An Ohio Chick-fil-A announced to customers this week that minors, including teens, must bring an adult over 21 years old to their franchise if they want to dine in — ruffling feathers and sparking pushback from local residents before the start of the school year.
The Kettering Chick-fil-A location posted a “teen chaperone policy” on Facebook on Wednesday, declaring that anyone 17 and under “must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or adult chaperone” over 21 and that “unaccompanied minors may be asked to leave,” Fox Business first reported.
The divisive rule is meant to “ensure a safe and respectful environment for all guests,” the franchise wrote in the announcement.
But the new rule did sit right with every Chick-fil-A fan.
“I guess I won’t be eating Chick-fil-A anymore at least not the Kettering location,” one angered commenter wrote.
“Pretty sad that the good kids are getting punished.. how about instead of a chaperone policy, they say that they have the right to remove anybody from their property that is being disruptive,” another commenter scoffed.
Other residents argued the move could unfairly target older children taking their younger siblings out, or teenage parents with young children.
“What about the good kids who come in there, mind their own business, why should they get punished?” one wrote.
Some commenters, however, backed the controversial policy.
“A lot of places are moving into this direction because your kids are unruly and disrespectful,” one woman wrote.
“The teachers keep telling you. The coaches keep telling you. The librarians keep telling you. Law enforcement keeps telling you,” the commenter continued.
“Everyone acts like this is the only company doing this when it’s not,” another added, pointing to similar chaperone policies already in place at Dayton Mall, Fairfield Commons, and Town & Country Shopping Center — where the franchise is located.
A Chick-fil-A spokesperson confirmed to Fox Business that “Chick-fil-A restaurants are locally owned and operated,” meaning shop owners could enforce the teen chaperone policy on their own turf.
“This restaurant has set a policy specific to its location, which mirrors that of the shopping center the restaurant is located in,” the company told the outlet.
The shopping center ruled in January 2022 that all minors under the age of 18 would need an adult to accompany them, according to a Facebook announcement.
And the rule isn’t local to Ohio.
In March, a Brooklyn Target banned kids under 18 from shopping at the store without adult supervision to curb delinquent behavior.
The Target — located in the Triangle Junction mall on the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Avenue H — recently began posting security guards at its front doors and carding anybody who doesn’t look of age, a store worker told The Post.
In February, a crime-ridden Brooklyn McDonald’s also began carding customers at the door and forbidding anyone under 20 to enter without a parent or proper ID.
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