Chick-fil-A Offers A Summer Camp For Young Kids And People Are Confused — ‘The Kids Pay $35 To Work There?’
Is it a child labor issue, or simply a way to introduce important skills?
Retail Photographer / Shutterstock Camps are a staple of the summer months for kids everywhere. Whether the goal is to get out in nature or to strengthen a certain skill set, kids of all ages enjoy spending their school-free days at camp.
However, not all summer camps are created equal and Chick-fil-A's camp has received an abundance of backlash, as well as, some serious accusations.
People accused Chick-fil-A’s summer camp of child labor infractions.
This summer, Chick-fil-A is offering a summer camp for children between the ages of five and 12. For $35, the kids can spend a day doing activities like learning how to take and bag a guest order, touring the kitchen, and boxing nuggets.
Content creator @bearlynotional made a TikTok about the strange summer camp offered by the chain restaurant. "They’re bringing child labor back," he captioned the video.
Many commenters came to the same conclusion.
“So, they’re paying to work,” one user wrote.
“How is this legal?” another asked.
The Chick-fil-A of West Hammond, Louisiana posted about the summer camp on their Facebook page. Originally, they posted the same version of the virtual flyer that @bearlynotional shared. However, they later updated it.
Now, the flyer states that you can “spend some time with the Chick-fil-A Cow and Chick-fil-A Team Leaders” and “enjoy a VIP lunch.”
A second TikTok user, Sabrina, known as @cerealsundaysabrina, highlighted the new flyer.
“Hey, if you guys are bored this summer, I know what you can do,” she said. “Come on, let’s all go to Chick-fil-A summer camp! For $35, you can work at the restaurant.”
“‘Ideal for ages five to 12,’” she read. “But it doesn’t say that you have to be between the ages of five to 12, so I think I’m in.”
Not everyone had such a negative view of the summer camp.
One person commented on Sabrina’s TikTok, writing, “Honestly, [really] controversial, but as a kid, I would’ve loved this. It’s also [really] cheap for a camp.”
This person wasn’t alone in feeling that way. KPRC 2 News from Houston interviewed a mother, Keomany Brock, whose daughter was attending the camp.
Brock explained that her niece had attended the camp the previous summer. “It’s a really fun time. She had a great, great experience last summer,” she shared.
“We do come here quite often, and it’s nice to see just very kind people. They’re very busy, but somehow we always get our food with a smile," she said, adding that she wanted her daughter to experience that kind of environment.
Commenters on Facebook agreed with Brock’s line of thinking. “This is a wonderful real-life learning opportunity,” one person stated. “It’s great not only to introduce a proper work ethic, [but it’s also] a wonderful way to teach the young how it’s made.”
Is this legal?
Whether or not a camp like this is legal is a bit of a gray area.
According to the Department of Labor, “Children under 14 years of age may not be employed in non-agricultural occupations covered by the FLSA, including food service establishments.”
Many naysayers would likely use this information to prove their point. However, it is important to remember that these children are not actually being employed by Chick-fil-A and are choosing to attend these one-day camps. (Or, their parents are choosing for them.)
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.