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Help me understand America's fascination with Chick Fil-A

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
I like their food. I think it's decent when it comes to fast food. But my goodness these lines are brutal. It is busy all the time. In every suburb. In every store. They have dozens of people behind the register so its not like they are lazy like popeyes or incompetent like walmart management. They are busy because people love it.

But why? Whats so amazing about this? The popeyes chicken sandwich hype was real. The sandwich was amazing. But these guys make the most bland chicken. It's decent at best. I think canes is better. Culvers is way better. Their best sandwich is the spicy deluxe but even that pales in comparison to the popeyes chicken sandwich.

It's busier than mcdonalds and chipotle and i just dont get it.
 

Dacvak

No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
I mean, they make a pretty solid spicy chicken sandwich. Plus I love waffle fries.

As for Popeyes, it also is delicious, but I almost always get sick from eating there. Not sure if it’s the oil they use or what, but I feel like shit after eating Popeye’s. Chick Fil-A doesn’t do that to me.
 
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When I was in America I had it and it was fucking FIRE.

It's the clear quality difference, not to say this in an offensive way but can you not tell? lol.

They were gonna release it over here but there was a pure crying over them being homophobic. That shit was so good I'd let the CEO spit in my face and call me an F to the T for it to get a chance to come back over here. It was THAT fucking good, the sauce was some next level shit.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
When I was in America I had it and it was fucking FIRE.

It's the clear quality difference, not to say this in an offensive way but can you not tell? lol.
its higher quality than mcdonalds and popeyes, but compared to canes and culvers? its on par.

i can understand people liking it but i dont understand the long lines through out the day from afternoon till night.
 

GladiusFrog

Member
Because Guaranteed quality and customer service, I worked at one when i was younger and before i even stepped in the kitchen they make new hires go through a two week training class.

More fast food companies need to study Chick-fil-A. Limit the menu to prevent loss, pay more but hold your employees to a higher standard. Also have a real career path toward eventually owning your own store.

Amazing company.
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Very overrated. It's good fast food, which isn't a complement.

However, it always seems to be clean, fast, and the people working there seem to be more polite than anywhere else.

I think it's popular because the whole package is a little bit better than all the direct competition.
 

22:22:22

Banned
Very overrated. It's good fast food, which isn't a complement.

However, it always seems to be clean, fast, and the people working there seem to be more polite than anywhere else.

I think it's popular because the whole package is a little bit better than all the direct competition.



Sounds a ok
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Because Guaranteed quality and customer service, I worked at one when i was younger and before i even stepped in the kitchen they make new hires go through a two week training class.

More fast food companies need to study Chick-fil-A. Limit the menu to prevent loss, pay more but hold your employees to a higher standard. Also have a real career path toward eventually owning your own store.

Amazing company.
This is something i really like about their company. They not only always have a lot of people working the counters, the drive thrus and the back, but they are all very well trained in terms of greeting you and taking orders.

Popeyes is like going to the ghetto in comparison.
 

bender

What time is it?
Because Guaranteed quality and customer service, I worked at one when i was younger and before i even stepped in the kitchen they make new hires go through a two week training class.

More fast food companies need to study Chick-fil-A. Limit the menu to prevent loss, pay more but hold your employees to a higher standard. Also have a real career path toward eventually owning your own store.

Amazing company.

Quickly becoming a lost skillset and you are on point. It's always pleasant interacting with their employees.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Had it once as it's pretty new to Canada. It came with waffle fries. Nothing special at all. A handful of people I know have also had it and none of us thought it was anything special.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Beats me. Everyone I know who's tried it says it's alright, but no one was impressed enough for me to try it myself.
try their spicy chicken deluxe and make sure to get the chik fil-a sauce on the side. all their sandwiches inexplicably lack any mayo or sauce, but the spicy chicken deluxe with the pepper jack cheese is by far the best one.
 

Nydius

Member
I'd argue that CFA's popularity is driven by two things: Decades of fantastic marketing, and customer service. As a kid -- so we're talking mid-1980's here -- I remember CFA's in the two local malls and how they always, always, had someone standing outside with a sample tray. As I got older I realized that was pretty genius. First hit's free, now you got a taste of how much better they were compared to the other food court slop. Then they came out with the EET MOAR CHIKEN campaign which absolutely blew up and turned the brand into a behemoth.

The customer service in every CFA I've ever been to has been top tier. When I was in college, a lot of my fellow classmates worked at CFA and they absolutely raved about how well the company treated them. When they opened a location on campus, they had a line of applicants so long it looked like people waiting to register for classes. Good pay, good benefits. I don't know if it's still the same now, but they obviously treat their employees better than most fast food joints and, in turn, they treat their customers better.

However, foodwise, you won't hear me disagree. They're a step above places like McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's and KFC but they're not exactly earth shattering. If given the choice between CFA and Zaxby's, I'd choose Zaxby's. CFA used to be the only game in town for waffle fries but since getting an air fryer in the Great Air Fryer Pandemic Resurgence of 2020, I can make my own waffle fries that taste better.
 
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Dacvak

No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
Chick Fil-A does is the highest grossing fast food chain per unit, so I guess they’re doing something right. I’d say it’s delicious but overrated. But I’ve never had anything bad from them, and the food is always extremely consistent. Great service and clean locations, too.

Switching gears, my hot (cold?) take is that In-N-Out is not overrated. I think they make one of the best fast food burgers, at least in the classic sense. It’s all about the quality of their veggies.
 

Mitsurux

Member
Food is always at a consistently high level of quality
(With a lot of other fast food chains it can be hit or miss depending on the time of day etc.)

Stores are well staffed/organized
(Despite the lines being long, they still manage to get people through in a reasonable amount of time, staff are well trained and a least seem to care about what they are doing)

Inside of stores are clean
(Staff are always actively cleaning the interior, heck they have even taken my trash/tray to the trash can for me)

There are a few other fast food chains that also hit these three points, but the vast majority do not.
 

Dacvak

No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
Food is always at a consistently high level of quality
(With a lot of other fast food chains it can be hit or miss depending on the time of day etc.)

Stores are well staffed/organized
(Despite the lines being long, they still manage to get people through in a reasonable amount of time, staff are well trained and a least seem to care about what they are doing)

Inside of stores are clean
(Staff are always actively cleaning the interior, heck they have even taken my trash/tray to the trash can for me)

There are a few other fast food chains that also hit these three points, but the vast majority do not.
Plus they always leave room for Jesus.
 

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
try their spicy chicken deluxe and make sure to get the chik fil-a sauce on the side. all their sandwiches inexplicably lack any mayo or sauce, but the spicy chicken deluxe with the pepper jack cheese is by far the best one.

Okay, I'll give it a shot if the opportunity arises.
 

Dacvak

No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
This thread came at the worst time. I just started my new diet today, but now I’m hungry for fast food. 😭
 

West Texas CEO

GAF's Nicest Lunch Thief
Are you serious??

giphy.gif
 

Rran

Member
It's got good 1) cleanliness, 2) consistency, and 3) customer service.

When Popeyes is at its best, it's fantastic. The best fried chicken you can get. The problem is, it fails in all the above categories. I might get a little slice of heaven on a bun, or I might get some old mild patty (because they were out of spicy), delivered in a whopping 25 minutes by an employee who looks and acts like they just crawled out of death row. And this applies to a lot of the joints, assuming you can even interact with a person and not one of those kiosks. The last time I ordered a Burger King chicken sandwich, it was sopping wet. Like, the outside of the thing.

When I go to Chick-Fil-A, I know what I'm going to get. I know it'll be clean, tasty enough (not amazing, but pretty good considering), and delivered by friendly people, and I know my kids can run around in the playground before and after the meal to boot. I wouldn't obsess over it, but it's just nice as a customer to not have to worry if your meal is going to vary wildly in quality, and the nice employees are a bonus.

To be fair, Cane's is pretty consistent as well, but I find their menu more limiting and pricey and they don't have the playground factor.
 
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ssringo

Gold Member
I eat there fairly often (mostly breakfast) and would agree that it's not good enough to warrant the crazy lines. At least when driving past and looking on as a non customer. But at the same time the line usually moves much faster than you'd think. I've sat in a packed line (because I already put my order in and wasn't in a hurry) and was still out in roughly the same time a McDonald's can serve a line that's half that size (or less). And the food is good enough to be at or near the top of the fast food choices (admittedly not a high bar). So it kinda makes sense even if it doesn't seem like it should.

Obviously these things vary based on location and who's running/working the place. Both Chik-Fil-A's in my area are better than all other fast food places aside from Culver's (which I think is the best overall).
 

AJUMP23

Member
I am not a big fan of it. I think it is mediocre at best.

The Drive Thrus for them around here are always packed. And I have some friends that have made a killing owning franchises.
 

cormack12

Gold Member
I gotta say that no food on the move is worth waiting in lines longer than 5 minutes for. If I see like 5 cars in a drive thru, I drive past.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
I had some of those chicken minis in the airport at 4:30 this morning. Chicken nuggets on tiny yeast rolls brushed with honey butter. It was very good.
 

NickFire

Member
a 20 person line at Chick-fila will take less of your time than a 2 person line at their competition.
My experiences say this is absolutely true. I have honestly wondered if the kids working at these are real or well programed robots. The speed by which the drive thru line moves is that good.
 

SoloCamo

Member
try their spicy chicken deluxe and make sure to get the chik fil-a sauce on the side. all their sandwiches inexplicably lack any mayo or sauce, but the spicy chicken deluxe with the pepper jack cheese is by far the best one.

Came here to post this. Also had no idea about chik fil a sauce existing (thought my coworkers were messing with me) but once I tried it I was hooked... That spicy deluxe with waffle fries & fil a sauce is the best combo out they offer by far.

As others posted as well, despite it always being busy the lines move very fast, they rarely mess up orders, it's clean, and they are always polite.
 
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SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
, delivered in a whopping 25 minutes by an employee who looks and acts like they just crawled out of death row
lol this made me spit out my drink because its so true. i can go to a rich suburb popeyes or an inner city hellhole and the employees will almost always be the worst.

But yes, in terms of consistency, popeyes employees consistently get my order wrong while the mcdonalds employees somehow fuck up mobile app orders. chick fila girls are mostly teenagers but my goodness they are more efficient than some of the people i work at my office. Thats probably the number 1 key to their success.
 

Aesius

Member
Good food. Good customer service. And quality of both is generally very consistent across locations.
 

Puscifer

Member
I mean, they make a pretty solid spicy chicken sandwich. Plus I love waffle fries.

As for Popeyes, it also is delicious, but I almost always get sick from eating there. Not sure if it’s the oil they use or what, but I feel like shit after eating Popeye’s. Chick Fil-A doesn’t do that to me.
Popeyes went downhill fast after that private firm merged them with Church's for whatever unholy reason.
 

natjjohn

Member
It’s fast food chicken so I’m there with you. It’s fine. Not going out of my way to get it. I’ve had it a few times. It being closed on Sunday is extremely weak also.
 

Paltheos

Member
Pretty much what everyone's already said. Good food. Good service. I can count the number of bad experiences I've had at a CFA on one hand.
 
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