanta, Georgia, and the company began to focus more on this type of franchise than on the food court type . Although it has expanded outward from its original geographic base, most new restaurants are located in Southern suburban areas . In October 2015, the company opened a three - story 5,000 - square - foot restaurant in Manhattan that became the largest free - standing Chick - fil - A in the country at that time . As of 2016, the chain has approximately 1,950 locations . It also has 31 drive - through - only locations . Chick - fil - A also can be found at universities, hospitals, and airports through licensing agreements . </P> <P> Since 1997, the Atlanta - based company has been the title sponsor of the Peach Bowl, an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta on New Year's Eve . Chick - fil - A also is a key sponsor of the SEC and the ACC of college athletics . </P> <P> The company expanded for the first time outside of the United States by opening an outlet at the Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in May 2014 . This restaurant is located near the departure area for flights bound for the United States . However, as with its American locations, it is closed Sundays and Christmas Day (it is, however, open on what would be Thanksgiving Day in America; as Thanksgiving Day is an American holiday). </P> <P> Chick - fil - A retains ownership of each restaurant . Chick - fil - A selects the restaurant location and builds it . Chick - fil - A franchisees need only a $10,000 initial investment to become an operator . Each operator is handpicked and goes through a rigorous training program; the interviews plus training can take months and is not an easy process . Chick - fil - A states on their site: "This is not the right opportunity for you if you: - Are seeking a passive investment in a business . - Want to sell property to Chick - fil - A, Inc . - Are requesting that Chick - fil - A, Inc. build at a specified location . - Are seeking multi-unit franchise opportunities ." Since 2010, Chick - fil - A has led the fast food industry in average sales per restaurant, despite being open only six days a week, earning an average $4.8 million per restaurant in 2016 (Whataburger was second with $2.7 million per restaurant). </P>

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