A Chick-fil-A fundraiser is a popular and effective way to raise money for schools, sports teams, churches, and community organizations. Chick-fil-A offers various fundraising options that can be customized to meet the specific needs of your group while providing a fun and delicious way for your supporters to get involved. These fundraisers typically involve a percentage of sales being donated to your organization, or selling items like their famous sandwiches and biscuits in a pre-order format.
Here’s an overview of the Chick-fil-A fundraiser options and tips for making it a success.
Chick-fil-A Fundraising Options
1. Spirit Night Fundraiser
A Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A is one of the most popular fundraising options. This is a designated evening where your group or organization promotes dining at a specific Chick-fil-A location, and in return, the restaurant donates a percentage of the total sales from your supporters.
- How It Works:
- You partner with a local Chick-fil-A restaurant and choose a date for the event.
- Your organization promotes the Spirit Night to your supporters, encouraging them to dine in, carry out, or drive-through on the designated night.
- A percentage (usually 15% to 25%) of the sales made by your supporters during that time frame is donated to your organization.
- Advantages:
- No upfront cost: There’s no financial commitment for your group, and you earn based on participation.
- Easy to organize: Chick-fil-A handles all the food preparation and sales.
- Great community event: Spirit Nights are an opportunity to gather and socialize while supporting your cause.
- How to Maximize Spirit Night Success:
- Promote the event widely using flyers, social media, and word of mouth.
- Consider a theme or fun activities to encourage higher participation, such as having a mascot or local celebrity appearance.
- Ask participants to mention your group when they order, or use printed or digital coupons to track participation.
2. Chick-fil-A Digital Spirit Night
Some Chick-fil-A locations offer a Digital Spirit Night, which allows supporters to participate without needing to visit the restaurant physically. Instead, they place mobile orders or delivery orders, and a portion of those sales is donated to your organization.
- How It Works:
- Promote the fundraiser using special codes or links that supporters can use when ordering through the Chick-fil-A mobile app or website.
- Chick-fil-A donates a percentage of the online sales during the specified time period.
- Advantages:
- Convenient for supporters: People can support your fundraiser from home or wherever they are, making participation easy.
- Broadens participation: It’s ideal for supporters who can’t attend in person but still want to contribute.
3. Cookie or Biscuit Fundraiser
Another option is to sell Chick-fil-A biscuits, cookies, or other menu items through a pre-sale format. This is similar to traditional product fundraisers, but with the added benefit of Chick-fil-A’s brand recognition and delicious products.
- How It Works:
- Your organization sells Chick-fil-A items, such as cookies or biscuits, through pre-orders.
- Once orders are collected, the Chick-fil-A restaurant fulfills the orders, and your group distributes the items.
- You can earn a set amount per item sold, with the profit going to your organization.
- Advantages:
- Great for groups: This format works well for schools, sports teams, and churches because it’s easy to sell well-known Chick-fil-A products.
- Higher profit per item: This option allows you to set your pricing to maximize profit per sale.
4. Chick-fil-A Cow Calendar Fundraiser (Discontinued)
In the past, some Chick-fil-A locations offered Cow Calendars as a fundraising option. These calendars came with coupons for free food items, and organizations could sell them at a marked-up price to earn a profit. However, Chick-fil-A discontinued the Cow Calendar after 2018.
Steps to Organize a Chick-fil-A Fundraiser
- Contact Your Local Chick-fil-A
- Reach out to your local Chick-fil-A operator to discuss the fundraiser options available. Not all locations offer every type of fundraiser, so it’s important to check with the restaurant in your area.
- You can find your nearest Chick-fil-A location and contact information through their website.
- Choose the Type of Fundraiser
- Decide which option (Spirit Night, Digital Spirit Night, or product sales) best fits your organization’s goals and timeline.
- Confirm the percentage of sales or profit margin for the chosen option with your local Chick-fil-A.
- Set a Date and Plan
- Once you have chosen your fundraiser type, coordinate with Chick-fil-A to set a date or timeframe.
- Create a marketing plan to promote the event to your community, including flyers, social media posts, emails, and word of mouth.
- Promote Your Fundraiser
- Use all available platforms to promote your fundraiser. Encourage supporters to spread the word to family and friends, and provide clear instructions on how to participate.
- If hosting a Spirit Night, remind participants to mention your organization when ordering or bring printed materials as proof of their participation.
- Celebrate Success and Thank Supporters
- After the event, Chick-fil-A will calculate the total sales generated by your supporters and donate the agreed-upon percentage to your organization.
- Be sure to thank all participants and share the success of the event with your supporters.
Maximizing Your Chick-fil-A Fundraiser
Here are some tips to make your fundraiser as successful as possible:
- Get the Word Out: Use every communication channel you have to promote the event, including social media, email newsletters, posters, and community bulletins.
- Create Excitement: Add a competitive or fun element to your Spirit Night, such as costume contests, raffles, or prizes for top sellers.
- Leverage Local Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses or schools to expand your audience and gain more participation.
- Encourage Pre-Orders: If you’re doing a product-based fundraiser (like selling biscuits or cookies), encourage supporters to place pre-orders so you can gauge demand and plan accordingly.
Benefits of a Chick-fil-A Fundraiser
- Well-Known Brand: Chick-fil-A’s popularity and reputation make it an easy sell, as people are familiar with and enjoy the brand’s menu.
- Flexible Options: With different fundraising formats, you can tailor the fundraiser to best fit your organization’s needs.
- Community Engagement: Chick-fil-A fundraisers bring the community together, making it a social and fun event for participants.
- No Upfront Costs: For Spirit Nights, there’s no upfront cost, making it a low-risk way to raise funds for your cause.
Conclusion
A Chick-fil-A fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your group while enjoying delicious food and engaging your community. Whether you choose a traditional Spirit Night or sell Chick-fil-A products like cookies or biscuits, this type of fundraiser is simple to organize and can provide high returns for your organization. With careful planning and strong promotion, your Chick-fil-A fundraiser is sure to be a success!