Who founded Chick-fil-A in 1946?

S. Truett Cathy founded Chick-fil-A in 1946.

Cathy opened a diner called the Dwarf Grill in Hapeville, Georgia, in 1946. The restaurant later became known as the Dwarf House and provided the early business foundation for the Chick-fil-A chain. Cathy’s restaurants focused on chicken rather than the hamburger-centered menu common among many American fast-food competitors.

The first Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in an Atlanta-area shopping mall in 1967. The brand became especially associated with a breaded chicken sandwich served on a buttered bun with pickles. Cathy also established the company’s policy of closing restaurants on Sundays, a practice connected to his religious beliefs and operating philosophy.

Chick-fil-A is sometimes incorrectly credited to a group of founders or to the inventor of the chicken sandwich itself. The company’s founder was Cathy, while the chain’s later growth came through its restaurant system and mall-based beginnings.