Chick-fil-A is getting deeper into the entertainment business. The chicken chain—which has experimented with long-form holiday content and selling puzzles and games—is releasing a free kid-focused app with original shows, podcasts, games, and recipe videos in a bid to connect with families and Gen Alpha.

The app, called Chick-fil-A Play, will debut on Nov. 18. It was driven by customers asking for more family-friendly content similar to its annual holiday film series “The Stories of Evergreen Hills,” which began in 2019. Last year’s film, a more than 10-minute video called “The Spark Tree,” has been viewed more than 141 million times on YouTube.

“We were honestly a little surprised, and pleased, by the positive feedback we heard from our guests,” Dustin Britt, executive director of brand strategy, entertainment and media investment for Chick-fil-A, said in an email.

For the app, the fast feeder has expanded the fictional world from its films into a series, “The Legends Of Evergreen Hills.” The first episode of the new series will be available on YouTube and in the app, with all following episodes available only in the Play app.

“Since families were telling us they were looking to spend more quality time together, we were incredibly intentional about designing everything within the app to facilitate that,” Britt said. “For example, shows are viewed in landscape format and can be cast to a TV, or tablet, for families to gather around to watch together.”

Chick-fil-A will, of course, face plenty of competition in the children’s entertainment business, including from media giants such as Disney that distribute content for families with the young kids to tweens in Gen Alpha.

One analyst suggested Chick-fil-A might be in a good position to benefit from its reputation as a brand favored by Christians. The chain is famously closed on Sundays, a move partly designed to allow employees to “enjoy time with their families and loved ones or worship if they choose.”

“It’s fair to say that many Chick-fil-A customers trust the brand and its content far more than Disney and especially from a more ‘Christian’ standpoint,” said Barry Thomas, senior global thought leader at Kantar. “That’s an incredibly important point, especially with their most loyal customers.”

Disney made headlines this summer when billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz sought to unseat CEO Bob Iger through a shareholder vote because he felt the company was too “woke” and not making enough money for shareholders. Iger ultimately prevailed, although related to the woke allegations he has said Disney has to “be more sensitive to the interest of a broad audience.”

Branding beyond the restaurant

Thomas said that the app also opens a new possible avenue for ad revenue, though a Chick-fil-A spokesperson confirmed there are no external ads in the Play app and no plans as of now for the chain to sell ad space. The app is free to download and does not require additional personal information to access the content.

“The new Play app is a way for the company to entangle themselves in their customers’ lives and be present in their homes and during treasured moments, even without a single nugget in sight,” said Dipanjan Chatterjee, VP and principal analyst at Forrester. “The positive equity from these interactions will rub off onto the Chick-fil-A brand and deepen the customer and the commercial relationship.”

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Chick-fil-A started a family games and activities brand, Pennycake, late last year. Pennycake sells puzzles, lawn games and conversation starter cards. Other brands have also looked to attract consumers with original content, such as Walmart’s shoppable holiday series from last year, “Add to Heart.”

Creating the Play app took over two years with input from internal and external teams. Chick-fil-A declined to reveal any external agency or production partners or share how much was invested in creating the app and its content. The Play app will be promoted across Chick-fil-A’s owned channels including social media, and via in-restaurant marketing and local activations, with TV ads airing throughout the holidays. The chain’s creative agency of record is McCann New York.

Chick-fil-A branding is seen throughout the app. Original series include cartoons about its cow mascots. Recipe episodes feature cooking tutorials using items from the Chick-fil-A menu, such as a milkshake.

When asked if the chain is concerned about marketing to minors, Britt in a statement said: “While the content in the Chick-fil-A Play app is designed with kids (Gen Alpha) in mind, it was created for families to watch, listen to and play together. Parents will need to download the apps to their phones or tablets/devices to engage with the content alongside their kids.”

Britt said Chick-fil-A plans to develop more content based on engagement and user feedback. “Seeing what resonates the most with kids and families will help dictate future content, both from a frequency and topic standpoint,” he said.

The Children’s Advertising Review Unit, a self-regulatory body that helps companies ensure they are not engaging in deceptive or innappropriate advertising aimed at people under the age of 13, has not evaluated the Chick-fil-A play app, said CARU Director Rukiya Bonner. “We recognize that in digital environments, especially when gameplay is involved, the line between entertainment and advertising can blur,” she added.

Chick-fil-A is the third-largest U.S. restaurant chain behind McDonald’s and Starbucks, with 2023 U.S. systemwide sales of $21.59 billion, according to Restaurant Business, based on a report from Technomic.