The Chick-fil-A Family Interaction Model
Don’t you love Chick-fil-A? I like the spicy chicken sandwic
h…and the original chicken sandwich…and the grilled chicken sandwich…and the breakfast burrito (sausage—my apologies to the cow)…and….Well, you get the point. But, you know what I like best about Chick-fil-A? It doesn’t matter how complicated the order, how many times I change my order, or how crowded the restaurant, when I pay the cashier she politely says “Thank you.” Then, when I thank the cashier for my food she smiles and replies, “My pleasure.” She even says it with conviction, like she really means it. I think she does mean it! She says, with all sincerity, that it was her “pleasure” to serve me, to take the time to prepare my food and hand it to me at the counter, my table, or my car, wherever I happen to be. I love to eat there just to hear them say it… “Thank you” and “My pleasure.” 
h…and the original chicken sandwich…and the grilled chicken sandwich…and the breakfast burrito (sausage—my apologies to the cow)…and….Well, you get the point. But, you know what I like best about Chick-fil-A? It doesn’t matter how complicated the order, how many times I change my order, or how crowded the restaurant, when I pay the cashier she politely says “Thank you.” Then, when I thank the cashier for my food she smiles and replies, “My pleasure.” She even says it with conviction, like she really means it. I think she does mean it! She says, with all sincerity, that it was her “pleasure” to serve me, to take the time to prepare my food and hand it to me at the counter, my table, or my car, wherever I happen to be. I love to eat there just to hear them say it… “Thank you” and “My pleasure.” Perhaps families could benefit from taking more than supper home from Chick-fil-A. Perhaps we could learn a lesson on customer service and practice it within our families. What would happen if “Thank you” and “My pleasure” became as common in our homes as they are in Chick-fil-A? Imagine if every act of kindness received a “thank you” and every thank you received a “my pleasure.” Take a moment and imagine how the atmosphere of a home might change if family members truly served one another out of “pleasure” rather than obligation. I cheerfully get my daughter a drink and when she says “thank you” I reply with a sincere, “My pleasure.” Or, when I finish mowing the grass on a hot day, my wife hands me an ice-cold drink while telling me, “Thank you for cutting the grass.” I reply with “My pleasure; and thank you for the drink.” “My pleasure,” she replies. Husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, children and siblings quoting the honoring words of the Chick-fil-A employee, “Thank you” and “My pleasure.” We might become known as the “My-pleasure-family-group.” We might also find that family members actually do take more pleasure in serving because they know their service is recognized and appreciated. Then, when thanked for our service we can sincerely reply with “my pleasure.”