TL;DR intro
- Summer Camp Controversy:Chick-fil-A in Hammond, Louisiana, announces a summer camp for children, sparking backlash and accusations of exploiting campers for labor.
- Camp Activities:The camp is designed for kids aged 5 to 12 and includes activities like learning customer service skills, touring the kitchen, and making their own Ice Dream cones.
A Chick-fil-A in Hammond, Louisiana, is facing significant backlash after announcing a summer camp for children, scheduled for July 15-17 and 22-24. The camp, intended for kids aged 5 to 12, offers them the chance to experience various tasks performed by Chick-fil-A workers, including learning dining room host and customer service skills, taking and bagging guest orders, and touring the kitchen.
Details of the Summer Camp
Campers will meet the Chick-fil-A mascot and team leaders, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at the brand's hospitality. According to an earlier announcement, the camp activities include:
- Learning dining room host and customer service skills
- Taking and bagging guest orders
- Touring the kitchen
- Making their own Ice Dream cones or cups
The camp costs $35 per child, which includes a kid's meal, a t-shirt, a name tag, and a snack.
Social Media Backlash
While the camp may sound appealing to fans of the restaurant chain, not everyone on social media supports it. A Facebook post about the camp received around 1,000 comments, with many accusing the restaurant of exploiting campers by putting them to work and charging for it.
โWait. You're wanting parents to check notes pay you, to use their young children as laborers. But they get a free meal, snack, and shirt that will give you free advertising?โ one person commented.
โHey parents! Pay us so we can use your kids for child labor.' - I fixed your flier,โ another user wrote.
Some critics even tagged the U.S. Department of Labor in their comments, questioning the legality and ethics of the camp.
Mixed Reactions
Despite the backlash, some people applauded the camp for providing valuable work skills that children could use later in life.
โI'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,โ one Facebook user commented.
โI love this and don't think it's bad at all. Customer service skills and kids love to play in the kitchen. Reminds me of the children museum where we got to grocery shop, but only with real food,โ another person wrote.
Despite the mixed reactions, the first three sessions of the camp were fully booked, prompting the store to offer three additional sessions, which were also quickly filled.
โWhy is everyone in the comments tripping?? Kids would LOVE this. It's literally no different than paying to get into one of those kid-only towns where the kids learn new skills,โ another user commented.
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Chick-fil-A's Response
When asked for comment, a corporate representative responded on behalf of the Hammond, Louisiana, Chick-fil-A location, stating that the camp is a local initiative, not a corporate program.
โSome local restaurants create their own programs to engage with the communities they're located in. Chick-fil-A restaurants are locally owned and operated by people who live and work in the communities their restaurants serve,โ a public affairs and external communications representative for Chick-fil-A told FOX Business.
Origin of the Camp Concept
The concept behind the camp started six years ago by an owner-operator Chick-fil-A location in Houston, Texas, and has continued every summer since its launch.
โIt continues to run every summer and receives positive comments from parents and kids alike - this year's kids camp at that restaurant sold out in seven minutes, 200 spots,โ the representative added.
The restaurant has clarified that the camp does not involve actual labor but is meant to provide a fun and educational experience for children, with team members ensuring that the restaurant's operations continue smoothly.
