Screen-Free Dining Challenges

Chick-fil-A Rewarded Customers Who Ditched Their Phones at the Table

A Chick-fil-A location in Towson Place, Maryland, introduced the 'Cell Phone Coop Challenge,' which rewarded customers who stored their phones in a designated white box for the duration of their dine-in meal with a free vanilla ice cream cone. Participants ask a team member for the coop at the start of their meal and notify staff when they are finished to claim the reward.

The concept originated in 2016 with Brad Williams, an owner-operator of two Chick-fil-A locations in Georgia, who created the coop to encourage connection among diners. The Maryland location revived the initiative after Chick-fil-A confirmed it was not a nationwide program.

As screen fatigue continues to grow, activations like this show how restaurant operators can use simple, low-cost incentives to encourage more meaningful in-person experiences.

Open at source ↗