r/fastfood 7d ago

Discussion What is so great about Chick-fil-A???

I travel 100% for my job. I travel all over the USA. I have been all over the East coast, West coast, Southeast and Midwest and every Chick-Fil-A i pass is packed with cars, Cars lined up in the drive-thru. What is so great about this place? I have had it a few times and don't see what is so great that people line up to buy it.

179 Upvotes

427 comments sorted by

320

u/slowerlearner1212 7d ago

It’s extremely consistent. It’s not fantastic but you know what you’re gunna get. People like that reliability.

Lots of fast food places do not have anywhere close the same level of consistency.

138

u/fukdot 7d ago

Also, for as busy as they are they know how to efficiently work through that line. In my area, you’ll spend much longer waiting in line at a fast food place with 3 cars ahead of you than you will at a CFA with 15 cars ahead of you.

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u/this-one-is-mine 7d ago

Yeah the service is better in every way. They’re efficient and polite, they don’t mess up orders, the restaurants are clean inside, etc. 

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u/icameforgold 6d ago

They have messed up my order once in over 25 years. Their mistake was they put another customer's sandwich in my bag along with my sandwich. So I ended up getting two for the price of one. Thats a mistake I wish they would make all the time.

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u/ceutermark 3d ago

Same for me all the times I've or my family went too chick fil la there was only 1 time where something was off with an order and it was a minor thing anyway got diet coke instead of regular coke.

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u/Maleficent_Amoeba_39 7d ago

To be fair, they have messed up my order once or twice, but it is considerably less common with Chick-fil-A than it is with other fast food restaurants.

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u/Dangerous_Ant3260 6d ago

The 'mess ups' I get are if you go right when they change to lunch service, (10:30 am) I sometimes get freebies of leftover stuff from the breakfast menu. That's how I got hooked on Chicken Minis.

They are so consistent.

They are so efficient at order taking and handling crowds that during the Covid vaccination drive up clinics, some Chick-Fil-A locations helped with setting up the drive up lanes and getting people though faster.

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u/BrushYourFeet 6d ago

Add in they're not stingy with the sauces!

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u/geriatric_spartanII 7d ago

I’ve ran through a CFA for breakfast and lunch if I’m pressed for time because they’re consistently giving good service. Even had a couple late orders where I sit and wait but they’ll apologize and give me a cookie or something. From a business standpoint it’s great.

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u/Aaaandiiii 6d ago

Exactly. Even the worst Chick-fil-A I've ever had has been edible and delicious. I usually default to Chick-fil-A when I'm having a bad day and a bad meal could cause a crash out.

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u/Woogity 6d ago

I would say the quality is fantastic, not just consistent. They are a tier or two above any other fast food place in about everything they offer, except fries. Only Popeyes comes close in a chicken sandwich.

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u/khomer1964 6d ago

I think the consensus is good quality, good service, good food. I’ll buy that!

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u/ChefWithASword 6d ago

You are forgetting the sauce. Basically the main attraction.

So popular they were among the first major fast food chains to sell their sauce in grocery stores.

Might have even started that trend.

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u/DatMoeFugger 6d ago

Or quality, When I go I know the food isn't over processed garbage.

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u/NeighborhoodVeteran 4d ago

Their food is overprocessed though. It is fastfood. They even put sugar in the fried chicken batter.

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u/shobot11 6d ago

As an unsweetened iced tea drinker, I have never once gotten a sweet tea through the drive-through at a Chick-fil-A. Every other fast food gets it wrong about 10% of the time.

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u/PitterPatter1619 5d ago

I ordered a gallon of their unsweet tea and got sweet tea instead. Had to go back b/c no way I was drinking that. But that was one time and McDonald's gets it wrong so many times that I have to taste it before I drive away if I don't see them pouring it.

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u/dontKair 7d ago

Their franchise owners actually care about their stores. Chick Fil A has strict standards for their franchisees

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u/zydeco100 7d ago

Franchisees can't own more than one store and they can't have another daytime job. That guarantees they have skin in the game and are onsite.

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u/pizzacholula 6d ago

Operators can actually operate more than one store now but it’s still pretty rare.

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u/ElfRoyal 6d ago

The two in my town are owned by the same couple (although only one is listed as owner on the signage). They met in high school while both were working at Chik Fil A

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u/FGFM 7d ago

Lady in Chicago owned at least two, but one has closed.

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u/UrRightAndIAmWong 7d ago

Also, the employees look like they're also being taken care of well too, there's like a million people working and I've seen how much they get paid too.

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u/geriatric_spartanII 7d ago

Yeah you just watch the employees and can tell if they’re happy or not working there. Angry employees don’t make a business good.

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u/Lucario- 7d ago

Wages in my area at CFA are much better than other fastfood places. 

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u/hawksnest_prez 6d ago

Their pay is great it’s upwards of $20 a hour starting.

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u/Hour_Insurance_7795 7d ago

Basically they have to be active and hands-on in the operations of their locations. They don’t have a bunch idle rich folks just looking to park their money somewhere and pull out some cash from time to time (and otherwise not really give AF about how it’s operated/treated).

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u/Cdave_22 7d ago

People love Chick-fil-A because the food is consistently good, the service is polite and fast, the restaurants are clean, and the brand has built a loyal following because of it. Personally, I enjoy their food too.

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u/prbobo 7d ago

Yea they come across as a more "premium" fast food option. As you mentioned...clean, consistent, and fast. The food is a solid B+ for me, but the other things make up for it.

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u/Lucario- 7d ago

The spicy deluxe is a legit good sandwich, they have pretty good frozen lemonade, and they have a lot of variation in sauces. It's a bit pricey, but the service, app deals, and rewards are pretty good. I never pay full price when taking advantage of deals. My local CFA also gives out free breakfast and sandwiches regularly 

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u/chainwallet_ 7d ago

Add pepper jack cheese to the deluxe ma boy!

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u/Lucario- 7d ago

Every time. I cant imagine it without the PJ

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u/Important-Vast-9345 7d ago

I think some if it also depends on what other options people have. I live in an urban area where I have a number of better options, so for me it doesn't particularly stand out. However, there are places where it really is one of the better options in that category of food.

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u/AwsiDooger 6d ago

I agree. The food is okay. But nothing I'd consider more frequently than once every 3 or 4 years

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u/jayjello0o 7d ago

IDK it's reliably good imo. Better than Cane's.

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u/Courage-Rude 7d ago

I usually ask the same question as OP about Cane's. Don't really understand what's so great about it.

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u/Z-man1973 6d ago

Canes has been bland every time I tried it, so I stick to another more popular local chain that actually seasons the fingers they serve

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u/ElectricSnowBunny 6d ago

Canes and Zaxby's are both bland and depend on sauces.

Wingstop and Popeyes are fantastic.

Culver's and Carl's Jr are sleepers.

Church's is overrated.

The rest are varying degrees of OK.

I don't expect much from white meat chicken, tho.

The random chicken places in gas stations are always the best.

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u/galactic_funk 6d ago

The Culver’s buffalo tenders are surprisingly very good

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u/lovetron99 2d ago

Culver's is GOAT for having killer pot roast. It's probably my most-ordered item.

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u/ktran2804 7d ago

Very very fast lines in the drive thru, very consistent where you know what you are getting each time. I think this matters a lot to people in a quick jam to get some food on their breaks.

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u/Hog_and_a_Half 7d ago

People value consistency and fresh food. 

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u/User_OU812 7d ago

It's better than Zaxby's.

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u/Nobody_Important 7d ago

Strongly disagree, their menu has basically one item, which is maybe slightly better than zaxbys, but vastly better overshadowed by the lack of choices.

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u/SNjr 6d ago

I’ll take consistency over options

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u/[deleted] 7d ago

I used to be a huge fan of CFA but the last 2-3 times I went I left disappointed. Idk what it is but the bread got super dry and the fries after the change don't hit the same. The service is still good but a simple sandwich combo being over $12 makes it a bit too ridiculous imo.

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u/ktran2804 7d ago

Yeah stopped going to Chick Fil A when my order of 2 sandwiches and fries now run me over 22 bucks which I felt was a rip off. Still enjoy it but cant justify eating there too often.

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u/kryppla 7d ago

Cane’s calling chicken tenders on a bun a sandwich just pisses me off

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u/ArsenalinAlabama3428 7d ago

I know I can trust Chick fil A. They are 10x more consistent across their stores than many other major fast foods places.

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u/justmyusername47 2d ago

That's it exactly. I do a lot of traveling by car, and almost always CFA can be counted on to be clean, efficient, and the same taste no matter what state I am in.

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u/VanillaBear321 7d ago

Great fresh food and by far the best service of any fast food restaurant. I don’t know what they do or how they train their people but they are miles above any other fast food place.

You go to Popeyes, you feel like you’re personally robbing the employee just to get a sauce pack.

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u/NothingFearless6837 6d ago

That's so true about Popeyes.....I would also like to nominate McDonalds since they went to the Kiosks.

God forbid you want to pay in cash or your order is wrong. Every employee will ignore you standing by the register and you will eventually get them yelling at you to use the kiosk. 

Taco Bell employees get hostile if they have to make 3 boxes of anything in a row for a single order Its such a huge inconvenience for them apparently. The chances of them saying fuck it and shipping the box out missing items is about 75%. And God forbid if they have to make the crunch wrap. It now is thinner than their Mexican pizza. 

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u/ChainBlue 6d ago

Decent, consistent chicken with a side of abhorrent politics. A lot of people love both.

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u/Msdamgoode 6d ago

I wish another chain would do similar salads, because it’s HARD to find a decent salad in a drive thru, but damn I hate the gawd-squad bullshit.

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u/BamaX19 6d ago

I usually rotate between cfa and zaxbys salads. I do think zaxbys is better but I get cfa more.

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u/2014olympicgold 7d ago

I think it's ok. I don't think there's anything exceptionally special with what they sell. However, I do think they're hospitality is insanely good compared to others. Plus the whole "free sauce" model is something every place needs to adopt.

But the actual food...meh. The fries are bottom tier of fast food in my opinion. The chicken sandwiches are good, not insane. The salads are good. I like the milkshakes.

I think it's just a lot more hype than quality. I still prefer Popeyes over Chik-fil-A.

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u/prbobo 7d ago

I agree with most of this, even your preference of Popeyes. Buuuut, at least around here, Popeyes is a game of roulette. Will your order be correct? Probably not. Will you have to pull over into a parking space and wait 15 minutes? Most certainly. If it all lines up and you get what you wanted, it's great.

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u/ajr5169 7d ago

Buuuut, at least around here, Popeyes is a game of roulette. 

I find this as well, and oddly where I'm at in Texas, there are at least three Chick-fil-A's closer to me than the closest Popeyes.

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u/BamaX19 6d ago

And you still won't get your blackened ranch.

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u/Dangerous_Ant3260 6d ago

The local Popeye's are very slow getting the order out, and 50/50 chance it will be right.

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u/vowelqueue 7d ago

They changed their fry recipe early this year. In my opinion they went from being one of the best fast food fries to bottom tier.

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u/teddy_vedder 7d ago

When it comes to drive-thru chicken, at least in my area a lot of the other chains are pretty inconsistent.

KFC’s business is too slow so lots of times you’re not getting freshly churned out food, Popeye’s service is terrible, Bojangle’s is great when it’s good but after breakfast I find they have a similar problem to KFC in which you have a pretty solid chance of getting dry chicken that’s sat under a warmer too long. Zaxby’s is solid enough but sometimes you get puny tenders or burned toast.

Chick fil a is the most reliable and consistent, though they’ve lost points with me with their new fries which are less flavorful and get cold/hard too quickly imo

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u/scarletwitchmoon 6d ago

Bojangles used to be my go to and was so good. They really went down hill.

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u/Perfect-Campaign9551 7d ago

The chicken is Good without having to pile stupid sauces on it. And it's more affordable the places like Popeyes

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u/ALWanders 7d ago

Good quality for fast food, good consistency, run super efficient, so a long line there is often faster then a very short one at most other fast food places.

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u/noirreddit 5d ago

Consistency, good quality and taste, quick and friendly service.

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u/IllDoItTomorr0w 7d ago

I’m with you on this. It’s ok. Nothing great. Kind of expensive as well.

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u/HerrGruyere 6d ago

I do not understand the hype. The chicken is always lacking flavor unless it’s doused in sauce. Popeyes for the win!

I do make an exception for the hot honey pimento cheese sandwich. That thing rocks.

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u/zaxxon4ever 5d ago

You're treated respectfully by the staff. I much prefer "my pleasure" over "no problem, bruh."

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u/CHILLAS317 7d ago

Valid question. The one time I had it, it was extremely forgettable. Never had a reason to try them again as there are many, better options available. Now they're entirely skippable due to their politics

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u/Apprehensive-Can-857 7d ago

Their chicken sandwiches are great. They don't clutter the menu with a 100 different things to cook so the food is consistent and good.

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u/Grimlocks_Ballsack 7d ago

CFA treats customers the way I wish all companies would treat customers.

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u/phred_666 7d ago

I think it’s the most overrated fast food joint ever. The few times I’ve had it, it wasn’t spectacular. The chicken itself was mid and I have never had hot waffle fries there as they have always been cold when I got them.

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u/ldbriq 7d ago

The MSG

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u/Gasarakiiii 7d ago edited 7d ago

Food is good, its consistent - its extremely rare something is wrong with the food or your order is messed up, staff is super friendly and helpful, drive through is super fast though it looks like a long line its nothing, and they give away a lot of free food in their app, I constantly get free chicken sandwiches, nuggets, chicken strips, and breakfast items for free from stores in my area not including reward points redemptions, just random hey come today and get something free.

Also their chicken sandwich and Fry's are awesome!

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u/Clonzfoever 6d ago

It's the most mask off homophobic fast food chain out there and half of America is homophobic.

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u/KonaKumo 4d ago

Hmmm....I've seen more LGBT working at my local CFA than any other competitor. Guess I have the outlier.

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u/Admirable_Cicada_881 6d ago

Honestly nothing. Their chicken is flavorless and fries inconsistent. The only good thing is the Chick-fil-A sauce

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u/Comprehensive-Mix510 6d ago

I haven't had it for years, but their food tastes good. That's as far as it goes.

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u/KrazieGirl 7d ago

consistency. I know every time I go there it will taste the same. and it's priced about the same as McDonald's or BK but considerably better in taste (& again- consistent).

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u/TimberlakeTreasure25 7d ago

I just love it, it’s a classic and I think it’s the best fast food ever. Would never get tired of it

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u/kingoflint282 7d ago

Very consistent, good quality food, and good service. The lines are long, but they move pretty quickly, workers are always polite, and they rarely get my order wrong.

Also, I know this is a minority opinion, but their waffle fries are my favorite fast food fry

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u/TRMBound 6d ago

Quick service, good food. It seems like they hire well too.

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u/michaelcreiter 6d ago

The grilled nuggets are really good

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u/SometimesIComplain 7d ago

Their spicy chicken with pepperjack cheese is a genuine S tier sandwich

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u/rhunter99 7d ago

It’s so tasty.

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u/Deez_Nuts_Bae 7d ago

It’s delicious. They didn’t become one of the most beloved food spots in America by having bad food.

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u/El-mas-puto-de-todos 7d ago

The southern hospitality

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u/NE_Pats_Fan 6d ago

Fresh food and good service. What’s not to like?

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u/kcfdr9c 6d ago

Same that’s ’so great’ about Culver’s (and In-n-Out for that matter). Extremely consistent product and super friendly employees.

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u/DionBlaster123 7d ago

There is nothing that great about Chick-Fil-A lol

I used to go to a predominantly Asian American evangelical church through most of my 20s and into my 30s. Whenever we ever wanted to eat out, we only ONLY ever agreed to either eat at "authentic" Chinese restaurants OR Chick-Fil-A...without fail lmao

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u/Infamous_Addendum175 7d ago

It's not. I'd rather have Popeye's 100% of the time.

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u/RULESbySPEAR 6d ago

They give you great table service and dont hire criminals.

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u/SignificantApricot69 6d ago

There’s nothing great about it. When I was a teen they were only in malls in my area and they gave free samples. Anchoring the fast food at a mall food court and the samples gave them a compatible advantage but I’ve personally have never sought them out and whenever they build a new one in my city the traffic and customers are the absolute worst drivers. It ruins the neighborhood and I’m convinced a large part of the customer base is there to make some sort of political statement- since they are the same people who park large trucks in handicap spaces and stick 20 feet out and block all traffic and pedestrian visibility at every grocery store.

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u/FantasticStooge 7d ago

Does it have something to do with the fact that you can taste hate in every bite?

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u/shanagolantern 6d ago

They do a great job listing ingredients and handling food allergies.

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u/Just_Mastodon_9177 6d ago

I occasionally stop there, but it's mainly for the waffle fries and cookies and cream shake.

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u/RowBoatCop36 6d ago

It's delicious.

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u/Limp_Organization93 6d ago

You're gonna get 8.5/10 food every time, they don't skimp on sauces, you're gonna be in and out quickly, your food will be fresh, they are nice, food will always be properly cooked, great rewards system, great options despite being exclusively a chicken place. What more could you ask for?

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u/grizzlyat0ms 6d ago

For me, it’s nostalgia. I grew up knowing it as the only decent food court restaurant at my local mall. Not to mention their service is impeccable and quick. I’ve eaten it regularly for almost 40 years, and could count the number of times my order has been wrong on one hand. There’s an Arby’s next door to mine that regularly has like 2 cars in line. Even if the CFA line is out into the street, I’ll be in and out before either of those cars leaves Arby’s.

Another big plus for me is that my kid can actually eat there safely. A gluten allergy means essentially no fast food. CFA has dedicated fryers for their fries, and gluten free entree options and sauces.

You know what’s gluten free at McDonald’s? The sauces.

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u/saltlifelover 6d ago

The fact that you can only get the peach shake for like a month pisses me off to no end same with the honey pepper pimento sandwich. It’s like these stupid fast food restaurants have to put things on for a short time so people keep coming back so they can call it something new. Wish they would just leave them on the menu

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u/herculeslouise 6d ago

The original dipping sauce is my heroin.

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u/Ram820 6d ago

It's consistently good, what did you order?

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u/ChiefD789 6d ago

The waffle fries, nuggets, and the sauces are so good. Food is nice and fresh too.

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u/laminatedbean 6d ago

I like the kale salad, market salad, and waffle chips.

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u/Travel_lover82 6d ago

Personally, I love the chicken bites. I hate the fries so I usually go with the tortilla soup when in season or the Mac and cheese.

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u/steralite 6d ago

it’s very consistent and of a slighter higher quality than most of its direct competitors. A very common take you get from people that didn’t try it until later in life is that it’s overhyped or that other chains are doing fast chicken better than them. What those takes lack is acknowledging that Chick-fil-a predates “fast-casual” restaurants, so most of the people saying it’s among their favorite are like me and grew up with it, only having super ultra processed stuff like mcdonald’s and burger king to compare it to

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u/worcestr 6d ago

I like their Deluxe Spicy Chicken. Other than that, mostly forgettable

Some seasonal items like their peach shake and Pimento Chicken Sandwich are good. But aren't must try.

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u/CakeBoss16 6d ago

It is pretty consistent and the service is generally pretty good. People can appreciate that. Also it can be pretty tasty but some say it's bland although with enough sauces it can be amazing

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u/Alarmed-Extension289 6d ago

It's good, tasty food that never disappoints. I feel I'm getting my moneys worth via good, pleasant service and clean facilities.

Let me put I finer point on the service aspect of it. These folks put more of an effort in cleaning, customer service and when making the food.

I won't even entertain the idea of going to a Wendy's anymore. So inconsistent, the quality has declined badly. It's really similar to what In-n-Out does with burgers but with a larger chicken based menu.

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u/Jolly_Ad2446 6d ago

First they hate gays. Second They make their employees stand outside in the sun all day. 

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u/greennurse61 6d ago

They hired decent people instead of garbage like McDonald’s and other fast food places. That makes it worth going to.

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u/FrightMerchant 6d ago

Grilled Chicken Nuggets! It's criminal more places don't have a grilled chicken nugget/strip option like Slim Chickens

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u/Jaggleson 6d ago

Their food is full of addictive chemicals and people like fried chicken. They have a great operation strategy and stick to a relatively small but consistent menu.

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u/USA-1st 6d ago

The 'tis love their nuggies and turns out there's A LOT of 'tis

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u/I_Seen_Some_Stuff 6d ago

The service is excellent for fast food, and the drive thru line is faster than any other company in the US at every location

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u/Exact-Ice1346 6d ago

Chick-fil-A sandwiches are really good in my opinion but I will no longer eat there because I'm not paying $8 for one chicken sandwich I don't think so, I would pay $3 to $4 for one sandwich but that's it

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u/Altruistic_Grade6757 6d ago

I never understood the hype. It tastes pretty good, and the service is usually way better. However it’s its lost in me why there are so many cars backed up into the street at lunchtime.

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u/hangingloose 6d ago

When we're just looking for a quick and easy bite, we're more likely to "Eat Mor Chikin" than stop for a burger. Over the past years, we've gravitated to eating lower on the food chain. Eating less meat in general, and when we do, we choose the less sentient animals like birds and fish.

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u/SamWest98 6d ago

They nerfed the chicken about a year ago it's not good anymore

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u/AssistantManagerMan 6d ago

I'm a huge fan of Chick-Fil-A. I feel like they use fresher ingredients, and I think they have the best spicy chicken sandwich in the business. Spicy deluxe, waffle fries and sweet tea is my go-to meal. I've never had a rubbery tomato or wilted lettuce on the sandwich and the fries are always hot.

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u/ponziacs 6d ago

In n out is even more packed than chic fil a.

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u/D3adp00L34 6d ago

I enjoy it. I also don’t eat it frequently so that it doesn’t become boring.

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u/farmingmaine 6d ago

Mikes hot chicken slider meal is better.

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u/averagemaleuser86 6d ago

Spicy chicken sandwhich deluxe with pepperjack cheese, minus tomato, add bacon... such a good sandwhich. And you cant beat the fries dipped in CFA sauce.

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u/Dull_Conversation669 6d ago

fast, and of higher quality than competitor franchises.

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u/Acceptable-Fruit3064 6d ago

Chicken is good, fries are good, sauces are good, lemonade is good. I’ll drive right on by if the lines long.

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u/SpookiestSzn 6d ago

I feel like it's just flavorful enough for boring people and it's pretty good to justify it overall but I definitely agree that it's highly overrated.

I mean Popeyes easily mogs it in flavor.

They do have some great fuckin lemonade though,

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u/cbwb 6d ago

It's usually clean with polite helpful employees. The one near us treats its employees very well.

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u/Blinkmeoutdude 6d ago

Frosted coffee ftw

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u/CptNeon 6d ago

I don’t care for them any more after they changed the fry recipe

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u/surfinforthrills 6d ago

If you find out, let me know. The food is meh, but the employees are nice.

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u/THSiGMARotMG 6d ago

It tastes really good…

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u/studyhall109 5d ago

I appreciate the cheerful and helpful employees. When many other fast food restaurants have employees that are not helpful, not pleasant, sometimes not even wearing clean clothing, it is refreshing to interact with Chick-fil-A employees. Culver’s employees are much above average too, in my experience. I travel for work as well.

Both Culver’s and Chick-fil-A always get my order 100% right.

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u/arm9218 5d ago

My daughter is gluten free so that’s about the only fast food she can have. 

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u/solodav 5d ago

Food: 8.75/10

Service: 10/10

Popeye’s has better or equal food, imho, but service/cleanliness not on the same level. Biggest thing with CFA is consistency and service for me. I go there knowing what I’ll get. I have no idea what I’ll get at many other fast food places. So inconsistent and depends on staff mood and what not that particular day.

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u/Frankenberg91 5d ago

Good service, friendly atmosphere, Christian values, give workers Sunday’s off, decent food and kid friendly(my local one has a play place inside). It’s a great little place to go when every other joint is turning bland and corpo.

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u/ACK_TRON 5d ago

To each their own but I don’t feel like I’m being sacrilegious in saying it’s Gods chicken….i mean to me it’s not even close the best chicken sandwich I get. Not only on the taste but the chicken is always juicy…it isn’t stringy and full of grisly pieces. It’s always cooked through and not frozen in the middle like Wendy’s or other places. I do like Popeyes sauce I won’t lie but consistently Chick-fil-A hits it out the park…breakfast burrito fire! Chicken minis fire! Chicken sandwich fire! Chicken wrap fire! Chicken tortilla soup fire! Mac n cheese fire! Milkshake fire! Frozen lemonade fire! And super fast!

I’m sure there is a better mom and pop place somewhere but I’ve not had it. They have great service and another awesome thing is their business model. Instead of one franchise owner who might own dozens of McDonald’s or subways etc and doesn’t work at the location and doesn’t care about staff and community, chic fila is owner operator. The owner actually works at the location and their income is based on how well the store does. Since they can only (few exceptions) own one and it’s their sole income typically (most work close to 60 hrs a week) they are highly invested in it operating well, giving back to the community and building loyalty to maximize your earnings. It’s a great model..and thus they tend to always be clean, well run, and community driven as it’s the owners livelihood.

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u/Toc33 5d ago

Efficient, consistent, and the employees are typically pleasant. That makes them infinitely more likely to get people's loyalty and money.

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u/tlrmln 5d ago

Not much. It's not bad, but I've found it pretty disappointing for the past few years. I now get my (all-too-frequent) fast-food chain fried chicken fix at Raising Canes.

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u/tactical_narcotic 5d ago

If you’ve had a fried chicken sandwich from McDonalds, Burger King , Jack in the Box, Carls Jr etc then have one from CFA you’ll notice a MAJOR difference in quality.

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u/aUCK_the_reddit_Fpp 5d ago edited 5d ago

Number 1 reason they do NOT put mayo on their food by default. Fuck these other stores that decide mayo packets cost less then occasionally throwing away a sandwhich that gets sent back because of mayo.

I think the taste is good not some life changing good but i will get fresh fries and fresh food. If the food was cold like other fast food places i would never go

At this point i hesitate to say they have the best fries but they certainly did before changing them.

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u/fletch0024 5d ago

We are Americans and have low standards. The fact this place is busy says a lot

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u/D_Anger_Dan 5d ago

It, like Hobby Lobby, is a haven for homosexuality. Meet ups in the bathrooms are the main reason they exist.

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u/vangogh330 5d ago

Probably the MSG.

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u/Starbuck522 5d ago

The thing is, that line moves FAST.

I don't eat much fast food, but in my experience, a line of 15 cars at Chick-fil-A can be faster than five cars at a Wendy's

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u/kmill0202 5d ago

I've never been overly impressed with the food. It's not bad, it's just ok. There are better chicken sandwiches elsewhere. But they are very clean and consistent. And being busy and having extremely long lines doesn't seem to slow them down the way it does at other restaurants. Some people really do love the food and think it's the best chicken they've ever had. But I think a lot of people go knowing that they're going to get decent food that they at least somewhat enjoy, and the order will be correct and efficient. And if they want to dine in, the restaurant will be clean and pleasant.

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u/TheBagMeister 5d ago

It’s great. Especially the nuggets. And their name brand sauce. And the service seems to be great as well. Every one I’ve ever been to has been great service.

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten crappy food at a Chick-fil-A. It’s still fast food and not gourmet but it’s very good fast food.

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u/Queasy_Day4695 5d ago

IDK. but my kids and grandkids love it. It’s lost on me. They did away with the only thing I really liked, the perfect oatmeal lol. 🤷‍♀️

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u/Fibonacci9 5d ago

Lemonade

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u/FarCryptographer1829 5d ago

Food tastes good. Their Mac and cheese tastes better than many sit down restaurants.

Their service is excellent. They always have staff, orders are fast, and I've literally had one error in the 15+ years I've eaten there. They take care of their employees and customers. They prove you can succeed in capitalism without resorting to giving employees and cus less and charging them more.

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u/TheRamblerJohnson 5d ago

They do a very good job of presenting delicious food in a timely manner for a reasonable price unlike most of their competitors.

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u/Luckyb7777 5d ago

Not anymore it’s pretty dry last 6 months

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u/0fruitjack0 4d ago

the food is forgettable
the company's religion is like all public displays of religion, obnoxious and performative
i'm convinced 50% of the clientele is ill informed of their shenanigans and 50% enjoy the bizarro homophobia and frequent the establishment to "virtue signal" their support of that.

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u/Adventurerinmymind 4d ago

Service is polite and fast, food is good and the peach milkshake, heaven.

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u/thefixonwheels 4d ago

agree. it’s totally just okay.

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u/NMazer 4d ago

Nothing. They're "healthy"?. They suck.

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u/para_la_calle 4d ago

It’s pretty good quality for fast food and you don’t have to worry about tipping

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u/jessek 4d ago

The chicken is pretty tasty but I’m never eating there again

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u/Prog47 4d ago

We had one when i was a kid and they closed it down. Many people said they loved it & which it would come back. We finally did get one again a few years ago. IMO its ok but i don't understand it either.

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u/bohallreddit 4d ago

To me their chicken sandwich is ok but Popeyes has the better chicken sandwich but as far as the other positive things people say about Chick Fi La it is true.

They just do so many things right and people appreciate it.

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u/1nternetTr011 4d ago

because it’s delicious. sorry you don’t like it but you’re in the minority. staff are super professional and friendly which makes for a great experience.

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u/CosmosWanderer420 4d ago

Ppl like chicken sandwich’s

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u/Roseallnut 4d ago

I don’t eat there anymore because of their anti-gay bias, but they have the best damn coleslaw in the world. I still miss it.

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u/KonaKumo 4d ago

CFAs are quick, food is better than average, service is almost always perfect. Order accuracy is also almost always perfect. 

Also helps that they pay their employees wel ($20/hr in my area)l and have enough employees working to keep things running efficiently. In'n'Out is the only other chain that does similarly to this. 

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u/ayehateyou 4d ago

Nothing. It's not good. They make their employees say "My pleasure", which is weird. Popeyes is way fucking better than their bland ass chicken

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u/NotAHipster55 4d ago

There's nothing at all great about it. It's mid at best

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u/avelineaurora 4d ago

It's delicious. Always juicy, always fried well, always great flavor. Great sauce too. Plus it's one of the only places that is fairly light on breading, and it stands out still being flavorful but primarily focused on the chicken itself.

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u/Mellied89 4d ago

Nothing, it's not that great, they advertised themselves to seem elite and exclusive almost. It's like if someone from Vermont who's been living in the woods with not even salt as a seasoning smelt fried chicken once.

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u/Mommawolf6 4d ago

For me, it’s the customer service. 9 times out of 10 every fast food place I go to, the employees act like I’m bothering them, food is old/col/incorrect. I do not like CFA chicken without the sauce, but it’s still better than spending $10 on some cardboard cold dry nuggets from McDonald’s!

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u/dadjokes502 4d ago

Their marketing is a good concept and drive thru. Management is on point

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u/NeighborhoodVeteran 4d ago

They are basically the Inn-N-Out of chicken sandwiches. Fast, reliable, consistent, friendly.

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u/Iowadream74 4d ago

The maybe consistent but I'd rather eat Zaxby's

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u/LiminalLion 4d ago

I think it's more how downhill a good chicken sandwich has gone at other fast food places that explains their success. Everywhere else, it's such an afterthought to the burgers and everything else and you're not likely to get a good one. They aren't freshly made, they're flavorless, they're all breading, etc. This makes the fact that at least they are freshly fried and have a decent flavor and breading ratio at chik fil a more valuable.

That said, the crowd there still always baffles me. I only go seldomly and it's always a huge line of cars in two lanes around the building.

I think the real issue is just how much Americans rely on fast food. Those lines wouldn't be there if we cooked more.

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u/Professional-Leg3326 4d ago

The secret is peanut oil

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u/galtoramech8699 4d ago

Good spicy chicken

Popeyes is better than

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u/patty904 4d ago

Not a single thing. In fact the one time I stopped the dog got to eat awful

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u/picklepuss13 4d ago

Nothing. I live in Atlanta and people talk about it all the time. Personally I boycotted it for over a decade but eventually got it catered so much I would try a bite so I didn't have to be awkward and go get my own lunch. Def wasn't missing anything. There are so many better chicken sandwiches and I kind of can't stand the squeaky clean republican christian vibes of the place.

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u/Resident_Character35 3d ago

Super overrated.

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u/rambam80 3d ago

Honestly I think people convince themselves that it’s “healthier” just because it’s chicken. Like they don’t carry the fast food guilt when they order a fried chicken sandwich from a place that has a fruit cup and kale salad as a side option.

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u/Informal_Tell78 3d ago

A very selective few of them even have "Full-Service" inside eating... you go in, and one half is the typical fast-food order at the counter, and the other half is "Eait to be seated" and there are servers who will take your order and bring it to your table.

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u/No-Buy503 3d ago

It's hot when you eat it. Most other chains they are barely warm often heated under light bulbs.

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u/BituminousBitumin 3d ago

It's reliable, pretty good, consistent, and fast.

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u/Jealous-Guidance4902 3d ago

THANK YOU! I’ve been saying this for years!!! Everything I have ever gotten from there is bland and mid. Even the spicy chicken sandwich wasn’t very spicy and just luke warm.

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u/soupdawg 3d ago

I love their spicy chicken sandwich. Like others have said it’s very consistent and the time to order and get your food is always pretty good even when they’re slammed.

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u/IKnewThat45 3d ago

they have awesome high protein, medium campions. grilled nuggets, grilled chicken wrap, egg white breakfast sammie. their frozen diet lemonade also slaps without an abhorrent amount of sugar.

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u/2112xanadu 3d ago

Chick-fil-A is just an honest, well-run business. It was my first job in high school, and my manager explicitly told us that if we ever had a conflict that involved school, church, or family, we were released from our scheduled shift, no questions asked. I can’t believe how fondly I remember working a fast food job.

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u/LuchaViking 3d ago

Their sauce. That’s it. Food is mid, the chick fil a sauce is so awesome.

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u/cwcam86 3d ago

I always get my correct order. The drive thru is faster than anywhere else in town. I can get in the drive thru line with ten cars ahead of me and be outta there in 6 minutes. The employees are always friendly.

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u/AndNowAStoryAboutMe 3d ago

It's not the food, it's the service. It's just sad that the company funds the beheading of gays in Uganda and the right somehow framed that as "free speech" and not "murderers."

I haven't been to one since the early aughts and will never got to one again, but a lot of workplaces cater them, and like others have said... I've had a few bites over the last 15 years and it's incredibly normal, un-special food.

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u/Own_Function_2977 3d ago

Their diet lemonade is good. Otherwise everything is a tad….salty

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u/LaLaLaSkull 3d ago

Nothing great about it. In fact, it is less than great and kinda sucks actually. Also the company hates gays.