ince its founding in Atlanta in 1967 by entrepreneur Truett Cathy, Chick-fil-A’s signature item has been its breaded chicken-breast sandwich served with pickles on a buttered toasted bun. The company sells breakfast and salads, too, but its relatively simple menu stands out, compared with its fast-food rivals.
Now, five decades later, the closely held company this year is poised to become the third-biggest U.S. restaurant chain by sales behind McDonald’s Corp. and Starbucks Corp. , according to food-service consultancy Technomic Inc. The growth reflects Chick-fil-A’s expansion over the past decade, as well as consumers’ broader turn toward chicken....