New York Seeks to Keep Chick-fil-As Open on Sundays

A New York lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require companies that provide food at service plazas along Interstate 90, also known as the New York State Thruway, to remain open seven days a week Retailwire reports. The bill calls out Chick-fil-A locations at the toll areas that aren’t open on Sundays like the other restaurants. (According to the thruway’s website, it has 27 total service plaza exits, 13 are closed for construction and the remaining open ones are home to seven Chick-fil-As.)

“While there is nothing objectionable about a fast-food restaurant closing on a particular day of the week, service areas dedicated to travelers [are] an inappropriate location for such a restaurant, the proposed bill states. “Publicly owned service areas should use their space to 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.”

New York State Assemblyman Tony Simone sponsored the bill. He believes Sundays are one of the busiest travel days of the week, and restaurants within rest stops should remain open.

Chick-fil-As are closed on Sundays, with its website offering this explanation as to why: Founder Truett Cathy implemented the practice to bring families closer together and observe a religious rest day.

The Retailwire story did not say if Chick-fil-A had responded to Simone’s proposal; a timeline for the bill getting voted on was also not immediately available. The company currently has more than 3000 restaurants across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.