A Chick-fil-A is seen at the Chittenango Service Area in Canastota, NY (screengrab cia YouTube/New York State Thruway Authority).
Lawmakers in the Empire State want to make sure drivers in New York can have Chick-fil-A whenever they want — even on Sundays.
Assemblymember Tony Simone, a Democrat whose district includes Chelsea, the theater district, and business-heavy midtown Manhattan, has proposed legislation that would require food-service companies at rest areas and transportation facilities along the New York State Thruway — a nearly 500 miles long stretch of road that connects New York City to Buffalo — to be open seven days a week.
This requirement would require the beloved fast-food chain — which famously closes on Sundays so employees could “rest or worship if they choose” — to make a major change to its operations.
“Any contracts entered into for the operation of food services or food concessions at public transportation facilities owned or operated by the authority shall require that such services be provided every day of the week,” the proposed law says.
“Public transportation facilities” include thruway rest areas, service areas, and welcome centers, but so-called “temporary concessions or events” such as farmers’ markets, flea markets, or local vendors are excluded from the bill.
The purpose of the law is to “ensure that New York State’s transportation facilities offer a reliable source of food services,” according to the bill.
The proposed legislation names Chick-fil-A in particular as a potential problem spot for hungry drivers and travelers.
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“While there is nothing objectionable about a fast food restaurant closing on a particular day of the week, service areas dedicated to travelers is an inappropriate location for such a restaurant,” the bill says. “Publicly owned service areas should use their space to maximally benefit the public. Allowing for retail space to go unused one seventh of the week or more is a disservice and unnecessary inconvenience to travelers who rely on these service areas.”
The bill notes that New York state entered into a contract with a convenience store chain that counts Chick-fil-A among its companies in connection with a rebuilding of 27 service areas along the Thruway. It’s unclear whether the law would apply to this contract.
One section of the legislation would apply to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, upon passage of a similar law in the Garden State.
The legislation is sponsored by Tony Simone along with assemblymembers Anna Kelles, MaryJame Shimsky, and Jessica González-Rojas — all Democrats. Simone’s district includes Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, and Midtown in Manhattan, while González-Rojas represents parts of Queens. Kelles represents upstate areas including Ithaca and Cortland, and Shimsky represents areas just north of New York City, including parts of Yonkers. According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, State Sen. Michelle Hinchey, also a Democrat, is leading the charge in the New York Senate.
“It makes no sense for restaurants at rest stops to be closed on one of the busiest travel days of the week, but Chick-Fil-A has been allowed to limit their service to travelers in their contract with the NYS Thruway Authority,” Simone said in the post.
Neither Chick-fil-A nor Simone’s office immediately replied to Law&Crime’s request for comment.
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