Photo: Chick-fil-A
DoorDash, Grubhub and UberEats delivery workers may not be employees of Chick-fil-A but they are critical to the restaurant’s performance as it expands in New York City. That’s why the chicken chain and its restaurant operators have opened “The Brake Room,” a storefront pop-up where these gig workers can take a break between deliveries.
Chick-fil-A, like other restaurant operators, has seen demand for delivery grow in recent years with orders reaching their highest levels during the winter months of 2022.
“We see the same food delivery workers come through nearly every day of the week, several times a day, and how taking an extra second to warm-up between deliveries or offering a glass of water helps to fuel them on for their shift,” Jared Caldwell, a Chick-fil-A owner/operator, said in a statement. “The food delivery community helps to power our businesses, and this is just our small way of showing appreciation for all they do."
The Brake Room, which opened yesterday on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, can be accessed by delivery workers Monday through Saturday between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. The space is open to food delivery workers showing proof of having made a delivery within the past week through an eligible third-party service app. Delivery workers have access to bathrooms, beverages, bike storage, outlets for phone chargers, places to sit and Wi-Fi. The Brake Room will remain open through April 13.
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Photo: Chick-fil-A[/caption]
“Every day, Chick-fil-A operators look to show care for their team members and the communities in which their restaurants are located. The food delivery community is an extension of the same experience Chick-fil-A restaurants provide our guests, and an increasingly significant part of the business,” said Joe Saracino, senior vice president of brand strategy, advertising and media at Chick-fil-A. “We created The Brake Room as a small gesture, a little thing to thank them for all they do to serve our guests, especially in a market experiencing high demand in sometimes harsh winter weather conditions.”
CNN reports that New York City has a similar plan in mind. Mayor Eric Adams in October announced an initiative to turn empty spaces like vacant newsstands into rest areas for delivery workers. “Most people have a break room to rest while at work, app-based food delivery workers do not,” said the mayor.
Photo: Chick-fil-A[/caption]
“Every day, Chick-fil-A operators look to show care for their team members and the communities in which their restaurants are located. The food delivery community is an extension of the same experience Chick-fil-A restaurants provide our guests, and an increasingly significant part of the business,” said Joe Saracino, senior vice president of brand strategy, advertising and media at Chick-fil-A. “We created The Brake Room as a small gesture, a little thing to thank them for all they do to serve our guests, especially in a market experiencing high demand in sometimes harsh winter weather conditions.”
CNN reports that New York City has a similar plan in mind. Mayor Eric Adams in October announced an initiative to turn empty spaces like vacant newsstands into rest areas for delivery workers. “Most people have a break room to rest while at work, app-based food delivery workers do not,” said the mayor.