I see from the article that the store decided to end the program.
It’s illegal under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which may be why the store (the franchise) decide to end the program:
Jennifer Haigwood, director of communications for the North Carolina Department of Labor, told The Post in a statement that while the agency does not have any jurisdiction over volunteers or situations where there isn’t an employer-employee relationship, the FLSA’s requirements regarding private for-profit employers “are clear that there cannot be an employee who provides ‘volunteer’ work for that for-profit employer.”
“Generally, labeling a worker as a ‘volunteer’ will not remove the employer from its FLSA obligation to pay the required wages if that individual performs work that benefits the for-profit entity,” Haigwood said.
Known for touting its “family-owned” and “biblically-based” principles, including closing on Sundays, privately held Chick-fil-A has been one of the most profitable fast-food restaurant chains in the country, with more than 2,600 restaurants across 47 states, D.C., Canada and Puerto Rico.”
I see that the article stated that the volunteer would “earn” the entrees, so I think storing them wouldn’t be an issue because the volunteer wouldn’t necessarily have to get the entrees that day, it seems like, from the article, @kritiper.
There’s a Chick Fil A nearby where I do a lot of shopping in CT, and it’s very popular. So popular that they have people in the parking lot directing traffic. I won’t go there because of their far-right Christianity bullshit, plus I am not into fried foods if I can avoid them.