Chick-Fil-A is notorious for being one of the friendliest fast-food establishments. If you say “thank you” you’re always going to get an enthusiastic “my pleasure” back from any of the workers.
Do the polite conversations and amazing customer service slow down Chick-Fil-A at all? Or is the food fast and the employees astonishingly nice all at the same time?
Chick-Fil-A is Slowest Drive-Thru
When it comes to fast-food, fast is exactly what people are looking for. With freakishly fast drive-thrus and food ready to be eaten in minutes, food chains are constantly fighting to up their speed.
Drive-thrus have gotten some extensive makeovers in recent years. More technology and advanced menu boards are meant to make ordering easier. At the same time, people want food that is quality but don’t want to have to wait for it.
According to a study from QSR Magazine, Chick-Fil-A can take the longest out of the popular fast-food chains, as of 2019. This is not necessarily due to poor strategies, but rather the lanes are constantly crowded with huge lines of people. Crazy long lines extend out of the chain’s restaurants. Nearby business have even lodged complaints about the wildly long lines.
Chick-Fil-A workers go car-to-car and take orders using an iPad. This speeds up the rate at which food can be made. However, there’s only so much that can be done with nonstop lines and consistent business.
“We are embracing technology to both provide a better experience for guests and to help take tasks off restaurant team members so they can devote more time to hospitality for our customers,” said Khalilah Cooper, director of service and hospitality for Chick-fil-A.
The average speed of service at Chick-Fil-A is 322.98 seconds. Luckily, being rated as one of the friendliest locations makes that wait more bearable. Good manners beat the slow times.
Chick-Fil-A Menu Reductions
While the friendly service makes a trip to Chick-Fil-A pleasant, the widely popular chicken sandwiches and waffle-cut fries don’t hurt either.
A part of the reason the fast-food chain is so popular is due to the fact it serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. According to Mashed, Chick-Fil-A has been serving breakfast since 1986. While the menu has changed here and there, from adding interesting coffee and spicy options, breakfast has always been a huge part of the company’s food.
According to Today, the company is making some major changes that will go into effect in the spring.
“Later this spring, we will remove two items from the national menu, the bagel and decaf hot coffee, as well as consolidate several of our size offerings,” a Chick-Fil-A statement said.
Luckily, caffeine addicts will not be affected. However, as the popularity of bagels and bagel shops continues to rise, taking the bagel off the menu could be upsetting to some people.
This effort to streamline the menu is something many fast-food chains have been forced to do since the pandemic. There is a high demand for fast-food and workers have been dealing with stressful conditions. The effort to remove some items will make taking and fulfilling orders easier. McDonald’s and Taco Bell also cut some popular menu items.
