For many, the lure of Chick-fil-A’s freshly made chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, waffle fries, salads, and more—not to mention its iconic crave-able dipping sauce—is difficult to resist.
For Brandon Barrett, the lure for not just the food but the company and its culture, has been life-changing.
Barrett grew up in Georgia, where his father spent 38 years as a corporate employee in the financial services department, beginning in a controller position and retiring as vice president of finance.
And while Barrett was always aware of the company, in the beginning, baseball was a passion. He played throughout college, but by the time he finished graduate school, his outlook changed. He realized baseball was more of a hobby than a career and turned his sights on Chick-fil-A, noting that he realized that it offered so much of what he loved.
So Barrett joined the company, not in a corporate role like his father, but first working in a Chick-fil-A restaurant and then, in 2005, as an independent owner-operator (most Chick-fil-A locations are owned and operated by a single individual).
“It’s very much like the sports world,” he explains. “There’s teamwork, it’s competitive, and we very much say we’re in business for ourselves but not by ourselves. I’m not a mom-and-pop restaurant, but I can run it like one.”
While he had begun working with the company in New Mexico his first operator role was when he took over the Fiesta Mall location in Mesa. He then opened the Riverview location in Mesa in 2007. In 2013, he opened the University at Mill location in Tempe.
Today, Barrett owns and operates two Chick-fil-A locations, both of which are in Tempe—25 W. University Drive and 1139 W. Broadway Road.
“I like that there’s something always going on in the area here,” he says about the draw of Tempe. “And I like being next to the college.”
Plus, even after 20 years, he still enjoys being an individual owner, but part of a company.
“The secret to Chick-fil-A is the local ownership,” he says. “I own the business, and I’m here every day. I get to invest time into the leaders who work with me here.”
In fact, many of those who work for him have been with him for years—one for 19, and others for 12 or 10.
They all work as a team to prepare and serve their array of chicken offerings, which are made from whole, boneless breasts of chickens and have no added fillers. The menu also includes soups, mac & cheese, and even a berry parfait side option. And while the core menu stays constant, there are also always limited-time offerings to mix things up.
“I think what sets us apart is that we are a fast-food restaurant, but we have a much higher quality of food. We just can serve it faster,” Barrett says.
In addition to quality food, Barrett and the team focus on hospitality and customer service. They also make it a point to give back to the community, partnering with organizations such as Arizona State University Athletics and elementary schools in the area, participating in the Shared Table program where they donate surplus food to local food banks and shelters and places in need, and more. They also volunteer in the community at least once a month. As a part of the Broadway at Priest location opening, Chick-fil-A donated $25,000 to Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s Food Bank and recognized 100 local community heroes by providing them with free entrées for a year.
“That goes back to the local ownership,” Barrett, who shares three children with his wife of 20 years, says. “We’re in the community and want to be involved. And the money stays local.”
ChickFilA.com