Quick Service Recovery at Chick-Fil-a

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Quality Service Recovery at Chick-fil-A Introduction Truett Cathy established the restaurant that would eventually become Chick-fil-A in 1946 (Cathy, 2002). The company launched the boneless breast of chicken sandwich as well as the trend of placing quick-service food establishments in malls (Cathy, 2002). With a mission to "Be America's Best Quick-Service Restaurant", the company has grown into the second largest quick-service chicken restaurant in the United States (Cathy, 2002; Chick-fil-A [CFA], 2011b). As of February 2011, the chain includes over 1,540 restaurants in locations in 39 states and Washington, D.C. (CFA, 2011a). At $3.58 billion, 2010 chain-wide sales were up 11.37 percent over 2009 (CFA, 2011a). This continued the trend of sales increases with increases reached in each of the last forty-three years (CFA, 2011a). This continued growth reflects the company’s conservative approach to additional restaurant development and commitment to a limited entrée strategy (CFA, 2011b). Chick-fil-A consistently achieves high customer satisfaction ratings. In a survey of over 93,000 diners, the chain received the highest rating in the quick service restaurant component of the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Restaurant Customer Satisfaction Study (CFA, 2011a). While significant efforts have been directed toward maximizing initial customer perception of the food and dining experience, the company has yet to develop a comprehensive system for ensuring or assessing high quality in service recovery. Problem Statement Service failures in quick service restaurants typically stem from one of two general areas: extended time delays and/or errors in accurately fulfilling food orders (Mack, Mueller, Crotts, & Broderick, 2000). When mistakes are made, a successful service recovery resolves the customer’s specific problem(s) and returns

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