Photo from DepositphotosOriginally Posted On: Another Way to Chick-fil-A | Katy Christian Magazine
fil-a-your-stomach, fil-a-your-soul
You probably have not met a chicken fanatic before, and if you have, I’m sure you haven’t met one like myself. If there is a restaurant that serves any form of chicken, chances are that I’ve tried it. Although a lot of different restaurants have a wide variety of chicken dishes, I constantly find myself back at the Holy Grail of chicken restaurants – the Home of the Original Chicken Sandwich, Chick-fil-A. Naturally, since I spend so much time within the confines of this fine establishment, I have a few tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your future experiences at Chick-fil-A.
Free Food
No sane person would turn down free food. So why are you? It is as simple as scanning your app when you check-out! If you are not actively using the Chick-fil-A One app, I highly recommend downloading it and scanning your rewards code every time you make a purchase. Each purchase earns you ten to twelve points per dollar you spend, depending on your membership status. More points equal a higher status, therefore increasing the number of points you earn.
I, like most people, was very skeptical of the whole rewards app frenzy that began to plague our society a few years ago, but I have never had an experience quite like this one. Since I downloaded the app and joined the Chick-fil-A One community back in 2017, I’ve earned a total of 22,690 points. The points you earn are redeemable for free food and are extremely easy to use through the app or even gift to a friend. You can get a chicken sandwich for 500 points, so simply by eating there, which I was going to do anyway, I earned 45 free chicken sandwiches in just two years. To make it simple, as a base level member when you spend fifty dollars, you get a free chicken sandwich, although you can choose between many different menu options costing various amounts of points.
Insider Tip: Free Monday Treats and Free Breakfast Wednesdays
Be sure and follow your local Chick-fil-A on social media! Many restaurants nationwide participate in Mobile Monday, where when you order using the mobile app, you get a free treat. Another common promotion is free breakfast Wednesdays, which typically takes place around the beginning of the school year and lasts for about a month.
Skip the Line
I am obviously a die-hard Chick-fil-A One member, and it’s not just because of the free food! In addition to the rewards you are able to earn, you’re also able to skip the line! There is a total of four ways you can order at Chick-fil-a without even having to stand in line.
Curbside
When ordering through the app you have the option to choose curbside. This one is my personal favorite, especially when it comes to lunch at work. Leaving work for lunch used to be daunting, because first I would have to decide where to go, fight traffic to get there, and then wait in a long drive through line to order food. Gone are those days! Now you can place your order before you even leave work. When you arrive at Chick-fil-A, there is a separate parking section for mobile curbside orders. Park in one of the designated spots, click “I’m here” in the app, and in a few short minutes, a member of the Chick-fil-A team will bring your order out to you and you will be on your way.
Drive Through
I know this doesn’t sound like you’re skipping the line, but trust me, it makes the process go much smoother. Place your order through the app, and select the drive through option. When you arrive, enter the drive through and tell one of the employees you have a mobile order and give them your name. Simple as that, you’ll proceed through the line and receive your order very quickly.
Carry-Out
This is a pretty great option as well, if you enjoy going inside and socializing with people. Honestly, if you are in a hurry, I believe that Curbside is the quickest option. But maybe you are on a road trip and have to stop for a potty break. This could be a great option because you can order ahead and pick up the order while the whole crew stretches their legs for a minute and uses the restroom.
Dine-In
Ever gone to Chick-fil-A during the lunch rush with your whole family? We all know how the story goes. You walk in the front door, your kids want to go play on the playground, there are about ten families in front of you in line, and only one empty table in sight. With the app, you can go ahead and take a seat at any table and order from your phone. The tables have stickers on them with a number. When you check-out, be sure and include your table number in the notes section, and an employee will bring your entire order to your table without you having to stand up.
Philanthropy
Chick-fil-A is constantly in the news for helping people during hard times. Whether it’s delivering food to people stranded on the road during a snowstorm or giving a warm meal to someone who can’t pay, their organizations focus on simple, people-centered values. If you’ve been to one of the newer Chick-fil-A restaurants you may have noticed a larger table in the center of the dining room. Chick-fil-A works with an organization called A Better Way Ministries, which houses men with the goal of transforming their lives and helping them overcome addiction. Another aspect of the program is that these men work and study together as well. The ministry is fully operated by the residents of the program, and a number of them run a table making shop, which Chick-fil-A has begun incorporating into all of their new locations. You can read Chick-fil-A’s full article about these tables here: https://thechickenwire.chick-fil-a.com/inside-chick-fil-a/meaning-behind-everything-chick-fil-a-tables-tell-a-story
Photo from Chick-fil-A.com
I know it sounds crazy, but the next time you’re at Chick-fil-A and you see this table I’m talking about, crawl under it. On the underside of the table, you’ll find a letter from the man that built the table and learn a little bit about his story. You’ll also be able to begin to see how Chick-fil-A truly puts their heart and soul behind everything they do one hundred percent.
Small Business
One major problem we face as a society today is the fact that big business has slowly started to seep into our small towns. While Chick-fil-A as a whole is a large organization, each Chick-fil-A restaurant is run by a franchise owner, or “operator,” who runs the restaurant day in and day out. It is highly likely that you’ll see the owner of your local Chick-fil-A at community events, grocery shopping, and they may even live right next door to you! In addition to being locally owned, restaurant owners frequently give scholarships to hard working employees who are graduating high school, donate food to charitable organizations, and provide discounts for schools in the communities for fundraisers. It is safe to say that spending money at Chick-fil-A will benefit your community in more ways than one.
A Healthier Choice
Whether or not you’re as much of a chicken person as I am, there’s no denying that it’s one of the healthiest proteins you can consume. Granted, this statement isn’t true when its deep fried and served with waffle fries, but at least it eases the guilt of indulging in a delicious number one with a Dr. Pepper. Despite the fact that a fried chicken sandwich may not be the healthiest option, Chick-fil-A does offer quite a few dietary options sure to suit any need. If you or one of your kiddos is gluten-free, you can let the cashier know. They will they prepare your food separately and also serve a gluten free bun, which is pre-packaged to prevent cross contamination.
Sourcing Local
Each Chick-fil-A is responsible for sourcing fruits and veggies from local farmers, and most locations receive deliveries daily to ensure the freshest product possible. Salads are made fresh every two hours or so, chicken is delivered fresh and marinated, battered, and fried not too far from where you order it, and the cookies and biscuits have a reserved oven that is only used for that purpose.
Even fresher
We’ve all gotten a batch of fries that were just seconds from being thrown away. Some of us have to drive a few minutes to the nearest Chick-fil-A and prefer a sandwich fresh out of the fryer so it does not get soggy in the classic sandwich pouch. How do you make sure your order is as fresh as possible? Chances are that it already is, because of Chick-fil-A’s high standards. But if you’re complicated like me, there is a simple trick to it. Customize your order. Want fresh fries? Order them with no salt and then ask for salt packets on the side and salt them yourself. They’ll have to fry a fresh batch of fries for you with no salt on them. Bam. Prefer your salad to be made exactly when you order it? Ask for no bleu cheese. They will put together a fresh salad for you immediately and you won’t have to consume rotten, moldy milk that smells like feet.
All kidding aside, Chick-fil-A has some crazy high standards. This is not an ad for Chick-fil-A, but rather a testament to the effort that they’ve put into crafting such a well-organized establishment. They have truly revolutionized the industry and made the guest experience infinitely better. It is exceedingly difficult to have a bad experience at Chick-fil-A, however, I hope that these tips and tricks will help you to have the best experience possible.
