As children, everyone had that one fast-food spot they would beg their parents to take them to, especially after a long day at school or some exhausting extracurricular activity.
Some of us would even turn the entire car ride back home into a timed oral presentation on why our parents should take us to our favorite fast-food spot instead of having to eat mom and dad's home-cooked meal.
💰💸 Don’t miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet’s FREE Daily newsletter 💰💸
Although mom's meatloaf or dad's grilled burgers may also be a chef's kiss creation, nothing compares to the taste of an original Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich and salty waffle fries drenched in multiple packs of Chick-fil-A sauce.
Drive-thrus become a non-negotiable for American fast-food consumers
Since the pandemic, it has become more common for families to order through the drive-thru to enjoy a meal from the comfort of their homes rather than dine in at a restaurant.
According to the Food Institute, 47% of U.S. consumers avoid going to a fast food establishment without a drive-thru, and 28% prefer using the drive-thru rather than going in-store.
Related: Wendy's launches nostalgic collaboration disappointing fans
For decades, kid-friendly restaurants like Chick-fil-A, McDonald's (MCD) , and Burger King (QSR) have catered to their younger audience by implementing more marketing strategies aimed at children, like having children's menus, including toys with the purchase of kids meals, and their infamous playgrounds.
However, now that many parents consistently avoid dining in, these kid-friendly staple restaurants are faced with the task of devising new strategies to keep the little ones engaged with their brand.
Chick-fil-A unveils its new app to attract parents and children
On Oct 21, Chick-fil-A announced the upcoming launch of its new app, Chick-fil-A Play, which encourages family connection and bonding through fun and creative quality time.
"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,” said Dustin Britt, Chick-fil-A's executive director of brand strategy. “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 will contain various forms of Chick-fil-A original multimedia content, including animated shows, podcasts, games, e-books, video-based recipes, and step-by-step crafts, for parents and children to enjoy anywhere and anytime.
However, this is not Chick-fil-A's first venture into the media world. Five years ago, the company created "Stories of Evergreen Hills," a series of original animated shorts posted yearly on YouTube during the holiday season.
More Retail:
-
Macy's has bold new strategy for customers ahead of holiday season
- PepsiCo makes surprising move with irresistible snack food brand
- Iconic Mexican restaurant saved by major rival
As stated in the announcement, the Chick-fil-A Play app will launch on Nov. 18 but can currently be pre-downloaded on Apple and Android devices now.
Whether this launch will be successful or not, the company doesn't have much to worry about regarding profits.
Privately held Chick-fil-A generated $18.8 billion in U.S. systemwide sales in 2022, and is reportedly worth over $33 billion.
"Even if Chick-fil-A’s bold bet doesn’t pay off in a new media channel, it will likely reveal a treasure trove of detailed user data beyond what any of its competitors can access through traditional marketing campaigns." said author and entrepreneur Elizabeth Bieniek. "Either way, if the end result is heard customers, that’s an innovation win," she added.
Related: Veteran fund manager sees world of pain coming for stocks
