What's All the Fuss About? (Fast Food Related)

[Disneylover99]

Crowds really exploded here during the pandemic. It was busy before the pandemic, it's nuts now.

It was probably nuts here at the new locations for about 3 or 4 months from open to close. Now it just seems like business as usual. They’re still busy at certain times of the day, but it never seems crazy crowded.

The ones nearest me don’t have a drive through. The two I frequent most are located in the foodcourts of malls.

 

[Disneylover99]

They are big on customer service and I think that's what so many people also enjoy. Being treated well, having someone look you in the eye, and saying My Pleasure for anything you ask.

I agree. I have to say, even when busy, the staff at every location I have been to has been so accommodating and so genuinely polite and helpful, which I really appreciated.

 

[tvguy]

It was probably nuts here at the new locations for about 3 or 4 months from open to close. Now it just seems like business as usual. They’re still busy at certain times of the day, but it never seems crazy crowded.

The ones nearest me don’t have a drive through. The two I frequent most are located in the foodcourts of malls.

Wow, never seen a Chick Fil A without a Drive Thru. That is one of the keys to their success.

 

[disneychrista]

I have to agree with you @ronandannette. I don't get the hype. Is it good? Yes. It is Plaza Inn fried chicken good? No.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

Part of my issue, I guess, is that I'm really not a chicken sandwich person, or a nugget person for that matter. I'd rather have actual chicken from either KFC or Popeye's. I am happy to have finally checked it out though. The mystique was very intriguing.

I wouldn't exactly call those "actual" chicken either lol.
IDK like I said in my PP I've really gotten away from any thing that's fast food.
I can definitely tell my digestive system is off for a couple days after. Not necessarily that I feel sick after I eat it but I definitely get some weird noises and smells etc haha.

 

[E&Cmom]

We have a few Korean Fried Chicken places nearby. Since trying it I don’t like regular fast food fried chicken as much. I will get Popeyes on occasion as I work almost next door to one. We also get chicken at a small local place as they have a gluten free one and DH has a gluten sensitivity.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

What does it taste like and is it any different than the other weird, semi-sweet mayo based sauces they have? We got Honey Roasted BBQ and Chick-Fil-A sauce and they were both just really similar; the colour was even pretty much the same. Also, I would NOT like any kind of sweet sauce on fries.

The Polynesian is sweet, but not mayo based. Kind of tangy, I guess like a sweet and sour sauce. I don't dip any other fries in any kind of sweet sauce, but I like the CFA fries in the Polynesian sauce. Without dipping them in some kind of sauce I think they don't really have much flavor. Definitely not my first choice in fast food fries, but every once in awhile I'll get a craving for them.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I have to agree with the OP--I find Chick-Fil-A mediocre. I'd pick it over McDonald's. OTOH, my (adult) kids go nuts for it.

I DO love their chocolate-peppermint shakes, available this time of year. I will make a special trip, just for the shake.

 

[ronandannette]

It was probably nuts here at the new locations for about 3 or 4 months from open to close. Now it just seems like business as usual. They’re still busy at certain times of the day, but it never seems crazy crowded.

The ones nearest me don’t have a drive through. The two I frequent most are located in the foodcourts of malls.

Fun fact: The first foray of Chick-Fil-A into Canada was at the Calgary airport, about 10 years ago. It was on the departures level, so you needed to pass through security to access it, and it was closed Sundays (as, I understand, is their practise). It was a really weird place for it, IMO, and it didn't thrive. It opened and closed before we even got a chance to try it.

 

[Disneylover99]

Fun fact: The first foray of Chick-Fil-A into Canada was at the Calgary airport, about 10 years ago. It was on the departures level, so you needed to pass through security to access it, and it was closed Sundays (as, I understand, is their practise). It was a really weird place for it, IMO, and it didn't thrive. It opened and closed before we even got a chance to try it.

I remember hearing about the one opening at the Calgary airport, but I didn’t know it had closed.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I love their frosted lemonade (which is lemonade w/ soft serve, aka a lemon shake). I really like their waffle fries.

I would not go there for their chicken - it's fine, but nothing special. And it should be, if they tout it as their specialty.

 

[leebee]

The one time I went to CFA (meeting a friend for lunch and it's the only place her special needs son will eat), the thing I liked best was the unsweetened iced tea. Don't really remember the chicken at all. HOWEVER... chocolate peppermint shake? That's right up my alley!

 

[fla4fun]

I like their deluxe spicy chicken sandwich better than any other fast food chicken sandwich. I love their lemonade and shakes. The waffle fries are just waffle fries, decent but not earth shattering. Their chicken noodle soup is good. I have one about a mile from my house, but my budget doesn’t stretch to fast food at home. The only time I eat at one is if I am on vacation.

 

[Southernmiss]

I prefer their grilled chicken wraps with avocado ranch dressing.

I like the dressing so much that I bought it in the grocery store for home use.

It's also the one fast food restaurant where the quality and service are alike no matter which location you visit.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I've never actually eaten there and don't even plan to. But I think a lot of people hype them up for the exact reasons I have no desire to go there. I won't elaborate since this isn't the controversial board but I'm sure you can figure it out.

I've never eaten there before and I have 0 interest in trying it. People give me grief for saying that but I'm not stopping them from going. I'll go elsewhere for fast food chicken (I did recently try Raising Cane's for the first time as they opened a location near me and that food was awful. Chicken didn't have a single flake of seasoning and tasted rubber-y.)

I like the texas toast at Raising Cane's but yeah...their chicken was flavorless. According to my husband it's really only decent if you use the sauce but I'm not a fan.

 

[Skywalker3]

I remember when we got our first one in the 80s, at the local mall. Have loved it since, but I rarely get anything except the original chicken sandwich and waffles fries. Love the waffle fries. Kids like the nuggets. DH agrees with y’all, doesn’t care for it except the milkshakes. We rarely go though anymore, gotten too pricey. But I do get cravings fairly often.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I like the texas toast at Raising Cane's but yeah...their chicken was flavorless. According to my husband it's really only decent if you use the sauce but I'm not a fan.

If you need the sauce in order to have the chicken taste good, then the chicken is crap. At least in my view.

 

[amcnj]

My children loved Chik fil a. I liked some things I had there. One of my favorites was the seasonal peach milkshake. Another family member loves the chocolate/peppermint shake.

I rarely ever go these days, but when we did, the employees there then were head and shoulders above those at other fast food places, where being uncommunicative and even downright surly was not unusual. Since then other places seem to have stepped up their game a bit.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We get chick-fil-a often enough, I love their chick-fil-a sauce and I like their waffle fries. We don't have one closest to us to get breakfast much at all (used to live basically down the street from one location) but it's good there too.

I just stick with their classic chicken with pickles. All the locations we have are always super busy, doing remodelings in the drive thru to ease congestion and more.

I wish they had put one in a location nearby but it ended up being Wendy's (used to be a pizza shoppe location).

The one location further away their store manager is very nice and that particular location has e-mail promotions and communications all the time.

I would say as a brand of fast food they seem to employ on the good side, rarely have we had issues, they are prompt (as much as they can with the high crowds) and employees polite. It's very hit or miss on that with the other places.