Zaxby’s Throws Shade at Chick-fil-A for Closing on Sundays

A Zaxby’s Super Bowl commercial took a shot at Chick-fil-A for being closed on Sundays. Though they didn’t mention their rival specifically, they repeatedly made their point: they’re open every day of the week unlike some, unmentioned chicken joints.  The ad features former NFL player Jeff Saturday and former Major League Baseball player Rick Monday walking up to a restaurant — get it?  Their last names are also days of the week.  Clever, right?

“The only thing that comes between them is where to go for chicken on Sunday,” says the announcer.

“You think they’re closed?” Saturday asks.

Monday then instructs him to “push” – not pull – the door. Once successfully inside, they sit down and eat their Zaxby’s chicken. At the end of the commercial, the narrator says, “Hand-breaded chicken, fresh-made salads and world-famous sauces. On Sunday and every day, only at Zaxby’s.”

The name of the commercial is: “Zaxby’s Sunday (And Every Day) Chicken.”  No, they didn’t mention Chick-fil-A, but their competitor is the only chicken restaurant (to my knowledge) that closes on Sunday. Christian Headlines explains that the closed-on-Sunday decision was a business decision that Chick-fil-A’s founder made a long time ago.  The company still honors that decision:

Chick-fil-A’s website says its founder, Truett Cathy, “made the decision to close on Sundays in 1946 when he opened his first restaurant in Hapeville, Georgia.”

“Having worked seven days a week in restaurants open 24 hours, Truett saw the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest and worship if they choose – a practice we uphold today,” it says.

Cathy said in 2004 that closing on Sundays was a great business decision.

“God has blessed us for this. We have not suffered,” said Cathy, who passed away in 2014.

People noticed that Zaxby’s was mocking the restaurant and didn’t like it one bit.

Donna De Sopo wrote, “Your super bowl ad is offensive. You don’t need to mock your competitor for closing on Sunday in observance of, and keeping holy, the Sabbath. It’s a jab to Christians, which you seem to think is okay. It’s not and obviously intentional to get negative attention. If your food is better than the competition, focus on that! I’ve enjoyed your food but this ad leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

Christy Amanda Black wrote, “I’m glad Chick-Fil-A honors a day off for their employees to attend church! You’re not superior – just greedy!”

Some people were pledging never to eat at Zaxby’s again.

Author Jon Acuff, who has nearly 300,000 followers on Twitter, wrote, “Whoa, did Zaxby’s just throw shade at @ChickfilA for being closed on Sundays?”

Of course they did.  Because everyone knows that attacking people for their deeply held beliefs is a great way to sell fast food.  Our culture is growing further and further apart, where now even one’s restaurant selection has to somehow reflect the culture wars.

Can’t people just enjoy a good plate of chicken?

Image Credit: Wikimedia