Watch out, Peacock. There's reportedly a new bird-themed video streaming service.
Fast food chain Chick-fil-A is planning to launch a video streaming service, Deadline reported today, citing anonymous sources. The streaming service is expected to focus on “family-friendly” content and feature original TV shows, the publication said.
Chick-fil-A declined to comment on Deadline's report.
Deadline reports that Chick-fil-A is in talks to license and acquire content, as well as partner with numerous “major production companies, including several studios” to create family shows. It has also reportedly recruited TV show producer Brian Gibson to lead programming.
Chick-fil-A is reportedly most interested in unscripted shows. The poultry restaurant chain has a budget “in the range of $400,000 per half hour” for unscripted content, Deadline reports. Chick-fil-A is already seeking to license an untitled “family-friendly game show” from the production company that The Walla trivia game show hosted by Chris Hardwick that airs on NBC, according to Deadline.
Chick-fil-A has also reportedly ordered 10 episodes of an untitled show from Sugar23. The production company has experience producing shows for streaming services like Netflix (examples include Maniac And The OA) and Apple TV+ (Dickinson).
A fast-food company entering the video streaming business is an unusual development. Food delivery companies like Grubhub and DoorDash have sold bundled streaming packages in conjunction with their own services. But a company known for fried chicken looking to launch an original hit on its own streaming service is a newcomer to the streaming industry.
Of course, this isn't the first time a big-name, non-entertainment company has tried its hand at producing original shows. As Deadline reported, Airbnb produced the Gay Choir Deep South documentary that aired on MTV. Companies like Lyft and Chick-fil-A have also produced their own web series. But this new venture would create a whole new kind of business for the fried chicken joint.
A Chick-fil-A streaming service could give the company new product placement opportunities. Chick-fil-A already uses clothing, accessories and games to promote the restaurant. But to actually get people to digest another streaming service, Chick-fil-A would have to offer a lot more than half-baked shows with people eating chicken sandwiches in the background.
Chick-fil-A’s alleged streaming push comes at a time when the broader industry is nearing a boiling point. An influx of options, price hikes, and changing terms of service have caused many customers to reconsider and often cancel their subscriptions. Ultimately, Chick-fil-A’s ability to stand out during this tumultuous time is questionable, especially since there are already streaming services that offer family-friendly content (like Disney+). A big Chick-fil-A streaming exclusive and low (or free) prices could encourage some interest. But we don't expect Netflix's millions of subscribers to fly the coop for Chick-fil-A-Plus (or whatever the streaming service is called).
