Why Chick-fil-A Broke Tradition and Opened on a Sunday

Chick-fil-A normally isn’t open on Sundays, but the fast-food chain sprang into action for one important reason on Dec. 17.

On Sunday, as thousands of travelers remained stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after a major power outage left more than 1,000 flights grounded, the mayor of Atlanta called upon the fast-food chain for help.

According to Amanda Hannah, a spokewoman for the company, Mayor Kasim Reed called the company at around 10 p.m., asking for help to feed the hungry travelers, who, at the time, had already been sitting in the dark for hours. The company “immediately mobilized” and rose to the call.

“It has been a very difficult day for thousands of travelers, And while Chick-fil-A is always closed on Sunday, our restaurants open occasionally to serve communities in need,” Hannah said in an email to Business Insider. “We do not make a profit but do what we can to offer comfort to people experiencing hardship.”

Chick-fil-A is not open on Sundays due to the founder’s religious beliefs, but this wasn’t the first time that the fast-food chain broke tradition and opened to help others. Following tornadoes that tore through Texas in 2015, the chain opened on a Sunday to prepare free food for first responders and others impacted by the storms. In 2016, after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida that killed 49 people, the restaurant remained open on a Sunday to prepare food for first responders and those donating blood to help save the victims.