Chick-fil-A CEO surprises North Bergen worker with $25K scholarship

The basics:

• Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy surprises North Bergen employee with $25K scholarship
• Shift leader Yammani Tay one of 13 recipients nationwide in Remarkable Futures Scholarships program
• Tay studies nursing at Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Chick-fil-A investing $29M in 2026 to support 16K+ team members with scholarships

An employee at a New Jersey Chick-fil-A got a surprise when the chain’s CEO walked into her store and handed her a $25,000 scholarship check.

Andrew Cathy turned up March 10 at the quick-service chain’s outpost in North Bergen. Longtime shift leader Yammani Tay was under the impression the executive came to the site to film a behind-the-scenes training video, according to the Daily Voice. However, the Fairleigh Dickinson University nursing student was shocked to learn Cathy was there to award a scholarship.

She is among 13 Chick-fil-A employees nationwide to receive a $25,000 scholarship through the chain’s Remarkable Futures Scholarships program.

North Bergen is the latest Chick-fil-A visited by Cathy. In recent weeks, he has dropped into locations across several states to present scholarships, including California, Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Connecticut and Georgia.

Since launching the initiative in 1973, Chick-fil-A has distributed $244 million in scholarship money. This year, the company said it will invest $29 million in the program. The funding will help support more than 16,000 team members across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

Career goals

According to Chick-fil-A, North Bergen owner-operator Christy Schaaf nominated Tay for consistently taking initiative and challenging herself “to grow into the strongest leader she can be.”

She started as a a front-of-house team member at the location in 2023. Since then, Tay has worked her way up to become a full-time shift leader. She is currently pursuing a director role at the store, the company said.

Outside of work, Tay balances family responsibilities while serving her church as a youth leader, media team member and women’s ministry founder, Chick-fil-A said.

After Tay earns a nursing degree, she hopes to become a nurse practitioner in family health or cardiology.

“This scholarship will ease the financial burden of tuition, uniforms, clinical equipment and academic resources so she can focus on her studies,” the company said.

‘The future is bright’

Tay also received a laptop and will have the opportunity to participate in a one-year leadership development program that includes mentoring, a spokesperson said.

In a social media post, the North Bergen location wrote, “Yammani, your leadership, dedication and heart for others make our restaurant better every single day. We are incredibly proud of you and honored to celebrate this life-changing moment with you.”

“Yammani … the future is bright and we can’t wait to keep watching you be remarkable,” the restaurant added.

Founded in 1946, the family-owned, Atlanta-based chain is known for its chicken sandwiches, waffle fries and breakfast items. Its North American footprint of 3,300-plus locations includes more than 60 restaurants in New Jersey.