Is Chick-fil-A’s Summer Camp a Teaching Moment or Child Labor?

The introduction of a $35 “Chick-fil-A Summer Camp” offering children ages 5 to 12 a “behind-the-scenes look” inside the fast-food restaurant at a Louisiana franchised location led to quick sell-out but also loud accusations of child labor on social media.

The camp, being held at the franchised store in Hammond over nine days in July, promises a “fun time getting a behind-the-scenes view of what it’s like to work at America’s favorite quick-service restaurant.”

The sessions last three hours from 9 a.m. to noon, with each having a capacity of 30 children. Attendees spend time with “Team Leaders” and the beloved Chick-fil-A cow mascot. They also receive a kid’s meal, T-shirt, name tag, and snack for the one-time $35 fee.

It’s not clear what tasks or activities the kids will do, but Chick-fil-A representatives told USA Today that the kids will be doing “activities” with “employees serving as counselors” and not the work of staffers. At another Chick-fil-A location holding a summer camp in New Orleans, attendees learn how to “take orders, deliver orders, make drinks, and be a hostess,” according to a Facebook post.

Within hours, the Hammond location revealed online that all sessions had been booked and some additional ones were added.

Chick-fil-A representatives told USA Today that the camps do not turn a profit. The chain’s restaurants are franchised by local owners who are encouraged to create programs to drive community engagement.

Reactions to the camp below the introduction post on Facebook skewed largely negative, with many shaming the location for promoting child labor. One critic wrote, “When I was a kid we didn’t go to child labor camps, we went to actual summer camp … swimming in a lake, riding horses, archery, campfires and smores.”

Another wrote, “So people pay you money, and you get free child labor but call it a camp? Sounds legit,” according to The Street.

Some questioned whether the personnel overseeing the program were properly certified to work with children.

Still, Mike Rowe, best known for his work as host of the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs,” praised the camp in an interview with Fox Business for highlighting the need to teach kids “soft skills” that are critical to social and career development as adults.

The Facebook post also had more than a few positive comments. One fan wrote, “Kudos to you, Chick-fil-A Hammond. It’s nice to see an offer to teach young children about work ethic and responsibility, while having a little fun at the same time.”

Another said her son is a Chick-fil-A fan and would have loved to participate, adding, “Kids love to experience things like this, and I can guarantee none of them are forced! Thanks Chick-fil-A for always being involved in and contributing to our community.”