Meals & Breaks

Team members who work more than 5 hours during a single day are permitted to take one, unpaid meal break for 25 minutes. In addition, team members who work over 10 hours during a single day are permitted to take a second unpaid break for 25 minutes. These breaks should be taken separately and should not be combined.  

Team members working less than 7.5 hours are not legally required to receive a meal break, but may be scheduled for one according to the needs of the business.  If you work longer than a 5 hour shift, you may be allotted a 25 minute break, in order to be good stewards of labor, to protect employee health and productivity, and to meet the needs of the business at the time. 

Your break begins as soon as you stop working in your position (the time that you punch out on the time clock) and ends when you are ready to begin working (the time you punch in on the time clock). You must punch out before collecting any personal items or handling any personal business. Likewise, you must be prepared to begin working immediately when punching in from your break. Make sure you are taking your full 25 minute break, unless asked to return early by a Manager or Team Leader. Breaks that are clocked in at less than 25 minutes are tracked and logged accordingly. 

If a sudden rush occurs, you may be called back to work from a break. If this occurs, you may be permitted to finish your break after the rush subsides. Whenever possible, you will be allowed to complete your break in one interval. 

If your break time exceeds the time allotted and permitted, you may be subjected to disciplinary action.  Returning late from a break is considered a tardy, and will accumulate as other tardies do, and can result in disciplinary action. 

Meal breaks are generally scheduled ahead of time each morning, and are an estimated time, not a set time.  Before you leave your position to go on a meal break, you must check in with a manager to ensure there is proper coverage in your designated area of work at that time.  You may be asked to wait a few minutes in order to take your break, or be sent early if needed. 

If at any time during your shift you need to take a short break, outside of the guidelines set by State and Federal Law, you must work with your leader at that time to determine if there is enough coverage for your time away.  Leaders will do everything in their power to keep team members comfortable and well rested enough to be energetic and productive, but must take the current state of business into account.  

Employee Meals 

As a team member, you will be provided with the following food and beverage benefits at no cost to you: 

• Break food is free with a $7 value allowance (excluding the drink) for those who work 5 hours or more.  During your shift, you may have soft drinks, tea, and hot coffee at no charge.  

As an added benefit, you are granted a 50% discount anytime you dine at our Chick-fil-A when you are not working a scheduled shift as noted above. This benefit is intended for your use only. If you attempt to use this privilege for family and/ or friends, you will lose this privilege.  All food obtained with the % discount must be consumed in the restaurant.  There is no discount for drive thru or carry out orders.  In addition, you must work a shift in the current week you are receiving the % discount.  For example, if Johnny requests off or does not work one full week (Monday-Saturday).  He would not be eligible to receive a discount until the following Monday after his absence, assuming he is on the schedule for that following week. 

• Iced coffee, frosted lemonade, milkshakes, packaged drinks (milk, choc milk, orange juice, bottled water, apple juice) are not an option for break drinks.  They can be purchased by a team member using the % discount.   

The following rules and conditions apply to this employee meal benefit: 

• To obtain a free meal, you should order your meal from the front counter (as a customer would).  Your order should be rung up by the cashier when your order is taken and should be entered as an employee meal. 

• You must eat your free meal in the Restaurant in the areas designated by our Restaurant’s management as appropriate for team member dining.  You may not take your meal off the premises.   

• You may not take any unfinished portion of any free meal provided or received under this policy out of the Restaurant.   

• Break Food privileges may be revoked due to tardiness or other disciplinary infractions. 

State or local law may set forth different, additional, or conflicting requirements.  In that event, our Restaurant follows the law most favorable to the employee. 

Team members must first clock out at the beginning of their designated break. Should you decide to order food from Chick-fil-A for your break, you must partner with the Manager or Team Leader at the front counter to determine the most effective means to order your food. You may be directed to wait in line at that time, or be permitted to order immediately at an open register. This determination will be made by the Manager or Team Leader at that time, and is dependent upon the number of customers waiting. Once your meal is ordered, you must wait behind the swinging kitchen door for your order to be completed. The front counter team will place your order on the manager's station, at which time you may collect your meal and continue your break in the designated break area. 

Team members are not eligible to redeem any coupons. Any suspicious use of coupons by team members and/or their families or friends while on or off duty is grounds for disciplinary action, and/or loss of all meal privileges, and/or team member benefits. 

Drinks: 

If you use a Chick-fil-A drink cup, you must pay for that drink, including using that cup for water. If you drink out of the paper cone cups provided, you do not need to purchase a drink. 

You are allowed to bring food and drink from home, but it is NOT ALLOWED to be stored in ANY REFRIGERATOR in the restaurant.  You must store your food and drink in your personal backpack/bag/purse. Any outside food or drink in the store will be thrown away immediately. Per health department code, you may not save any food or drinks after your meal period is over. This includes any Chick-fil-A cups.