Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace

What Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace does

Chicken and Rice LLC., owned and operated by franchisee Howe Rice, runs two free-standing Chick-fil-A restaurants in the Richmond, Virginia market — Chick-fil-A Virginia Center Marketplace in Glen Allen (opened August 2001) and Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe in Ashland (opened May 2013) — with combined annual sales exceeding $14 million. The stores operate standard quick-service restaurant operations under the Chick-fil-A franchise system, operating hours of 6am–9pm, with the Glen Allen location having completed a full remodel in late 2016.

Beyond restaurant operations, the entity operates two proprietary talent development programs that function as both workforce pipelines and leadership academies. The flagship X.C.C.L. (X-traordinary Chick-fil-A Character and Leadership) program is a 30-month paid entrepreneur and leadership curriculum with four benchmarks built around core values (Excellence, Character, Consistency, Leadership), structured mentorship, books and experiences, and an assigned program mentor; graduates have gone on to become Chick-fil-A Owner/Operators. A separate 10-week College Internship program offers tracks in Business, Marketing/Social Media, and HR/Training, capped by a "Lasting Impact" final project where interns propose and present operational improvements to executive leadership.

The business model blends QSR food and beverage transaction revenue at two locations with a salaried leadership development function. Compensation for X.C.C.L. participants is $60,000 in year one, $65,000 in year two, plus a $1,000 signing bonus and a benefits package valued above $80,000 (health insurance with $500/month employer contribution, 80 hours vacation, gym subsidy, cell allowance, meals, uniforms). The firm recruits through on-campus partnerships (Liberty University, Randolph-Macon College, Shippensburg University), a Snag-powered online application, and direct email outreach; final interviews are conducted in person with travel support. Revenue concentration on Chick-fil-A, Inc. as franchisor and brand licensor is total, and there is no indication of external institutional capital or third-party distribution.

Name

Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace

Legal name

Chicken and Rice LLC.

Website

https://chickenandricellc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chicken and Rice LLC operates two Chick-fil-A franchise restaurants in Virginia (Glen Allen and Ashland) and runs the proprietary 30-month X.C.C.L. entrepreneur and leadership development program that trains future Chick-fil-A Owner/Operators and corporate leaders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Restaurant Franchise Operations

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAFAAAC

Chicken & Wings QSR

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Quick-Service Restaurants (QSR)

Keywords

• Quick-service restaurant
• Franchise operations
• Leadership development program
• Restaurant management training
• Entrepreneur mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Quick-Service Restaurant Sales: Operating Chick-fil-A franchise locations generating annual sales of over $14 million per store. Revenue from food and beverage sales at two Virginia locations.
2. Leadership Development Program Participant Salaries: X.C.C.L. program participants receive annual salary of $60,000 first year, $65,000 after first year, plus $1,000 signing bonus and merit increases. Total benefits package valued at over $80,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chicken and Rice LLC operates two Chick-fil-A quick-service restaurant franchises in Virginia (Virginia Center Marketplace in Glen Allen and Center of the Universe in Ashland), generating over $14 million in combined annual sales. The franchise operation also runs the proprietary X.C.C.L. (X-traordinary Chick-fil-A Character and Leadership) 30-month paid entrepreneur and leadership development program and a 10-week college internship program to train future Chick-fil-A Owner/Operators and corporate leaders.

Product overview

Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe and Virginia Center Marketplace, operated by Chicken and Rice LLC under Owner/Operator Howe Rice, offer a suite of leadership development programs. The flagship X.C.C.L. (X-traordinary Chick-fil-A Character and Leadership) Program is a 30-month paid entrepreneurship and leadership training for future Chick-fil-A franchisees and corporate roles. Complementing this is a 10-week College Internship program with specializations in Business, Marketing, and Human Resources, culminating in a Lasting Impact final project. Both programs operate across two Chick-fil-A restaurant locations in the Richmond, Virginia area (Virginia Center Marketplace in Glen Allen and Center of the Universe in Ashland), with combined annual sales exceeding $14 million.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• X.C.C.L. (X-traordinary Chick-fil-A Character and Leadership Program)

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple program graduates have become Chick-fil-A Owner/Operators - Blake became Owner/Operator in Virginia in 2016, Jazmine opened her own Chick-fil-A Franchise in Canada in 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lasting ImpactcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLasting Impact's facilitator works with X.C.C.L. participants to create and execute special events for team members. Interns collaborate with Lasting Impact during their final project phase to develop and implement team member engagement initiatives.
• College Career Services DepartmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with college career services at universities including Shippensburg University, Liberty University, and Randolph-Macon College to facilitate interview scheduling and provide excused absences for candidates during interview processes.
• External Entrepreneurs, CEOs, and Business ExecutivesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeries of meetings and seminars with successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, and business executives who mentor and train X.C.C.L. participants. Notable featured leaders include David Barrett, David Platt, Bob Sjogren, Dr. Tom Davis, and Buddy Childress.
• Richmond Market Chick-fil-A OperatorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterns are encouraged to meet with other store operators within the Richmond market area to gain exposure to different operational approaches and build professional network within the Chick-fil-A system.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Wendy's: Major burger-focused QSR chain that has expanded into breakfast and chicken items. Comparable as a multi-unit QSR franchise operator context, though its core menu is differentiated.

Direct peers

• PDQ: Chicken tenders and sandwich QSR concept emphasizing fresh, never-frozen chicken. Comparable menu focus and quality positioning to Chick-fil-A, and competes in similar suburban free-standing sites.
• Bojangles: Carolina-based chicken-and-biscuits QSR chain with strong Southeast US presence. Comparable menu focus on chicken, comparable operating model, and direct competition to Chick-fil-A in shared geographies like Virginia.
• Raising Cane's: A focused chicken-fingers QSR chain with a similar single-protein menu strategy. Directly comparable to Chicken and Rice LLC's Chick-fil-A units in target customer (chicken-first QSR), real estate footprint (freestanding), and unit economics positioning.
• Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen: Major chicken-focused QSR chain (Restaurant Brands International subsidiary) competing in the same chicken QSR category as Chick-fil-A. Overlapping customer base, comparable franchise model, and similar AUV benchmarks in the US South.
• Slim Chickens: Fast-growing chicken-focused QSR chain with a similar single-protein positioning. Closely comparable to Chicken and Rice LLC's Chick-fil-A stores in menu focus, dine-in experience, and footprint strategy.
• Wingstop: Chicken-focused QSR chain specializing in wings. Comparable single-protein QSR model and competitive set in the chicken category, though with a narrower menu focus than Chick-fil-A.

Broad incumbents

• Flynn Restaurant Group: Largest multi-brand franchise operator in the US (Taco Bell, Applebee's, Panera, Arby's, Pizza Hut). Comparable as a large multi-unit franchise operator model, though operating across different brands rather than a single chicken chain.
• Chick-fil-A, Inc. The franchisor and brand owner behind all Chick-fil-A restaurants. Chicken and Rice LLC operates under its franchise system, so Chick-fil-A Inc. is the parent/licensor and the dominant player in the US chicken QSR space with over 1,850 locations.
• KFC (Yum! Brands): Global chicken QSR incumbent and the largest fried-chicken chain by unit count. Comparable as a chicken QSR competitor though broader portfolio and very different franchise economics than Chick-fil-A's tightly-held model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chick-fil-a-center-of-the-universe-&-virginia-center-marketplace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace