# A local Chick-Fil-A is offering fresh ground pepper now...wait, what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 14, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771 "2012-04-14T18:54:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/1 "2012-04-14T18:54:39Z")
For a while now, some of the local Chick-Fil-A establishments have been having employees make rounds through the dining area, asking patrons if the meal is to their satisfaction, if they need refills, sauces, etc. This is all well and good. Lately, however, an employee of a particular Chick-Fil-A has been carrying around a very large, wooden peppermill, and asking patrons if they would like fresh ground pepper with their meal. As only a few items on the Chick-Fil-A menu seem like they would be greatly enhanced by fresh pepper (salads, soups, etc.), and that none of these items are by any means “signature” dishes of theirs, this seems perplexing to me. It’s as though they’re trying to create a “fancy” restaurant feel with a place that serves fast food (perfectly serviceable as that fast food may be). As I haven’t been to any other Chick-Fil-A locations since I noticed the peppermill, I can’t judge whether or not this is a common thread, or just one location’s innovation. Has anyone else observed the peppermill phenomenon at their local Chick-Fil-A? ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/2 "2012-04-14T20:01:06Z")
That is just weird! I do not like Chik-Fil-A’s signature sandwich. It’s just nasty. However, I love the chicken nuggets. I don’t see how fresh ground pepper would enhance the flavor. Then again it couldn’t make the sandwich any worse, I guess. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/3 "2012-04-14T20:12:28Z")
The last time I had a sandwich there, the chicken patty had plenty of black pepper on it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/4 "2012-04-14T20:15:44Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > The last time I had a sandwich there, the chicken patty had plenty of black pepper on it. And we all know what that means. ---
**Author:** ![F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/5 "2012-04-14T21:35:31Z")
There you go, **hats** , peppering us with a mill-ion questions! Keeping up with all your posts is such a grind. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/6 "2012-04-14T23:37:35Z")
Well, I hope this will be done everywhere. In my mind everything benefits from some fresh ground peppercorns. I’d just tell them to hit everything on the table with some. Glad I got that in before all of the Corny Puns take over. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/7 "2012-04-14T23:52:40Z")
This is not about pepper but it is about Chic-Fil-A. According to an article on [CNN.com](http://CNN.com) a few months ago, they use some of their profits to promote anti-gay legislation. I sure don’t want to support that. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/8 "2012-04-15T00:06:54Z")
Yeah, we know… there is a whole other thread to discuss that. Let’s keep it to if fresh ground pepper makes sense at a fast food place or not. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/9 "2012-04-15T00:54:16Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > That is just weird! I do not like Chik-Fil-A’s signature sandwich. It’s just nasty. However, I love the chicken nuggets. I don’t see how fresh ground pepper would enhance the flavor. Then again it couldn’t make the sandwich any worse, I guess. 😉 I’m pretty sure the nuggets have the same breading and is cooked the same way as the sandwich chicken. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/10 "2012-04-15T01:29:50Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Well, I hope this will be done everywhere. In my mind everything benefits from some fresh ground peppercorns. I’d just tell them to hit everything on the table with some. > > Glad I got that in before all of the Corny Puns take over. Yeah, last time I was there, my friend and I asked for pepper on everything. The guy seemed a bit surprised, but happily obliged. It did improve the nuggets a bit. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/11 "2012-04-15T02:26:20Z")
This just happened to me today. I went to a Chick-Fil-A for the first time in about a year and a half at a local dying mall, and an employee with a big pepper mill came by and offered to put some fresh ground pepper on our french fries. It was pretty tasty. I didn’t realize this had become a new thing; I just figured this particular branch was doing everything they could to keep the mall alive. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/12 "2012-04-15T02:50:05Z")
> [@audiobottle](#): > > This just happened to me today. I went to a Chick-Fil-A for the first time in about a year and a half at a local dying mall, and an employee with a big pepper mill came by and offered to put some fresh ground pepper on our french fries. It was pretty tasty. I didn’t realize this had become a new thing; I just figured this particular branch was doing everything they could to keep the mall alive. The Chick-Fil-A I was at is also in a dying mall. We joke that the mall is a chicken-based economy. It wouldn’t happen to be Landmark Mall in Alexandria, VA, would it? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/13 "2012-04-15T06:18:11Z")
Judging from my years in fast food, this sounds like one of the fad ideas that companies roll out every few years in order to try to “improve customer satisfaction”, only for it to go over like a dead fish and gradually get phased out when it turns out that most patrons don’t care if there’s a TV in the corner with weather and traffic updates, or if the clerk asks you “How was the quality of your service today?” in those exact words, or if someone stands in the parking lot and hands you a paper menu when you park, or if the milkshakes now come with a paper umbrella sticking out the top. ---
**Author:** ![reddog\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@reddog\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reddog_1)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/14 "2012-04-15T06:39:36Z")
> [@oft\_wears\_hats](#): > > The Chick-Fil-A I was at is also in a dying mall. We joke that the mall is a chicken-based economy. It wouldn’t happen to be Landmark Mall in Alexandria, VA, would it? I can also add that the Chick-Fil-A in dying mall thing is happening where I live as well. As for the pepper, I haven’t sat in at Chick-Fil-A in a while so I wouldn’t know if it’s happening here. Maybe sometime this week I’ll get a chicken craving. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/15 "2012-04-15T13:18:24Z")
Why’s it gotta be BLACK pepper? This doesn’t sound all THAT strange to me, actually. I don’t see it as much different than Fazoli’s practice of sending someone around the dining room with a basket of breadsticks. I like CFA. They’re a little pricey so I don’t go very often, but their chicken kicks ass and they appear to treat their employees well. Business wise they do in 6 days what it takes everyone else 7 days to do. I respect that they refuse to open on Sundays although there are days it’d be nice to hit their drive-thru after church 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/16 "2012-04-16T09:28:47Z")
So let me get this straight. Cick-fil-a can’t be bothered to put mayo or mustard or any kind of sauce on your sandwich for you. But they are more than happy to send one of there pawns running around asking if you would like FGP? Um… OK. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/17 "2012-04-16T13:30:40Z")
Oddly enough the only Chick-fil-A i’ve ever been to in a mall was in a dying mall. Or just very early in the morning where it was the only place open. I was too tired to remember 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/18 "2012-04-16T13:31:55Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Cick-fil-a can’t be bothered to put mayo or mustard or any kind of sauce on your sandwich I don’t have to be bothered to ask them to not put any sauce on my sandwich, so it’s a win for me. Now if they could do something about the prices and the Sunday thing they’d be golden. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/19 "2012-04-16T14:29:16Z")
It’s to cover up the insect droppings that patrons otherwise might notice. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-local-chick-fil-a-is-offering-fresh-ground-pepper-now-wait-what/618771/20 "2012-04-16T16:47:45Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Why’s it gotta be BLACK pepper? [why does pepper got to be black not gonna lie kinda ruined the Chik-Fil-A](http://blog.ohinternet.com/11601/racism-takes-a-funny-turn-on-twitter-and-also-hunger-games/)