Meet the Cathys, heirs to the Chick-fil-A empire, who have a fortune of more than $29 billion and are one of America's wealthiest family 'dynasties'

The Cathy family.

Ric Feld/AP Photo; Alex Wong/Getty; Shayanne Gal/Business Insider

• The Cathys are the family behind Chick-fil-A, known for its pressure-cooked fried chicken.
• The combined net worth of the founder's children is $29.1 billion, according to Forbes.  
• In 2022, Chick-fil-A's 2,800 restaurants generated about $18.8 billion in sales in the US.

When it comes to the Cathy family's multibillion-dollar fortune, it's all about the fried chicken. That's because the Cathys are the family behind the Chick-fil-A empire. 

S. Truett Cathy officially founded the popular fast-food chain in the late 1960s, laying the roots for what is today one of America's richest family dynasties, according to Forbes. Like burger institution In-N-Out, solely run by the Snyder family, Chick-fil-A has always been led by a member of the Cathy family.

Truett's son, Dan Cathy, served as CEO from 2013 to 2021. Dan's son, Andrew, has run the chain as CEO since November 2021. He is only the third member of the Cathy family to lead Chick-fil-A since it was founded in 1967.  Dan Cathy, whose net worth is $9.7 billion, remains board chairman of the chain. 

Born and raised in the South, the Cathy family has been dedicated to continuing Truett's legacy, growing Chick-fil-A across the US to 2,800 restaurants. In September, the chain announced plans to expand to the UK.

Chick-fil-A has been celebrated for its company culture, customer service, and quality food, but it has also received backlash over anti-same-sex marriage beliefs that align with the Cathys' Christian upbringing.

"At Chick-fil-A, we are very grounded on our corporate purpose, to be a purpose-driven organization," Dan Cathy said during an interview with Chief Executive magazine. "That purpose is defined in the statement that we're here to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that's entrusted to us and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."

Take a look inside the rise of Chick-fil-A and the family behind it.

The Cathy family's multibillion-dollar fortune is rooted in the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A.

When asked what was so smart about creating his chicken sandwich, Truett answered with,"Nothing. That's why I was able to do it."

AP

S. Truett Cathy had three children: son Dan T. Cathy, daughter Trudy Cathy White, and son Donald "Bubba" Cathy.

Truett raised his children in a "modest house" but had a car collection that included former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's 1937 Lincoln Continental, George Glaze's Brewster 8 Town Car, and a 1931 Duesenberg.

According to Forbes, the three children are worth $9.7 billion each as of September 2023. 

 

 

 

In 1946, without any management or restaurant experience, S. Truett and his brother Ben opened an Atlanta diner called the Dwarf Grill, later renamed the Dwarf House.

Truett Cathy expanded the Dwarf House after his brothers died.

Courtesy of Chick-fil-A

The restaurant had four tables and 10 stools at the counter. On opening day, sales totaled $58.20. 

It was there that they first served chicken sandwiches, mainly to Ford factory workers and airport employees who worked nearby.

The Dwarf House name lives on. There are five locations, all in Georgia. Since the late 1980s, the Dwarf House has provided customers with a historical perspective on Chick-fil-A. The current restaurants are modeled after Truett Cathy's first restaurant. They offer sit down, counter, and drive-thru service for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The restaurant offers a typical Chick-fil-A menu, plus specialty items such as green beans, fried okra, cornbread, and chicken salad, according to Chick-fil-A's website.

In 1949, Ben and another Cathy brother died in a plane crash. Truett found himself handling the business on his own.

In 1967, he opened the first Chick-fil-A restaurant at a mall in Atlanta.

Mike Zarrilli/AP Images

Truett began to expand the Dwarf House. In 1951, he opened a second restaurant in Forest Park, Georgia. It is here where he devises the formula for what will become the Chick-fil-A sandwich, according The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

In 1963, he trademarked "Chick-fil-A," and in 1967, he opened the first Chick-fil-A restaurant, at a mall in Atlanta.

Source: Forbes and Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Nearly 60 years after the first Chick-fil-A opened, the chain is a massive restaurant empire.

In 1967, Cathy founded and opened the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta's Greenbriar Shopping Center.

Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images

Today, the chain has more than 2,800 restaurants in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. In September 2023, the chain announced plans to expand to Europe, the UK and Asia.

Source: Chick-fil-A and Insider

In 2022, it was the third-largest restaurant chain in the US by sales, bringing in $18.8 billion.

The Original Chick-fil-A sandwich has not changed over the years. It is a hand-breaded, seasoned and pressure-cooked chicken filet served on a toasted, buttery bun with two pickle chips.

Nancy Luna/Insider

Chick-fil-A's franchise fee for a new restaurant is $10,000 – one of the lowest of any major fast-food brand.

In 2022, most locations averaged nearly $8.7 million in sales per year. That's more than double the revenue made in a year by the average McDonald's. And, remember, Chick-fil-A isn't open on Sundays.

Source: Restaurant Business and Insider

When Truett passed away in 2014, his son Dan was already leading the company. Dan served as Chick-fil-A's CEO from 2013 to 2021.

Dan is currently the board chairman and spends a lot of time visiting restaurants and attending grand openings across the US.

Chick Fil A

Dan Cathy grew up doing odd jobs at Chick-fil-A, including scraping chewing gum from table bottoms with a butter knife.

In his spare time, Dan plays the trumpet, gardens, and landscapes.

Source: Forbes and UGA Alumni

Dan Cathy helped grow Chick-fil-A monetarily and geographically, opening restaurants in big cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.

Chick-fil-A now has several restaurants in Manhattan. In 2023, the chain opened for a limited-time a lounge for food delivery workers to rest, get warm and recharge during the winter.

Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images

Dan and his wife, Rhonda, have two sons, Andrew and Ross. Andrew now runs the chain. 

Source: Chick-fil-A

Dan's brother, Bubba, has held a number of positions in the company, including construction apprentice and executive vice president.

Bubba Cathy heads the company's Georgia-based Dwarf House.

Chick-fil-A

Bubba grew up in the business.

He is currently the president of Dwarf House, a string of modern restaurants modeled after Truett Cathy's first restaurant.

Source: Chick-fil-A 

Their sister, Trudy Cathy White, began working for the family business at age 19 when she became operator of a new Chick-fil-A restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama.

Trudy Cathy White and her husband, John, have four children and 17 grandchildren.

Chick-fil-A

She's also an author — her book "Climb Every Mountain" is published by Simon & Schuster.  It could be said that she got the writing gene from her father, who published five books about business, motivation, and parenting during his lifetime.

She is co-founder of Lifeshape, an organization supporting at-risk children.

The Whites served for 20 years with the International Mission Board. For half that time, they served as missionaries in Brazil, where they started a small church.

Source: trudycathywhite.com

The Cathy family is known for their Southern Baptist values.

Chick-fil-A is famously closed on Sundays.

Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images

Restaurant openings often include prayer, and employees are advised "to base your business in biblical principles."

"Truett Cathy always maintained he wasn't in the chicken business, but the people business," the chain said. 

Source: Forbes, Business Insider, The Wall Street Journal

Truett and his wife created the WinShape Foundation in the 1980s.

In 1989, Truett Cathy wrote his first book, "It's Easier to Succeed than to Fail."

Wesley Woods/YouTube

The organization donates money to Christian organizations and offers residential camps, a retreat center, and a foster home.

WinShape was criticized for donating to anti-gay marriage groups — about $5 million since 2003, Forbes reported in 2012. In 2019, Chick-fil-A said it would no longer donate to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army, two groups that have been criticized by LGBTQ+ advocates.

Source: Forbes, Insider

In 2012, Chick-fil-A restaurants across the US faced backlash after Dan Cathy, then chain president, said he did not support same-sex marriage.

Protesters target Chick-fil-A.

Getty Images

In an interview with Baptist Press, he said he's "guilty as charged" when it comes to supporting what he calls the "biblical definition of the family unit."

Dan later said the chain didn't have an anti-gay agenda.

"While my family and I believe in the biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees," he said.

Source: Baptist Press

Chick-fil-A may be considered controversial by some, but it also has a reputation for its commitment to customer service and employee experience.

Chick-fil-A remains a top chain for customer satisfaction, according to various fast-food surveys.

Chick-fil-A

In 2018, it was rated the most beloved fast-food restaurant in the American Customer Satisfaction Index's annual survey. It remains a top chain for customer satisfaction, according to various fast-food surveys.

During the pandemic, in April 2020, Chick-fil-A donated $10.8 million to local communities for pandemic relief.

In 2022, Chick-fil-A donated $3.5 million to Feeding America to help provide more than 17 million meals to communities in need. The company has also provided 12,700 employees more than $24 million in scholarships to pursue higher education.

Franchisees have been known to cover costs for not just a worker's education, but for support during a personal emergency. They also encourage employees to follow their dreams.

 

Source: Chick-fil-A and Business Insider

The Cathy family has been working together for more than 70 years, and third-generation members continue to carry on the tradition.

Truett with grandson Mark Cathy.

Wesley Woods/YouTube

Like In-N-Out, Chick-fil-A has said it has no plans to go public.

Source: Forbes, Chick-fil-A

In November 2021, Andrew Truett Cathy, son of Dan Cathy, assumed the role of CEO. He was 43.

Andrew Cathy took over as Chick-fil-A CEO in 2021.

Chick-fil-A

Under Andrew's watch, Chick-fil-A has pursued digital and store design innovation. The chain has more than 30 drive-thru only locations.

In July 2023, the chain said it plans to test a restaurant with four drive-thru lanes that flow below an elevated building with a large kitchen.

Source: Chick-fil-A  and Insider

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