What makes Chick-fil-A’s hospitality more than just good service?

In this episode, we're joined by Nicholas Lawrence, Executive Director of People & Culture, Chick-fil-A Local Franchise - Indianapolis and the founder of Lawrence Leadership.

Nick takes us behind the scenes of Chick-fil-A’s legendary hospitality culture—where “my pleasure” isn’t just a catchphrase, it’s a moral obligation. From his early days selling shirts and ties at Macy’s to leading people and culture at a top-performing franchise, Nick shares how leadership, emotional intelligence, and ownership are at the heart of every great customer experience.

What You’ll Learn:

How Chick-fil-A builds a customer-first culture that rivals the best in hospitality
Why local ownership makes all the difference in maintaining brand excellence
Lessons from retail and HR that translate directly into hotel leadership
Why emotional intelligence is the competitive edge for any hospitality business
What “serving a higher purpose” really looks like in day-to-day operations

Whether you're leading a hotel team or running a restaurant, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways to elevate your guest experience.

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/68j5jerfiG8

This episode is sponsored by Jonas Hospitality: https://www.jonashospitality.com/

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page
The Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media

Links:
Nicholas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-lawrence-shrm-cp-59b76289/
Chick-fil-A Local Franchise: https://www.chick-fil-a.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/158

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

#158: What Hotels Can Learn From Chick-fil-A Culture | with Nicholas Lawrence

The Modern Hotelier

#158: What Hotels Can Learn From Chick-fil-A Culture | with Nicholas Lawrence