Its ridiculous, I know. I’ve eaten Chick-fil-A every day this week. I have this unabashed loyalty to that place and the people there. Today would’ve been my 13-year anniversary. Weird. I’ve been gone 3 years and am just now at the point where I don’t think of a store name or Operator’s name every time I hear a US city. My brain is full of “useless” information about all things CFA – from how much a pack of ketchup costs, how to make every menu item, how to change a Coke syrup bag (and most any other task in the restaurant), to the corporate purpose, that will forever beat in me, to how much stores should spend on marketing, why giving food away helps you sell more, to the scores of ever changing corporate acronyms, to many things about this restaurant on N Druid Hills Road.

It was the very first free standing CFA. It opened in 1984. The Operator was Shawn Gutteridge. Shawn is a female. Her husband is hilarious works in Field Operations at the home office and they have 2 sons. It’s one of the only stores in the whole chain with a basement and I’ve been in it a bunch of times. A new guy on staff was charged with figuring out how to transition the (at the time) mall only chain of the early 80’s to a free standing concept. Any CFAer knows that new staffer was Tim Tassopoulos, who is now the Senior VP of Operations. I could write a novel about that man. I’ll refrain, but he’s on my list of top 10 people in life. Also, there aren’t 10 people on my list of top 10.

What most people don’t know about me is that not only did I work at Chick-fil-A from the age of 17 to 27 (5 years in a store and 5 years at the corporate office), but my dad also got a second job as the night manager at a local store when I was 12. I remember him bringing home menu boards and those little price clings when there was a price increase. My sister and I would lay down on the living room floor and change them all out, make all the numbers straight, and meticulously cross reference the price lists. Chick-fil-A has been part of my world for well over half my life.

I’ve been extra reflective lately. A couple weeks ago, I wrote in my journal, “Chick-fil-A taught me how to dream”. I think back to the work I did there and the projects I got to work on and genuinely cannot believe they let me do what I did. The leaders there believed in me when I hadn’t done anything worth believing in. They handed me a platform that I didn’t earn. They invested in me and spent time with me when they had million dollar opportunities to work on. What 20 something at any company gets to go to lunch with the Executive VP and ride in the corporate jet with the CMO!? The higher ups spend a lot of time developing people. They care. They look for potential and they find it. They love first, expect second. They are family, and family can never not be family.

Wednesday, at Truett’s funeral, I saw people I thought I’d never see again. Operators from all over the country. People I’ve spent hours, some DAYS, with. Some of them were my interns, once upon a time. Some of these guys have kids older than me and I consulted them on their business. What in the world!? We have these bonds that transcend this lifetime. A camaraderie that most wouldn’t understand. After the funeral, a few of us went to the original Hapeville Dwarf House, which Truett opened with his brother in 1946. It really was the only appropriate way to end the day. Tim T had the same idea. He was there with his wife, Maria, and another few couples. He asked me very specific questions about my job and my life. He still knows so many details about my family. I’m not a lifer. I didn’t do what he had hoped I would. I chose to leave. And he still cares. You just can’t fake that. These people have had an immeasurable impact on every part of my life and I will forever be grateful to God for them.

Yesterday, someone said to me, “I’m so glad I don’t sell chicken for a living”. This week, that stung more than it probably would have any other. For those that do, I know it’s so much more that selling chicken and I’ll keep doing my part to make sure $6 billion comes just as quick as 5 did, cheering you on all along the way. Eat More Chicken.

He is the Anchor and the Wind.