No, a New York bill wouldn’t force current Chick-fil-A rest stop locations to open on Sunday

In December, a viral X post with more than 880,000 views claimed New York lawmakers want to force Chick-fil-A to open on Sundays or close their restaurants at all New York rest stops under a new bill.

Chick-fil-A is known both for its chicken and for its locations being closed on Sundays. The popular fast-food chain says the practice was established by Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy when it first opened in 1946 so employees can enjoy time with their families and “worship if they choose.” 

Recent online search trends show many people want to know if the bill would force some existing Chick-fil-A rest stop locations to open on Sunday. 

THE QUESTION

Would a New York bill force current Chick-fil-A rest stop locations to open on Sunday?

THE SOURCES

• New York State Assembly Bill A08336
• New York State Thruway Authority
• Jennifer Givner, spokesperson for the New York State Thruway Authority

THE ANSWER

No, a New York bill would not force current Chick-fil-A rest stop locations to open on Sunday. The bill only applies to future restaurant contracts.

WHAT WE FOUND

New York lawmakers introduced a bill on Dec. 13 that would require all restaurants at rest stops along the New York State Thruway, a 570-mile superhighway that extends from New York City to Buffalo, to remain open seven days a week. But it would only apply to restaurants opened under future contracts with the state, not those currently in operation.

New York State Assembly Bill A08336, which was introduced by Assemblymember Tony Simone (D-NY), takes issue with Chick-fil-A restaurant locations now open at the state-owned rest stops during their regular operating hours — meaning they are closed on Sundays.

“While there is nothing objectionable about a fast food restaurant closing on a particular day of the week, service areas (rest stops) dedicated to travelers is an inappropriate location for such a restaurant,” according to the bill's memo. “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.” 

However, the proposed bill as written would not apply to restaurants currently operating at the rest stops. Instead, it would affect all future contracts for food concessions at transportation facilities owned by the state and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It excludes temporary concessions, like farmer’s markets.

Simone told the Associated Press the proposed bill is meant to give travelers in New York a variety of food options, including healthy foods, at rest stops, rather than an effort to eventually push Chick-fil-A out.

“Look, if you want to eat fried chicken while traveling over the holidays, then Chick-fil-A should be open on Sundays,” Simone said.

The bill’s introduction was prompted by a redevelopment project underway at the New York State Thruway Authority’s 27 service areas. Through the project, 23 of the restaurant buildings at the rest stops will be rebuilt, with significant renovations on the remaining four.

Applegreen, an Irish company that operates convenience stores in Ireland, the U.K. and the U.S., has already signed a 33-year contract to run the rest stops, according to the proposed bill and the Thruway Authority. The current contract requires Applegreen “to have at least one hot and cold food option available 24 hours a day at all locations,” Jennifer Givner, spokesperson for the Thruway Authority, told VERIFY.

“The Thruway’s 27 service areas provide safe locations to pull off the highway, refuel/recharge a vehicle, take a break from driving and grab a bite to eat,” Givner said.

When the redevelopment project is complete, Chick-fil-A will operate in 10 of the rest stops on the Thruway. Chick-fil-A will be able to operate within their normal hours under the current contract with Applegreen, meaning they will not be impacted by the proposed bill's requirements and will still close on Sundays.

“Chick-fil-A’s Sunday closure is a brand requirement which Applegreen factored into their tenant plan,” Givner said.

This isn’t the first time Chick-fil-A’s rest stop locations were at the center of debate in New York.

In 2021, some state lawmakers sent a letter to the Thruway Authority and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo asking them to reconsider allowing Chick-fil-A to open at the rest stops because of the company’s history of donating to anti-LGBTQ organizations.

VERIFY reached out to Chick-fil-A and Simone for a response but did not hear back by the time of publication.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.