Chick-fil-A’s first owner-operator in Singapore went through 7 interviews in 7 months to run outlet

It sounds unbelievable but you can start a famous franchised restaurant for just S$15,000 (US$11,540). Singaporean Chyn Koh, 49, did just that. 

And no, this wasn’t a fire sale opportunity. In fact, the inaugural operator for American chicken sandwich chain Chick-fil-A’s first Asia outlet had to outshine over 700 other applicants to cinch its franchise rights in Singapore.

The process? Seven interviews over seven months.

Becoming a Chick-fil-A franchisee (or operator, as they are officially known) is so rigorous, it is the stuff of internet lore. Simply put, no amount of money or social media likes can land you the franchise.

“I’m not the most articulate person around. My concern was, how can I make the company see that I can do the job?” Chyn Koh, a F&B veteran, tells 8days.sg.

At Chick-fil-A’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, there is a small blue couch.

The plush Queen Anne sofa, relocated from late founder S Truett Cathy’s office in the same building, has weathered years of anxious derrieres fidgeting on it.

Set aside for hopeful job candidates, it is where they wait to hear if they are hired after their 10th and final interview, a typical SOP, or standard operating procedure, for Chick-fil-A’s American operators. Out of hundreds of applicants, only around 1 per cent succeed in becoming a franchisee.

In other workplaces, people might be sent home with a perfunctory “we’ll call you”. At the fast food giant’s office, the final decision is announced in person after some deliberation on the same day.

It is this very unusual hiring practice that makes Chick-fil-A staff remember the moment when they knew they were in.

Lauren Howard, the senior principal programme lead who selected Chyn Koh as an international franchisee, remembers leaving the sleek office in a composed manner after being told she was hired.

But the moment she hit the driveway, she started running to her car to call her family and tell them the good news, Howard recounted to 8days.sg in Atlanta, where we flew to tour Chick-fil-A’s head office.

These days, Lauren Howard is the one hiring franchisees. Chick-fil-A does not require these operators to sink a significant sum to set up shop. In fact, it provides most of the necessary funding, but expects in return a deep commitment from the operator to run the outlet properly and personally.

The longest-serving American franchisee, based in North Carolina, has been operating the outlet for 52 years since 1973.

She explains: “Our agreement says that the operator must be full-time, hands-on, best effort. We are very low barriers-to-entry financially, but we expect the operator to be there every day. It’s not an employment opportunity; we are seeking a long-term business partner.”

She reveals that Chyn Koh’s lengthy hiring involved “an online application, pre-recorded answers, live virtual interviews and an in-person interview”. After a Singapore pop-up to test market response, the company had received “a lot of applications” from folks eager to run a Chick-fil-A outpost here.

“How we selected Chyn is that we looked at character, chemistry and competency. He has amazing restaurant acumen from his time [running] quick-service restaurants. We spent a lot of time assessing that part of his candidacy,” she adds.

Koh reveals: “It takes very long for a reason. They want to take the time to get to know me. From the long rounds, they can see my development and that I took the time to research and do my homework.”

Chick-fil-A’s operators typically manage only one local outlet, the company’s “secret sauce” in maintaining consistent food and service quality.

There are very rare exceptions where an operator runs more than one outlet, but these restaurants have to be located near one another and share a customer base.

“It’s not just a money play to buy a Chick-fil-A franchise. No one with money can come in to buy a Chick-fil-A,” points out Colby Cameron, the operator of a franchised Chick-fil-A in the Halcyon neighbourhood in greater Atlanta. “Building a fast food restaurant is going to bring noise and trash, but we operators aim to make our community glad that a Chick-fil-A is opening in the neighbourhood.”

Right now, Chyn Koh is busy preparing for the Singapore outlet’s opening sometime “late this year”. The location will be revealed at a later date.

Per Chick-fil-A’s policy, it will be closed on Sundays. It’s a tradition started by founder Truett Cathy, a devout Christian, in 1946 so that employees could rest and, if they so inclined, devote time to attending church.

This setup process is nothing new to Koh; he has 17 years of experience running six franchised Subway outlets before he divested them in order to take up Chick-fil-A’s franchise.

He shares: “I had built a really steady rhythm. But nearing 50 years old, I feel I have 20 years of energy left to do something spectacular. My son is 13 this year, and it’s difficult to talk to him (laughs). What I do now matters more, so I wanted to show him how to have values, take up something and make it long-lasting.”

Koh, who is the son of a former longtime Shin Min Daily News editor, confessed that he was “never a good student” and not inclined to follow his dad’s footsteps in the newsroom.

“He saw the good and bad in me, he knows what I’m good at and that I can’t sit behind a desk. He was always a corporate guy, but he told me to go be an entrepreneur,” he laughs.

He later worked as an account manager at The Coca-Cola Company, introducing beverage products and promotions to clients like 7-Eleven and, yes, Subway. Incidentally, Coca-Cola is also headquartered in Atlanta, like Chick-fil-A. “There must be some divine arrangement,” he remarks.

To ensure adequate contingency, Chick-fil-A outlets are usually overstaffed. In Singapore, Chyn Koh plans to hire “65 to 80 team members” for his first outlet alone, an atypically high headcount.

“I believe the brand has a lot of traction, so we can get the people. F&B is difficult, but there are people who enjoy doing service and, like me, enjoy not being stuck behind a desk,” he says. “We overstaff so that the second operator can take some of my team members later. It’s a big responsibility for me to set a good foundation."

Employees who show aptitude for management are singled out to potentially become future operators themselves. Koh highlights: “There are skills to learn in F&B. Communication, operations, imparting the spirit of hospitality. We may not be saving lives, and it’s a far stretch to say we are even changing lives, but we have the ability to make someone’s life better, even if it’s just for a moment when they step into the restaurant.”

Despite being a fast food chain, all of Chick-fil-A’s outlets appear more like slightly upscale restaurants. The space is clean and neat, the food served piping hot and there are always vases of fresh flowers on every table.

Prices for the Singapore menu are not yet finalised, but Singaporeans can look forward to an exclusive garlicky chilli sauce created specially for the local market. We had a sneak taste of it in Atlanta, and can confirm that it is feisty and flavourful enough for us to want more.

The best part about this? You can ask for as many tubs of sauce as you like without having to pay.

There are six types offered, including Chick-fil-A’s proprietary sauce that’s similar to a smoky, tangy honey mustard, plus a herbaceous ranch sauce and barbecue sauce. These go well with the chain’s crispy, fluffy waffle fries and fried chicken sandwiches, like a very shiok Spicy Deluxe Sandwich. Menu prices will also be confirmed at a later date.

“We will be generous and personal. It’s my philosophy; don’t count these small things. That’s unsustainable. Be generous, the customers will come back and spend and take care of you,” Koh says with a smile.

Drinks are also sold with free refills. “We will be proactive in offering them refills. In the beginning, when we have a long queue, we will feed and entertain the people waiting. We’ll make sure it’s worth their time to queue,” he avers.

Oh, and you might want to remember Chyn Koh’s friendly face. He plans to randomly give out free gift cards for customers to try a free chicken sandwich, the way Truett Cathy used to do. “We want customers to come and try. Sampling is a huge thing for us. This is the first bite for Singaporeans, and it’s free!” he laughs.

This story was originally published in 8Days.

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