Traditional American values are the foundation of effective business operation for one entrepreneur, who brought his down-home success story to the National Press Club in Washington DC on Friday.

The 88-year-old founder of Chick-fil-A says low-debt, customer service, family ownership and religious faith have enabled his company’s remarkable success through hard times.

Truett Cathy, who borrowed money in 1946 to start his first restaurant in suburban Atlanta, remains chairman of the privately held company that announced its 42nd straight year of record sales on Nov. 13 during a luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.  Company officials also predicted a record $3 billion in total revenues by year-end.

“I had the privilege of growing up in poverty,” Cathy told the audience.  “The blessing is you have to work for a living.”

Chick-fil-A President and CEO Dan Cathy, the founder’s son and co-featured speaker, amplified on both the company’s success — and why the story can help other companies and employees prosper.

Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy, left, and Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy
Photo: Gregory Tinius/Tinius-Arts Photography

The son said the company is on track for a 9% increase in sales this year through its 1,475 U.S. restaurants in 38 states, and will continue its low-debt tradition by becoming completely debt-free within 36 months.

The company heavily relies on controlled growth, the younger Cathy said, along with hiring top personnel and providing exceptional service, especially by the standards of a fast-food restaurant.  With enthusiasm, he described his practice of camping out overnight with customers at shopping center parking lots to get to know each other better and how the chain is introducing a new spicy Chicken sandwich in June.

He mentioned also the “tremendous opportunities to treat our customers with honor” by such means as placing flowers on customer tables and teaching teenage trainees to “pull out a chair for a lady” about to sit down.

Such traditions are easier to maintain, he said, by keeping the company committed to family-ownership.  Family ownership is expected to continue despite the vagaries of estate taxes, he said, after he and his sister recently signed legal documents pledging such control.

He said that Chick-fil-A avoids even the current bank loan rates of 2.5% interest because the company seeks self-funding in effect financed by satisfied customers, not outsiders.

The elder Cathy is credited with inventing the fast-food industry’s boneless Chicken sandwich and Chicken “nuggets” menu items.  He teaches Sunday school to 13-year-olds in recognition of his religious mentoring when he was that age, and made available to attendees signed copies of his five books, several focused on community and religious service.

In introducing the speakers, Club President Donna Leinwand said, “The chain’s growing revenues and expanding stores have come without the burden of layoffs.  And without ending its long-questioned policy of closing its doors every Sunday.”

During Q&A, Dan Cathy quoted his father as saying Sunday-closings was “the most important business decision I ever made.”  Shying away from religious connotations on this question, they said the original decision was because they were so tired from working the other six days, but that ultimately a day of refreshment revitalized restaurant quality and enthusiasm overall.

In other remarks, they repeatedly argued the importance of religious faith in their company’s success, while denying bias against any employees who might not share it.   “Biblical principles work,” Dan Cathy said.  “The challenge is to keep up with change, but pay attention to the things that never change.”

As for the future?  Truett Cathy, who in 2006 landed on the Forbes list of the nation’s richest and now leads the company’s foundation arm, said, “Why would I want to retire from something I enjoy doing?”

This article was published originally in The Wire of the National Press Club.