New York State Assembly Introduces Bill to Force Chick-fil-A to Open on Sundays
A new bill introduced by the New York State Assembly could force Chick-fil-A to make a significant change to its operating schedule. The bill, known as the Rest Stop Restaurant Act, would require food and beverage companies contracted to provide services along the Thruway and at the Port Authority in New York and New Jersey to stay open seven days a week. This would include the fast-food restaurant chain, famously known for being closed on Sundays.
Chick-fil-A, which currently operates 2,988 restaurants across 48 states, has maintained a policy of closing its doors each Sunday since it first opened. However, if the bill is passed, it would impact the seven Chick-fil-A locations on the New York State Thruway, with plans for three more to be built.
The bill states that “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.”
Assemblyman Tony Simone, one of the bill’s sponsors, highlighted the importance of ensuring that New York State’s transportation facilities offer reliable food services. He emphasized the inconvenience to travelers when restaurants are closed, especially on busy travel days such as Sundays.
However, a Thruway official clarified that Chick-fil-A had already signed a 33-year contract with the Thruway and that all 27 service areas were built with no toll or tax dollars as part of a $450 million project.
As of now, the restaurant chain has not commented on the bill. Nevertheless, Simone and other bill sponsors are seeking co-sponsors to help push the legislation through during the current assembly session in Albany. The fate of Chick-fil-A’s Sunday closure policy in New York remains uncertain as the bill makes its way through the legislative process.