A new summer camp from Chick-fil-A is facing a wave of negative attention from parents. According to a June 6th Facebook post, children from kindergarten to eighth grade will learn the basic skills of working at Chick-fil-A.
Families in West Hammond, Louisiana, can choose between two sessions: July 15-17 and July 22-24, from 9 AM to 12 PM. The camp is not limited to West Hammond; a Chick-fil-A in New Orleans is hosting a similar camp from July 30-August 2.
The post detailed the activities campers would partake in, including taking orders, delivering orders, making drinks, and being a hostess.
“Has your child ever wanted to be a Chick-fil-A worker? Now is the time! We will be hosting a Chick-fil-A Summer Camp. The camper will get the chance to learn how to be a Chick-fil-A worker by taking orders, delivering orders, making drinks, and being a hostess. Your $30 ticket will include a t-shirt, a nametag, and a kid’s meal. Space is limited so buy your ticket to reserve your space today! Ages Kindergarten through 6th grade,” read the advertisement.
Unsurprisingly, the online reactions to the camp have been mixed.
“I’ll go against the grain here. 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. I’ll ask my daughter if she’s interested in attending,” said one commenter.
While some Facebook commenters praised the restaurant company for giving kids insight into an essential industry, most criticized the planned activities, calling the camp glorified child labor. This is not the first time Chick-fil-A has faced criticism for dubious labor practices. In 2023 alone, two Chick-fil-A locations in Utah violated child labor laws.
Unfortunately, the entire fast-food industry has seen a growing uptick in employing underaged workers. According to The Washington Post, the fast-food industry accounted for over three-quarters of child labor violations in the first nine months of 2023, with brands like McDonald’s, Sonic, and Chick-fil-A among the offenders. Many of these restaurants are allegedly overworking employees aged 14 and 15 years old.
