A Chick-fil-A in Louisiana is hosting a kids' summer camp, sparking a social media debate.
The Hammond franchise will welcome kids aged 5-12 for the "Chick-fil-A Summer Camp" from July 15-17 and July 22-24. The camp fee is $35 per session, as mentioned in a recent Facebook post.
Campers will meet the mascot, interact with team leaders, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant's operations.
Fans might see this as a dream come true, but not everyone agrees on social media.
The Hammond location updated its Facebook post following some backlash.
Originally, the camp was set to include activities like learning customer service skills, taking orders, and making their own ice cream.
The post, shared on June 6, received many comments accusing the restaurant of exploiting the kids for work. One user even tagged the Labor Department.
“‘Hey parents! Pay us so we can use your kids for child labor.’ – I fixed your flier,” one user commented.
“Wait. You’re asking parents to pay you to use their kids as laborers? They get a free meal, snack, and a shirt for advertising?” another added.
“Just because it’s the 20s again doesn’t mean we should bring back child labor. It didn’t go well last time,” wrote another Facebook user.
Some people, however, defended the camp and showed interest.
“I’ll go against the grain here. Kudos to you, Chick-Fil-A Hammond. It’s nice to see an offer to teach kids work ethic and responsibility. I’ll ask my daughter if she’s interested,” one user commented.
“I love this and don’t think it’s bad at all. Customer service skills and kids love to play in the kitchen,” another wrote.
“Why is everyone in the comments tripping?? Kids would LOVE this. It’s like paying to get into a kid-only town where they learn new skills,” another user noted.
Chick-fil-A’s public affairs representative stated the camps are created by local restaurants, not a corporate initiative.
The camp's concept began six years ago at a Houston Chick-fil-A and has been held every summer since.
“It continues to run every summer and gets positive feedback from parents and kids – this year’s camp sold out in seven minutes, 200 spots,” she said.
Campers at the Houston location enjoy activities like trivia and bingo focused on the brand.
The Chick-fil-A rep emphasized that the camp doesn't involve kids doing actual work.
“Campers aren’t doing the work of Team Members,” she said.
“While there are Team Members who serve as camp counselors, others continue working to serve guests.”
