A New York Bill Wants To Keep Chick-fil-A Open on Sundays

A new bill introduced in New York State wants to keep Chick-fil-A open on Sundays.

A New York lawmaker just introduced a bill requiring companies that provide food at transportation facilities and rest areas along Interstate 90, also known as the New York State Thruway, to remain open seven days a week. The bill particularly calls out Chick-fil-A locations at the toll areas that aren’t open on Sundays like the other restaurants.

“While there is nothing objectionable about a fast food restaurant closing on a particular day of the week, service areas dedicated to travelers [are] an inappropriate location for such a restaurant. Publicly owned service areas should use their space to benefit the public. Allowing for retail space to go unused one seventh of the week or more is a disservice and unnecessary inconvenience to travelers who rely on these service areas,” the proposed bill states.

Assemblyman Tony Simone sponsored the bill. He believes Sundays are one of the busiest travel days of the week, and restaurants within rest stops should remain open.

He believes people get hungry while traveling. He joked that one may not like a family member’s cooking and, perhaps, want to get a snack on Christmas Eve, as reported by The Hill. “To find one of the restaurants closed on the Thruway is just not in the public good.”

Traditionally, Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays. The tradition is even immortalized in the Kanye West song, “Closed on Sundays.”

The Chick-fil-A official site shares why the eatery is closed on Sundays. Founder Truett Cathy implemented the practice to bring families closer together and observe a religious rest day. “Closing our business on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, is our way of honoring God and showing our loyalty to Him,” he wrote in his book “Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People.”

According to The Hill, the proposed bill “only seeks to impose the stipulation for ‘future’ food concessions, according to its language.” Chick-fil-A reportedly has a 33-year contract with the Thruway highway system.