Chick-fil-A’s new golden cups add surprise for customers

photo courtesy of Chick-fil-a staff Angie holds a Chick-fil-A golden cup while posing for a photo at the Chick-fil-A Hickory Flat location in Canton, GA. She is recognized as the first Cherokee County winner.

Customers ordering drinks at Chick-fil-A (CFA) may notice something different when handed their order: a golden cup instead of the classic white and red. The new golden Chick-fil-A cups began appearing at the store locations in January as part of a promotion designed to appeal to customer loyalty and create some excitement in stores according to employees. There have been two winners within Cherokee County’s Chick-fil-A locations so far according to Facebook.

“The golden cups are basically a surprise promotional cup that looks different from the regular ones,” Abigail Lee, a 17-year-old Woodstock CFA team member said. “They were introduced to bring excitement to guests and just add something fun and eye-catching to the experience.”

Lee said customers at Truett’s Chick-fil-A in Woodstock first started receiving the cups about January 25.

“At first, people were confused,” Lee said. “They would ask if they won something or if it meant their meal was free. But once we explained it was part of a promotion, people thought it was really cool.”

While the golden cups look different, Lee said they have not significantly changed any of the routine at the restaurant.

In addition to Lee, Deacon Lawson, TKA sophomore and Hickory Flat Chick-fil-A staff member, shared insight on how this promotion works behind the scenes.

“We have our regular classic cups which you can buy for $3.99. They come in generic packaging so you don’t know if you got the regular one or the golden one until you open it” Lawson said.

Lawson explained how not even the Chick-fil-a staff are aware when a customer receives the cup because of the packaging. Staff has no control over who will win the golden cup.

“There are only 3,000 golden cups across all Chick-fil-A’s. If you happen to get the golden cup, there is a code you can scan that connects to your personal account. You get one free entree every week for 52 weeks,” Lawson said.

According to information provided by Chick-fil-A CARES, the Golden Fan Cup Sweepstakes officially began  Jan. 5 and will run through July 1. The limited-edition, reusable Classic Cups are available at participating locations while the stock lasts. The sweepstakes are open to U.S. residents who are 18 or older, and Chick-fil-A employees are not eligible to win.

Lee also added that employees were notified ahead of time and told to expect an increase in customer questions.

“We were told ahead of time that they were coming,” Lee said. “Management said it was not a long-term promotion and that we should be ready for a lot of questions from customers. It didn’t really change how we make drinks, but it definitely changed how many conversations we have with our customers.”

Lee said the marketing is temporary rather than a permanent redesign.

“From what the staff has been told, the golden cups are not permanent," Lee said. “We’re not sure exactly how long they’ll last, but it depends on how long supplies last at each store.”

According to Lee, not all Chick-fil-A locations are guaranteed to receive the golden cups at the same time. Despite the extra questions from customers, Lee said she personally enjoys the change.

“I actually love them,” Lee said. “It makes work a little more exciting because people get surprised. It makes the restaurant more lively and exciting.”

As the golden cups continue to make their way through the Chick-fil-A drive-thrus and dining rooms, customers will only see them for a limited period. Whether or not the company creates similar promotions in the future remains unknown; however, employees say the positive response could lead to more creative marketing ideas down the road.