A Louisiana-based Chick-fil-A location is under fire online for rolling out a summer camp for kids that critics say is a way for the company to use kids for labor.
The Hammond, Louisiana location announced the camp on their Facebook page, which offers nine, three-hour sessions where attendees will have the opportunity to get a “behind the scenes” view of the inner workings of the restaurant and spend time with “Team Leaders,” and, of course, the beloved Chick-fil-A cow mascot.
The $35 session is for campers aged five to 12, the restaurant said, and those who attend will receive a free kids meal, T-shirt, and name tag.
Within a matter of hours, the restaurant revealed that it had sold out of all sessions and was “completely booked,” most likely due to the company’s mass popularity.
However, the response online has been less than ideal, with many calling the camp a “child labor violation” and a “disturbing” concept.
“So people pay you money, and you get free child labor but call it a camp? Sounds legit,” one person wrote on Facebook. “I’m gonna start my own summer camp where parents pay me money and the kids come over and clean my house and yard.”
“Every person who thinks this is a good idea should be in jail,” another said.
Yet some fans of the chicken chain were in support of the camp.
“Sounds like something fun for the kids to go behind the scenes to see how they put the food together and how it works to be efficient,” one person offered.
“Maybe this will teach some of the kids responsibility and civility. Your organization is always pleasant and helpful the way a business should be,” another fan wrote. “I bet it is fun for those kids.”
Chick-fil-A did not immediately return Entrepreneur’s request for comment but representatives for the chain told TODAY that the camps do not turn a profit, and Team Leaders acting as counselors will not be performing their normal duties during the camp sessions but will instead be engaging in activities and lessons with the campers.
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Chick-fil-A restaurants are franchised by local owners who are encouraged to create and roll out programs to foster their role in their local community.
This isn’t the first time this year the chain has made a splash on social media.
In April, a former employee named Miriam Webb went viral on TikTok for posting food reviews of the creations she came up with for employee meals. She quit after being told she was violating company policy and now makes videos for rivals, including Shake Shack.
There are an estimated 3,000 Chick-fil-A locations operating in the U.S. and Canada.