What you need to know
- Reports indicate that Chick-Fil-A, the fast-food chain known for its chicken sandwiches, is breaking into entertainment "aggressively."
- The company is reportedly working with major production companies to create new shows, acquire the rights to existing content, and host the media on its own streaming service.
- It might seem odd that Chick-Fil-A is starting its own streaming service, but it's hardly the first non-tech company to enter the technology industry.
Many years ago, cable and satellite TV customers flocked to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, leaving their set-top boxes and expensive contracts behind. For a time, the streaming landscape was indeed better than cable. That isn't true anymore, because the streaming market has been flooded with too many options and anti-consumer media licensing battles.
If you're tired of streaming services, be prepared to start seeing a brand new one: Chick-Fil-A wants you to get your fast-food fill and your original video content from the same company.
Deadline reported last week that Chick-Fil-A is trying to shore up original content ahead of the launch of its rumored streaming service. The fast food chain is reportedly working with multiple major production companies and studios to develop unscripted, game-show-style TV shows.
While much of the content is said to be unscripted, some scripted content could be in the works. Deadline also says that Chick-Fil-A is having conversations about licensing and acquiring the rights to existing content, which would then be hosted on this new streaming service. Specifically, the outlet says that a family-friendly gameshow has already received a ten-episode order from Chick-Fil-A.
It might seem surprising that Chick-Fil-A is breaking into the video streaming market, but who isn't these days? We've already seen shows from Lyft, Airbnb, and others. While fast food chains haven't been known to foray into streaming services, they're exploring the technology industry as much as any other company. Mobile ordering, data collection, and automation have been hot topics in the fast food industry in recent years.
The real question to ask is this one: do we really need a Chick-Fil-A streaming service? For 99% of people, I suspect the answer is decidedly no. We already have too many streaming services, and the content many of us enjoy is already scattered across multiple video platforms. In fact, I'd reason that there are many more people laughing about this development from Chick-Fil-A than there are excited about it.
It's no joke when companies with barely any tech experience jump into the industry. It can lead to serious problems, and we've already seen some of those issues pop up.
We're already seeing the consequences of companies trying tech on a whim
For starters, the amount of bandwidth and servers needed to service a video streaming platform is more than you'd expect unless you've tried to do it. It's likely that Chick-Fil-A is underestimating the technical infrastructure required to host a streaming service, even if it's outsourcing most of it. Plus, all the investments Deadline is reporting now are being made for original content and licensing deals, not the service itself.
The more concerning thing to me is the security of Chick-Fil-A's platform. Historically, companies that aren't tech-first tend to leave user data vulnerable to hackers and data breaches. For example, in early 2024, McDonald's suffered a major data breach that leaked customer and employee names, emails, internal tools, and bank logs, according to The Cyber Express. While Chick-Fil-A already stores user data related to its mobile app, a streaming service increases the likelihood that credit card and payment information will be saved and is potentially at risk.
No company is immune from data breaches. However, when you trust a company like Apple or Google with your personal data, you know they've been doing this for decades and will take measures to protect your information. You might share data with the Apples and Googles of the world that you wouldn't with a startup.
The problem with Chick-Fil-A, and companies like it, entering the tech space is simple. You trust the brand and are familiar with it because you've seen it before or you've been a customer, but in reality, Chick-Fil-A is no better than a startup in the tech space. The experience of making fast food doesn't transfer to hosting user accounts, credit card information, or video streaming.
Disney+ introduced a whole new cause for concern, too. Disney originally tried to have a wrongful death lawsuit tossed out of court because the plaintiff signed up for a Disney+ free trial and agreed to an arbitration clause. The company argued that this clause applied to Disney Springs restaurants completely unrelated to Disney+. As the Associated Press reports, Disney backed down in response to public pressure. But it leaves us wondering: would it have worked? By agreeing to terms and conditions for a Chick-Fil-A streaming service, could those be used against us while eating a chicken sandwich?
We have no idea how Chick-Fil-A would operate a streaming service. I've brought up prior examples of what can happen when you trust a company without major experience in tech with your data, and these are worth considering. The next time a trusted brand throws their hat in the ring when it comes to technology, think twice before you trust it.
