For the past few years, the use of streaming platforms has absolutely exploded. What used to be an industry primarily dominated by Netflix now includes services like Paramount+, Discovery+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and, of course, Disney+. It seems like every studio has created its own streaming platform, and cable is becoming a thing of the past.
However, one company stunned and confused fans with its announcement of a streaming platform launch.
On August 21, Chick-fil-A — a fast food company known for its fried chicken sandwiches and being closed on Sundays — revealed that it was currently developing its own streaming service. Now, Chick-fil-A has created animated short films for its own website, but creating an entire streaming platform is a whole other ball game.
Deadline understands that the fast-food firm has been working with a number of major production companies, including some of the studios, to create family-friendly shows, particularly in the unscripted space. It is also in talks to license and acquire content.
We hear that this includes a family-friendly gameshow from Glassman Media, the company behind NBC’s The Wall, and Michael Sugar’s Sugar23, which is behind series such as Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why. Deadline understands this show has been handed a ten-episode order.
Related: Disney Focusing on MAJOR Disney+ Change
Chick-fil-A has not commented on its move into streaming, nor has it shared when it expects the platform to launch.
A Legitimate Competitor?
Now, the big question is; Will Chick-fil-A actually be able to compete with established streaming platforms like Disney+?
Disney+ launched in 2019, just a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. While it did see some initial success, the platform quickly took a downturn and cost Disney billions of dollars in just a few years. When Bob Iger returned as Disney CEO in November 2022, he made turning Disney+ around one of his top priorities.
Related: Bob Iger Admits to Major Disney+ Screw Up
It’s been a lot of hard work, including mass layoffs, big budget cuts, and a lot of shows being canceled. However, all those changes actually made a difference, and earlier this year, Iger announced that Disney+ saw a profit for the first time ever. Things have steadily improved in the months since.
Disney+ is not the cheapest streaming service available, but the company has teamed up with other studios to create more streaming options. Last month, Disney launched its “Ultimate Bundle,” which includes Disney+, Hulu, and Max (formerly HBO Max).
Late last year, there were rumors that Chick-fil-A was planning to get into the streaming game with a service called PLAY. At the time, the only thing we knew was that the company wanted to focus on animated movies, but was interested in other kinds of programming as well. We do not know if Chick-fil-A intends to keep the streaming platform’s original name.
Surprisingly, the chicken company is not the first major corporation to dive into the deep end of the streaming pool and create original content. Ride-share company Lyft created the game show Lucky Lyft, and the house rental company Airbnb created a documentary called Gay Chorus Deep South, which aired on MTV.
Disney Dining will keep readers updated as we learn more.
Do you think Chick-fil-A should get into the streaming game? Or should it stick to making chicken sandwiches? Let us know in the comments!