Why You Won't Find A Chick-Fil-A In These 2 States

Currently, there are more than 3,000 Chick-fil-A locations serving customers in the United States, Canada, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The company, which ranks highly in our list of the 12 best and worst fried chicken chains, is also the fast food chain you're most likely to find in U.S. airports. However, residents in Alaska and Vermont won't be able to satisfy those cravings for Chick-fil-A's waffle fries. The Last Frontier has its remote location and high distribution costs to thank for the fast food giant's lack of presence. 

And Chick-fil-A franchises won't be found in Vermont because of a trademark lawsuit between the restaurant chain and artist Robert "Bo" Muller-Moore (you also won't find McDonald's or Starbuck's in Montpelier, the state capital, though for different reasons). It's also worth noting that both states' population may be too low to earn a profit for the fast food chain, since Vermont and Alaska are two of the least populated states in America.

Alaska's cold, mountainous environment also makes it difficult to grow food. This situation is complicated by Alaska's remote location, which makes shipping product a costly and slow process, and the fact that the cost of living is 31% higher than the national average (which is reflected in fast food pricing), all of which combine to make it a less desirable location for Chick-fil-A. However, Chick-fil-A did expand into Hawaii in 2022 and now has multiple locations in the Aloha State, so there's hope for Alaska.

In 2000, artist Robert "Bo" Muller-Moore sold merchandise featuring the slogan "Eat More Kale"  to support his community. But after learning of his intention to trademark the phrase, Chick-fil-A issued a cease-and-desist letter, claiming its similarity to their "Eat Mor Chikin" campaign "would confuse customers."  After a three-year trial, Muller-Moore walked away victorious when Vermont ruled on his behalf. Since then, Chick-fil-A hasn't announced plans to open in Vermont, but they did introduce a kale-based Superfood Salad in 2016. This was followed by their current Kale Crunch Salad in 2020. 

Although Muller-Moore's trial was well-publicized, his wasn't the only cease-and-desist order Chick-fil-A issued in 2011. They also filed orders with 30 companies to cease the use of "Eat more ____" in their advertising, with many complying. However, this also wasn't the state of Vermont's only encounter in food and beverage trademark law. In 2009, Hansen Beverage Company, the parent of Monster Energy, ordered a cease-and-desist to the Green Mountain State's Rock Art Brewing for using the name "Vermonster Beer." Thankfully, this lawsuit didn't last as long, as Hansen Beverage backed down due to the bad publicity it drew.