Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersAshland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Quick-Service Restaurant Franchise Operations
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Chicken & Wings QSR (THAFAAAC)
Keywords
Where Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ashland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | X.C.C.L. Program Participant - First Year |
| Subscription | Annual | X.C.C.L. Program Participant - Second Year |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Signing Bonus |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Lasting ImpactcoreLasting 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 DepartmentscorePartnership 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 ExecutivesminorSeries 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 OperatorsminorInterns 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
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging 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
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace social profiles
Digital presenceChick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&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
What does Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace do?
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.
Is Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace a public or private company?
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace founded?
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace based?
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace is headquartered in Ashland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Quick-Service Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are leadership Development Program Participant Salaries.
Who are Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace's main competitors?
Wendy's is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are PDQ, Bojangles, Raising Cane's, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Slim Chickens and Wingstop. Broad incumbents are Flynn Restaurant Group, Chick-fil-A, Inc. and KFC (Yum! Brands).
Does Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace.
What industry is Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace in?
Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe & Virginia Center Marketplace's product category is Quick-Service Restaurant Franchise Operations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAAAC, Chicken & Wings QSR. Its SIC code is 5812.