Chick-fil-A's 'Cell Phone Challenge' Gains Attention Across Social Media

The challenge, which started in metro Atlanta, rewards customers with free ice cream for putting away their phones during meals.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 6:41pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single Chick-fil-A Icedream cone repeated in a tight grid pattern, utilizing flat, vibrant neon colors and heavy black outlines to transform the everyday dessert into a modern pop art piece.Chick-fil-A's playful 'cell phone challenge' encourages customers to disconnect from devices and reconnect over a shared treat.Suwanee Today

A Chick-fil-A restaurant in Maryland has gone viral on social media for its 'cell phone challenge,' which rewards customers with a free Icedream cone if they keep their phones tucked away in a coop during mealtime. According to the company, the idea for the challenge originated in 2016 at a Chick-fil-A location in Suwanee, Georgia, operated by owner/operator Brad Williams.

Why it matters

The 'cell phone challenge' is part of Chick-fil-A's efforts to encourage more face-to-face interaction and less screen time at the dinner table, promoting a sense of community and quality time among customers and their families.

The details

The 'cell phone challenge' sign at the Chick-fil-A restaurant in Towson, Maryland states: 'Ask a team member for a coop, place all phones in the coop, and enjoy your meal together. After you finished let a Team Member know and everyone at the table will receive an Icedream Cone as a reward.' While the challenge is not a nationwide Chick-fil-A promotion, several other locations across the country, including in Duluth, Georgia and Lionville, Pennsylvania, have also adopted similar initiatives.

  • In 2016, the 'cell phone challenge' was first introduced by Brad Williams, the owner/operator of the Moore Road Chick-fil-A in Suwanee, Georgia.
  • In January 2026, the Chick-fil-A restaurant on Moore Road in Suwanee announced it was bringing the 'cell phone challenge' back.

The players

Brad Williams

The owner/operator of the Moore Road Chick-fil-A in Suwanee, Georgia, who is credited with inventing the 'cell phone challenge' in 2016.

Chris Carr

The Georgia Attorney General, who expressed support for the 'cell phone challenge' on social media.

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What they’re saying

“More of this!”

— Chris Carr, Georgia Attorney General

“We really want our restaurant to provide a sense of community for our customers, where family and friends can come together and share quality time with one another. The challenge has completely taken off.”

— Brad Williams, Owner/Operator, Moore Road Chick-fil-A

The takeaway

Chick-fil-A's 'cell phone challenge' is a creative initiative to encourage customers to put down their devices and engage in more face-to-face interaction during meals, fostering a sense of community and quality time that many feel is lacking in today's increasingly digital world.