Chick-Fil-A Challenges Families To Enjoy A Meal Together, The Right Way

Have you ever made plans to meet up with a close friend for lunch or maybe decided sit down with a family member at the dinner table, but instead of engaging in conversation, you find yourselves constantly checking text messages, scrolling down your Twitter feed, or looking through emails? Well you're not alone, whether you're the culprit or the friend that gets upset after finding yourself sitting in awkward silence for a little too long, we've all experienced this from time to time.

Brad Williams, a Chick-fil-A Operator in Suwanee, Ga., has decided to tackle this issue head-on. Along with his team, Williams came up with a brilliant idea, which he calls the "Cell Phone Coop." On each table at his restaurant you will find a small, square box, "the coop" with instructions of what you think would naturally be a simple task: enjoy a meal, cell phone free, and receive a free Chick-fil-A ice cream cone. Customers are told to put their phones in ""the coop" and if they can go the entire time resisting the urge to reach in the box during the meal, they've successfully complete the challenge.

The challenge encourages families and friends to be present in the moment and appreciate spending quality time with each other without constantly feeling "left out" of whatever it is we feel like we're missing when go too long without checking our phones. This idea has been a major success, and more and more Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country have been requesting in the Cell Phone Coops, besides there's only one thing that can top ice cream... and that's FREE ICE CREAM!!

Although you can't find "the coop" in all locations, over 150 locally owned Chick-fil-A restaurants across the nation are offering their guests the opportunity to take on the challenge.

To find out where you can participate in the challenge, please visit your local Chick-fil-A operator.