Dan Cathy

Chairman of Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Dan T. Cathy is chairman of Chick-fil-A, Inc., the Atlanta-based, family-owned restaurant company founded by his father, S. Truett Cathy. The company's own leadership page lists Dan as chairman, his brother Donald "Bubba" Cathy as executive vice president and president of Dwarf House, his sister Trudy Cathy White as ambassador, and his son Andrew Cathy as chief executive officer.^[2]

Andrew Cathy succeeded his father as CEO on Nov. 1, 2021, becoming the company's third chief executive after his grandfather and father. Dan Cathy, then 68, remained chairman of the board, and Tim Tassopoulos stayed on as president and chief operating officer.^[1][3]

Raised in the family restaurant

Cathy's connection to the business predates the Chick-fil-A name. Truett Cathy opened the Dwarf Grill, later the Dwarf House, in Hapeville, Georgia, in 1946 with his brother Ben, and opened the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta in 1967.^[5]

The Georgia Historical Society's biography says that as a boy Dan sang for customers and performed in radio ads for the original Dwarf House. Georgia Trend reported that he helped count the restaurant's cash as a child, did odd jobs there as a teenager and joined the business full-time after college.^[8][9]

Two decades at the top

Before reaching the top job, Cathy held roles including senior director of operations, vice president of operations and executive vice president, and then served 12 years as president and chief operating officer. Restaurant Business reported that he was named president and COO in 2001, when the chain had $1.24 billion in sales and just over 1,000 restaurants.^[8][3]

He became chief executive in 2013. Sources date his chairmanship differently: the Georgia Historical Society says he has been chairman since 2013, while Restaurant Business reported that he became chairman the following year, after Truett Cathy's death.^[1][8][3]

Chick-fil-A's 2021 succession announcement said annual revenue had grown from roughly $1 billion to $16 billion during his tenure. Restaurant Business, citing its sister company Technomic, put 2020 system sales at $14.1 billion from 2,627 locations. The same article noted that the chain kept growing despite controversy over comments Cathy made in 2012 about same-sex marriage, which it said had complicated some openings.^[1][3]

Not a traditional franchise

Chick-fil-A is ranked here as a franchisor, but its model differs from most franchise systems. Prospective franchisees, which the company calls Owner-Operators, pay a $10,000 initial franchise fee from non-borrowed funds, must commit to full-time, hands-on operation of the restaurant, and must give up other non-passive business interests. The company says meeting those requirements does not guarantee selection.^[6]

Fox News Digital, citing Franchise Business Review, reported in September 2026 that Chick-fil-A keeps ownership of the restaurant, the equipment and, in most cases, the real estate, so operators do not build equity in the business or sell it when they retire. The same report quoted an operator saying about 100,000 people apply each year and roughly 200 are selected. Chick-fil-A says most Owner-Operators run only one restaurant.^[7][5]

The system today

Chick-fil-A's U.S. system sales rose 5.2% to $23.9 billion in 2025, according to Restaurant Business, citing Technomic data and the company's franchise disclosure document. The chain added 178 net new locations and ended the year with 3,287 U.S. restaurants: 2,863 company and franchised locations plus 424 licensed units. Stand-alone restaurants averaged just under $9.2 million in sales, down 1.7% from 2024.^[4]

Restaurant Business describes Chick-fil-A as the third-largest restaurant chain in the United States, behind McDonald's and Starbucks. The company says it operates in 48 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom and Singapore.^[4][5]

Chairman's role and civic work

Georgia Trend, which inducted Cathy into its Hall of Fame for 2025, reported that he is no longer involved in day-to-day restaurant operations. He calls himself the "service" chairman, focuses on customer service and mentors the next generation of family leadership. The magazine also reported that he oversees the expansion of Trilith Studios, the film studio in Fayetteville, Georgia, that he helped start.^[9]

His civic roles include work on Atlanta's Historic Westside neighborhoods, a past chairmanship of The Carter Center's board of councilors, and board seats with the Georgia Aquarium and the Atlanta Committee for Progress. The Georgia Historical Society named him a Georgia Trustee in 2022, the first time a father and son have both received that honor in the modern era of the program.^[8][9][10]

Why he ranks

Cathy is No. 1 on The Executive Review's Top 100 Franchise Owners because Chick-fil-A is the largest franchise-based system on this list by U.S. sales, at $23.9 billion in 2025, and because he spent more than two decades as its president and chief executive before handing the CEO role to the third generation while remaining chairman.^[4][1]

On the Top 100 Franchise Owners

Dan Cathy is No. 1 on The Executive Review's Top 100 Franchise Owners 2026. The ranking is editorial and independent; placement is never sold. View the full list.