Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy Steps Down

Chick-fil-A’s chief executive officer, Dan Cathy, is stepping down.

On Thursday, the iconic chicken franchise announced that after eight years in the role, Cathy is preparing to pass the torch to his son, Andrew Cathy, who will take over as Chick-fil-A’s top executive in November.

Dan Cathy will continue to work with the brand as its board chairman.

Like his son, Dan Cathy stepped into the CEO role after his father, S. Truett Cathy, who founded Chick-fil-A in 1946, stepped down.

“The most successful CEO transitions are made when the next leader is ready to lead. I have every confidence Andrew is ready,” said Dan in the announcement. “As a privately held, family-owned business, Chick-fil-A is able to look at succession through a longer lens and approach a transition like this in a thoughtful and coordinated way. While rare in business today, deliberate, long-term succession planning provides us with stability and continuity at a time of tremendous opportunity.”

Dan Cathy’s tenure as CEO began in 2013. Since then, the franchise’s system-wide annual revenue has grown from $1 billion to $16 billion, according to the press release.

Since 2019, Andrew Cathy has served as the brand’s executive vice president of operations, but his career with Chick-fil-A kicked off in earnest back in 2005, when he joined the family business as a store operator in St. Petersburg, Florida. Two years later, Andrew joined the corporate team as a franchise selection consultant. In 2015, he joined the franchise’s executive committee.

“Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work with and learn from so many Chick-fil-A Operators and executive leaders, including my dad and grandfather,” Andrew said in the announcement. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with our great Operators and Staff as we continue to have a positive influence across the communities we serve as a purpose-driven company and one of America’s most trusted brands.”

As QSR Magazine points out, Chick-fil-A is one of the 50 highest-grossing fast-food chains in the U.S. and one of only five chains to exceed $10 billion in sales last year. It accomplished these feats despite being closed on Sundays, a dramatic disadvantage in the QSR segment.