Two months ago, trade publication Deadline reported fast food restaurant Chick-fil-A was readying the launch of a streaming television platform — an unusual move that raised a lot of eyebrows at the time.
As it turns out, Chick-fil-A was never planning to launch a streaming TV app, but Deadline’s report was not too far off the mark.
This week, Chick-fil-A announced a new smartphone app called “Chick-fil-A Play” that includes short-form streaming content, games and other interactive features that are designed to engage families while they share a meal together.
The app is set to debut on November 18, at which point Chick-fil-A fans will have access to original animated shows like “Evergreen Hills,” scripted podcast series that are kid-friendly, games, jokes and “conversation starters” that can be enjoyed “at home or on the go,” the company said.
The app will also feature kid-friendly crafts and kid-friendly recipes to engage families even when they aren’t eating a Chick-fil-A meal, as well as e-books and interactive stories that will be exclusive to the platform.
“Hospitality and fun have always been at the core of the Chick-fil-A family experience, whether inside our Restaurants and play areas, or through our Kids Meals,” Dustin Britt, the Executive Director of Brand Strategy at Chick-fil-A, said in a statement. “The Chick-fil-A Play app is a digital extension of that experience and another way we’re reimagining ‘Play’ for our Guests, in a unique way through entertainment that really encourages time together.”
The app was concocted a few years ago after Britt and other executives realized that families were accustom to playing games and telling jokes while sharing meals together.
“We’ve been paying attention to some research and conversations we’ve had with families that are our customers, and insights bubbled up that content and games are both adjacent to mealtime,” Britt told the financial news outlet CNBC.
Streaming-based content is one way to get people interested in an interactive Chick-fil-A app, but that type of content can be extremely expensive to produce (the restaurant chain is reportedly also developing a game show and similar unscripted programming, which can be on the cheaper side).
Offering a robust app that includes other content, like games, jokes and podcasts, allows Chick-fil-A to diversify beyond streaming video content while keeping the app fresh with new offerings over time.
Will it drive more restaurant sales? That remains to be seen. Last year, Chick-fil-A restaurants earned nearly $7.9 billion — each one is independently owned or part of an independent franchise group — making it the third-biggest quick service restaurant (QSR), second only to McDonald’s and Starbucks.
“Our belief is, as we add value to their experience, then we’re giving them a reason to want to enjoy more Chick-fil-A with us,”Britt said.
