How Passion for Service Shaped a Thriving Restaurant
Where It All Started
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Susanna Choe’s early career was dedicated to healthcare. With degrees in business and nursing, she managed assisted living facilities specialising in the care of older adults, while her husband Philip, a physician and geriatrician, provided medical care for the elderly as well.
Their lives were focused on end-of-life care for several years until Susanna decided to pursue a new path.
“I had a whole career in healthcare,” she recalls. “Chick‑fil‑A at the time was just our favourite place to go. It was a happy place, and the culture made me fall in love with it. So, when I started to think about what I wanted to do next in my career—whether I wanted to go back into healthcare—something was calling me to Chick‑fil‑A. I told my husband, ‘I think I want to apply to become an Owner-Operator.’
The Pivot From Healthcare to Quick Service
The decision to become a Chick‑fil‑A local Owner-Operator was daunting, especially since Susanna had no restaurant experience. The selection process took two years and was marked by intense learning and adaptation.
“Being an external candidate tested me because I didn’t have much Chick‑fil‑A experience,” Susanna says. Her persistence paid off in late 2021 when she received the keys to her restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area, Chick‑fil‑A Serramonte.
Philip left his academic post as the programme director at Stanford on Sept. 30, 2021, a month before the restaurant opened, to support her journey.
But, after the doors of her new restaurant opened, big challenges still lay ahead. The pandemic caused labour shortages and operational difficulties.
“The first year was really, really challenging,” Susanna says. “We were learning new systems and trying to keep afloat, but it was a period of immense growth.”
Today, Chick‑fil‑A Serramonte is thriving, thanks to Susanna’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and community. She says some of their best systems were ideas from leaders and Team Members. The restaurant, now with a strong leadership team and effective systems, reflects her dedication to creating a positive, friendly environment.
“We also serve a wonderfully diverse community here in Daly City,” Susanna says. “Our team mirrors that diversity and it’s important to me that we create an inclusive and welcoming space for everyone.”
Caring For the Bay Area and Her Team
Community involvement is central to Susanna’s leadership. Her partnership with Addo for Chick‑fil‑A Leader Academy, a national leadership development program in local high schools sponsored by Chick‑fil‑A Operators, is a prime example. Susanna and Philip introduced the programme at a middle school – and the curriculum’s success led to its inclusion in the school’s regular programme.
A notable project from Susanna’s Leader Academy was a pet therapy programme that paired sheltered animals with assisted living residents.
This initiative bridged her past work in elder care with her role as a local Owner-Operator, showing the impact of her leadership on both students and the elderly.
“They sign up [for Leader Academy] because they’re excited that it’s led by Chick‑fil‑A. But as they go through the curriculum, they learn so much about what it means to give back to the community, to be a servant leader, and to help others,” Susanna shares.
Susanna’s dedication to her community also extends to her restaurant Team, exemplified by her support for Noel Hwang, a standout Team Member who recently received a $25,000 scholarship from Chick‑fil‑A.
Noel’s journey from working at Chick‑fil‑A Serramonte to receiving a significant scholarship highlights Susanna’s impact as a mentor.
“Seeing Noel win the $25,000 scholarship was profoundly emotional,” she says. “I feel like they’re my kids, especially because many come from challenging backgrounds and hardships. Seeing them win makes it all worthwhile. That’s why I chose to become a Chick‑fil‑A Operator.”
She’s just getting started
Susanna’s story demonstrates that leadership and care are universal values.
Her transition from healthcare to the quick service industry is a powerful reminder that service and dedication transcend industries. Through her work at Chick‑fil‑A, she continues to uplift her diverse community and inspire those around her.