Process, People, and Purpose: Operations the Chick-fil-A Way

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Problem Solved: The IISE Podcast

Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers

236 episodes

1 week ago

Conversations with industrial and systems engineers about their work, ideas and solutions. This podcast will feature both IISE members and non-members who come from diverse backgrounds in both academia and industry to discuss a wide range of topics as it relates to their work as well as some off-beat topics that we think you, our audience, will find fascinating.

All content for Problem Solved: The IISE Podcast is the property of Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Non-Profit

Education,

Business

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Process, People, and Purpose: Operations the Chick-fil-A Way

Problem Solved: The IISE Podcast

42 minutes

1 week ago

Process, People, and Purpose: Operations the Chick-fil-A Way

Process, People, and Purpose: Operations the Chick-fil-A Way

Behind every lightning-fast drive-thru order at Chick-fil-A is a carefully designed system supported by real people who care — and continuous improvement that never stops. In this episode of Problem Solved, Elizabeth Grimes talks with Sam Hartman, multi-location Owner/Operator, and Matt Riley, VP of Enterprise Solutions, to uncover how Chick-fil-A balances efficiency with genuine hospitality.

They discuss:

Why the right people + thoughtful training matter more than any process
How simple operational tweaks — even moving the cups — can save seconds that scale to hours
Why “my pleasure” is more than a catchphrase — it’s a cultural mindset
How Chick-fil-A uses data, observation, and feedback loops to refine systems every day
What leaders can learn about feedback culture, hands-on leadership, and developing talent

This conversation reveals what truly drives Chick-fil-A’s reputation: not just speed, but purpose, consistency, and care.

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
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Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org