Some Chick-fil-A locations might be required to stay open on Sunday if NY bill passes
Sundays could be a little less dire for Chick-fil-A fans living in certain regions of New York and New Jersey.
According to a new bill proposal from the New York State Assembly, the fast-food chain known for closing up shops on Sundays might soon be required to fire up its fryers on the first day of each week.
Bill A08336 aims to require food and beverage companies along the New York State Thruway owned and operated by certain public authorities to stay open seven days a week.
Representatives for Chick-fil-A did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment.
According to the bill, Chick-fil-A operates under a portfolio owned by the Irish convenience store chain Applegreen, which took over the leases of every service area along the New York Thruway in 2021. The bill notes that Chick-fil-A has opened up seven service areas along the thruway, which operate each day except for Sunday.
“While there is nothing objectionable about a fast food restaurant closing on a particular day of the week, service areas dedicated to travelers is an inappropriate location for such a restaurant,” the bill reads. “Publicly owned service areas should use their space to maximally benefit the public. Allowing for retail space to go unused one-seventh of the week or more is a disservice and unnecessary inconvenience to travelers who rely on these service areas.”
In addition to the New York Thruway, the newly put forth piece of legislation will affect operations with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The newly introduced bill notes that the New York State Thruway Authority is currently rebuilding 27 service areas along the New York State Thruway and that “the traveling public and commercial trucking industry rely on these service areas to rest, refuel and to purchase food and beverages.”
Bill A08336 is being co-sponsored by Assemblyman Tony Simone.
Simone did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment.
The bill is currently in committee.
Why is Chick-fil-A closed on Sunday?
According to the Chick-fil-A website, the company’s founder, S. Truett Cathy, began the policy with his first restaurant in Georgia in 1946, which he kept closed on Sundays.
In a statement on the company’s purpose behind its Closed-on-Sundays policy, Chick-fil-A cited religious reasons, noting its goal of having “a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
