From its modest start as a mall food court restaurant in 1967 in Atlanta, Georgia, Chick-fil-A has grown into one of the most dominant quick-service restaurant brands in North America, despite maintaining a limited global footprint.
Sustained growth at that scale requires more than expansion alone. It depends on operational consistency, customer loyalty, and supply chain efficiency.
Chick-fil-A continues to outperform competitors in customer satisfaction. For the 11th consecutive year, the chain ranked as the top quick-service restaurant in the American Customer Satisfaction Index 2025 Restaurant and Food Delivery Study, earning a score of 83 out of 100.
Now, the company is making a strategic, multi-million-dollar investment to strengthen the infrastructure behind that performance in one of its fastest-growing regions.
Chick-fil-A reveals plans for a new distribution facility in Texas
Chick-fil-A is opening a new distribution and warehouse facility in Lubbock, Texas, designed to store food and support delivery operations across its West Texas locations, according to the announcement in partnership with the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance.
The facility is expected to improve logistics efficiency, streamline transportation, and strengthen its infrastructure to meet increasing demand for its growing restaurant footprint.
“Lubbock provides access to quality talent and strategic advantages that allow us to better serve the needs of our owner-operators and restaurants in the region, and we are excited about our investment into this community,” said Chick-fil-A Supply Operations senior director Dan Marques in a statement.
Construction is scheduled to begin in May 2026. Once completed, the project is expected to generate approximately $50 million in capital investment and create about 80 new jobs in the region.
“Their commitment to community and strong company values align well with the values we prioritize as a city. This investment will create long-term opportunities for families across our great community,” said Lubbock Mayor Mark McBrayer about Chick-fil-A in a statement.
Shutterstock
Chick-fil-A’s supply chain expansion strategy
The Lubbock facility is part of Chick-fil-A’s ongoing logistics investments. Since opening its first full-scale Chick-fil-A Supply distribution center in 2020, the company has rapidly scaled its network.
Today, Chick-fil-A Supply operates 15 locations listed as open or coming soon across 12 states, each capable of serving up to 300 restaurants, according to its Chick-fil-A Supply website.
Current and planned distribution centers
- Colorado: Denver (open)
- Florida: Fort Lauderdale (open); Lakeland (planned)
- Georgia: Cartersville (open)
- Kansas: Kansas City (open)
- Kentucky: Cincinnati (planned)
- Missouri: St. Louis (open)
- North Carolina: Mebane and Charlotte (open)
- Ohio: Cleveland (open); Cincinnati (planned)
- South Carolina: Columbia (open)
- Tennessee: Nashville (open)
- Texas: Dallas and San Antonio (open); Lubbock (planned)
- Utah: Salt Lake City (planned)
This growing network reflects a long-term shift towards vertical integration, giving the company more control over how products move from suppliers to restaurants as it continues to expand.
Why Chick-fil-A is investing in its own distribution network
Owning and operating distribution centers allows restaurant brands to reduce reliance on third-party logistics providers, an increasingly important advantage amid current supply chain volatility.
Key benefits of proprietary distribution
- Greater product consistency and freshness
- Lower transportation costs
- Faster and more reliable delivery timelines
- Improved operational visibility through data
- Better scalability to support rapid expansion
Restaurant industry expert Alicia Kelso noted that this approach also unlocks valuable data insights.
“Such data could provide a more seamless distribution process throughout the rest of the chain and identify how to drive cost savings and performance,” Kelso told Restaurant Dive.
Food distributor Quirch Foods said food distribution networks play a vital role in ensuring that restaurants are consistently stocked with the ingredients they need.
“A strong food distribution network ensures that the right products arrive at the right time— without delay and with the quality guaranteed,” said Quirch Foods.
Chick-fil-A’s continued restaurant growth and strong financial performance
Chick-fil-A currently operates about 3,000 restaurants across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.K., and Singapore, according to Technomic data.
Financial performance suggests the company’s strategy is working. Chick-fil-A generated more than $9 billion in total revenue in 2024, representing a nearly 14% increase, and achieved $22.7 billion in systemwide sales, according to QSR Magazine.
Chick-fil-A’s total yearly sales
- 2024: $22.7 billion
- 2023: $21.6 billion
- 2022: $18.8 billion
- 2021: $16.7 billion
- 2020: $13.7 billion
- 2019: $12.2 billion
These results place Chick-fil-A among the top three U.S. restaurant brands based on domestic systemwide sales. McDonald’s (MCD) leads with $53.5 billion in 2024, followed by Starbucks (SBUX) at $30.4 billion.
More Chick-fil-A Business News:
- Chick-fil-A reveals seven new menu items for Spring 2026
- Chick-fil-A is making a major change to 425 restaurants nationwide
- Chick-fil-A quietly rolls out six new sandwiches for 2026
Why it matters for Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A’s investment in supply chain infrastructure signals a strategic shift from rapid expansion to operational optimization at scale.
By strengthening logistics capabilities in key regions like Texas, the company is positioning itself to sustain growth, improve efficiency, and maintain customer satisfaction.
Fast-food competitors with their own supply chains
- McDonald’s: Partner-driven but highly controlled global distribution network, according to McDonald’s Corporate
- Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG): Centralized distribution with strong supplier control, per Chipotle
- Domino’s Pizza (DPZ): Fully vertically integrated, according to Domino’s
- Yum! Brands (YUM): Plans to consolidate supply chain management, per Supply Chain Dive
- Restaurant Brands International (QSR): Centralized procurement across brands, according to RBI
Related: Starbucks rival launches coffee shops in cult favorite chain
