American fast-food restaurant chain Chick-fil-A plans to overhaul the way it runs many of its non-traditional outlets.

The company is moving away from licensed arrangements on college campuses and similar sites in favour of an owner-operator structure.

The transition will be carried out during the later 2020s and will not affect locations in airports.

Each restaurant covered by the shift will be reviewed individually, in consultation with existing licence holders and campus administrators.

In a statement, the company said: “At Chick-fil-A, our commitment to deliver an exceptional customer experience is at the heart of everything we do. As we look to the future, we are evolving our strategy around non-traditional restaurants to align with our local ownership franchise model.  

“Over the next several years, we will work towards converting many of our licensed locations to owner-operator-led restaurants to extend our proven model of local ownership and community engagement.”

As campus and other non-traditional outlets transfer to the owner-operator framework, customers will be able to use the chain’s existing technology.

The solutions encompass its mobile app and Chick-fil-A One membership programme.

Staff working at these restaurants under the new model will be eligible for Chick-fil-A’s Remarkable Futures scholarship programme.

The company noted: “We are excited about this next chapter and believe our local ownership business model will allow us to serve and care for guests and extend the great food and hospitality of Chick-fil-A in more places, for many years to come.”

In August 2024, Chick-fil-A unveiled its first elevated drive-through restaurant, a new concept designed to enhance service efficiency.

Located south of metro Atlanta, the facility features a food delivery system with four drive-through lanes and a conveyor belt that transports meals directly from the kitchen to the customer.