I like Chick-Fil-A - I really do :-) And nutritionally their greasy food is not even that horrible... except for one big exception:

milkshakes....

Milkshakes by CFA are a true calorie/sat. fat bomb. I was actually surprised that a chicken sandwich + fries is (if I remember correctly) equivalent to one milkshake... almost.

But I tried once, and they ARE yummy

Edit: after the website:
std chicken sandwich has 410 kcal, total fat = 16 g
fries (medium): 370 kcal, total fat = 21 g

milkshake (cookies & cream): 790 kcal, 33g (and 100 g of carbs :P)

We only have 2 stores in the entire San Diego area but 1 is close to my house. I have to agree on the basic chicken sandwich, cheap and good, just slap some mayo on them, and the waffle fries are good if they are cooked well done.

I am surprised at all the fans of Chick FIl A food.

Now I wish I could get to Menlo park or Paramus Park or Woodbridge Malls to get my Chick Fil A fix!

They need more than one CHick FIl A in NYC though.

In respect for all the fellow FTers who seem to like it, have to try it again.

I enjoy it, but I do not go out of my way for it. Thus, I usually end up eating it at airports such as PHL and IND.

On the double double with cheese,
The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
Does this refer to the cardiac arrest some people may encounter after consuming too many?

We go on Tuesday nights once or twice a month for family night. The kid gets a free kid's meal and ice cream, and they do fun things for them (pictures with the cow, balloon animals, face painting, etc). If you don't have kids, stay away from Chick-Fil-A on Tuesday evenings, though. Trust me. :D

I love it, but I wish they would get rid of the MSG so my wife could enjoy. She can only have the grilled sandwich. (Migraines from MSG).

McDonald's has taken on Chick Fil A's keystone item with a nearly identical "Southern Style Chicken Sandwich".

They don't do it as well as CFA, but when you compare the size of the operations and Mickey D's marketing clout, this has got to make CFA'ers nervous.

Thanks! Forgot about McD's Chix Sandwich. Checked the web, and no MSG! Good for my wife!

McDonald's did make an attempt but their sandwich is nowhere near as good. Not even a comparison.

Love their salads! And the yummy waffle fries hold lots of ketchup!!

I know the owners are religious but I've never experienced any "pusy religious crap" when ordering food from them :confused:

Or probably the fact that OPEC has more to do with the price of a barrel of oil than does the Oil and Gas companies. People can be beyond dumb somtimes... :D

+1 I agree with your post 100%

They had a billboard up in Houston stating something to the effect of "Sold every day including Sunday"...obviously a slam on CFA's being closed on Sunday.

We actually had lunch there today...and it was friggin' awesome. (and we rarely go there).

I've gone through the drive-thru on Tuesday nights, and usually get a free kid's meal--Mr. Kipper will eat the leftovers for lunch. :)

Good to know, I usually go in on Sat ...

Standing up for one's beliefs and crossing the line of church and state is another, for instance if you want to close on Sunday, fine, but if indeed Eastbay1K's post is true about how "The parent company asks people who apply for an operator license to disclose marital status, number of dependents and involvement in “community, civic, social, church and/or professional organizations." It is none of their business. period.

To answer the OP's original question, I used to be a Chick Fil A fan but feel that their quality really has gone downhill so I don't find myself craving them the way I used to.

--

The fries are hit or miss. Not enough salt makes them a miss, and sadly they have been miss more often than hit lately.

Why isn't it their business? If Chick-Fil-A takes you on as an operator, this is "kinda-sorta" like being a franchisee - you take responsibility for an individual restaurant on a profit-sharing basis. Just as other companies would do when vetting potential franchisees, they are interested in knowing about your standing in the community (are you a known pillar of the town, or the local rogue?) and about the level of family support they can expect you to have (as with most restaurants, expect mom, dad, the kids, grandma, etc. to pitch in as needed).

Does anyone think Chick Fil A will move to open on Sundays when the company is passed down to children/sold/inherited? I like the idea of a day off for employees, but they've gotta be giving up so much market share. Especially the way they tend to locate themselves near malls and shopping plazas... which, of course, see peak traffic on Saturday and Sunday.

No, no, and no. I can't tell you how much of a core value leaving Sunday as a day of worship/rest/family is to this company. That not working on Sunday decision will be in place at least through the next two generations I am quite sure.

It's easy enough to solve this. I always get a packet of salt for my CFA fries.

About 5 years ago, I purchased about 40 "free CFA sandwich" coupons with no expiration date for something like $5 or $10 on eBay. My route between home and work took me right by a CFA, and I got lunch there more than two or three times per week. My weight normally doesn't fluctuate much, but I gained several pounds and decided to put an end to it since I was otherwise going to have to start buying new pants.

I now eat there on average maybe once or twice a month. Almost always the #1 combo with a Coke.

My wife can't eat eggs, so she doesn't eat their sandwiches that have egg in the milk wash. They have a good website that discloses all of their ingredients, but it would be nice if it more clearly disclosed the major food allergens directly on the ingredients pages in accordance with the Food Allergen Labeling and CP Act. (e.g. CONTAINS MILK, EGG, PEANUTS, WHEAT, SOYBEANS)

I've tried them a couple of times, and come away unimpressed. Is there some secret to ordering? I have ordered the chicken sandwich, and if I recall correctly it was bread and chicken. Can you get lettuce, tomatoes, mayo when they build it?

They revamped the menu earlier this year and added some "umph" to some of their mainstays.

Order the #1 Deluxe Combo. Same breaded chicken breast but with a wheat bun, lettuce, tomato and you can add cheese for .20 extra if you want.

Try that. It should impress you a bit more I hope.

Sorry if something like this has been posted before, but I found out the other day that our local Chick Fil A will honor competitor coupons, including BOGO. Not sure if it is a nationwide thing, but thought I'd mention it just in case :)

extending the positive influence of Chick fil a
 

IMHO, as I have posted, their food is good (exception the breakfast burrito in one location only, a local thing, I guess). But, may I add that in Northern VA, the Chick fil a restaurant is promoting Operation Christmas Child, a charity I am actively involved with. My daughter told me one can bring the shoebox with personal items and small toy items, receive a free sandwich!!! ^ The good thing about it is if you drop your shoebox off there, Chick fil a takes responsibility for the dropoff at the collection point and the shipping! :-:

(My daughter told me she didn't need a free sandwich. I told her to do a shoebox anyway!!!! :D)


www.sp.org has the listing of recommended items. I hope the generous FTers of NOVA turn out boxes in record numbers!!!!

Really!
 

Are you serious? That would be so cool here, too! :cool:

Keep in mind, also, that if your Chick fil a coupons expire from the Calendar in the same year, the Chick fil a will normally honor the expired coupon anyway. Sometimes when you buy that calendar the year before, it's put away and forgotten and found later in JULY or something!!!:( But, then, you find out it's honored anyway! :D

Speaking of that I went there a month or 2 ago, I guess it was when they had some get a free shake with purchase. The cashier asked if I had a coupon which I replied no and she handed me a free shake anyway. Good shake too. ^

Hey CFA fans!!!
 

I see in another forum, we have been reminded of the DISCOVER card promo for spending $200.00/receive $20.00 gift card thru Dec.

The only mall that participates in my area conveniently has a CFA inside. Last year, I asked them to honor the free calendar promo the free standing CFA restaurants were offering and bought CFA gift cards with my Discover. I combined my purchases with other mall purchases and picked up a Discover GC later.

So, CFA fans, you know you're gonna go anyway next year, so take advantage of this promo.

If you do this, remember to ask for the receipts for your CFA GCs and hop on down to the customer service booth and pick up your Discover $20.00 GC!!!

:D

Man...I just saw this post and I'm getting hungry and the nuggets with polynesian sauce sounds yummy. The only chick-fil-a near me is buried deep in the abyss of a mall, and the other one that is convenient i pass on sundays...when they're closed.

What free calendar promo? :)

asked and answered
 

CFAs in my area offered free calendars with gift card purchases last year. The mall restaurant did not but I asked them to match the others and they did. ^

I rarely eat at Chick Fil A (maybe three times in the past 4 years) but I absolutely agree!! The only reason I eat there is that Polynesian Sauce. My sandwich and fries get soaked with the stuff. :D

I had lunch at CFA yesterday. My usual: #5 - 8 piece nuggets, waffle fries, diet lemonade with 2 packets of Splenda & 2 honey mustards.

I am shocked that a thread on Chick Fil A merits EIGHT pages. My choice has to be Combo number ONE. I add teh pie on because I've stopped worrying about calories after 2001.

I'm sad that I may have to wait until my birthday on New year's Eve to get chick Fil A :(

Also, do buy the calendar not just for the coupons but the photos with the COWS are hysterical!

I love Chick-fil-A! Yummy waffle fries, friendly employees, and no disgusting Pepsi.

I think it's odd that so many people haven't had Chik-Fil-A... I've been eating there my entire life and their headquarters is just a few miles from where I am sitting right now.

I go for a #1 and add a little light mayo and pepper. Sometimes I get the side salad with fat free honey mustard and a small fries though. Yum!


As for the "deluxe" option that add lettuce and tomato to the sandwiches, they have had that for years and years. You can ask for regular mayo or light mayo. They also have a great sauce that comes with the grilled sandwich but you can ask for it otherwise... though it's a little high in fat for me to eat very often.

Sadly they closed their only Portland Oregon store years ago...