# Explain the love for Chick-Fil-A? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654 "2019-07-26T04:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/41 "2019-07-26T15:52:22Z")
Probably the bigger question is why fried chicken (boneless or otherwise) is SO popular? Yet despite that, we have entire chains dedicated to variations on the theme - to list the outlets within a couple miles of my home, we have: KFC, Church’s, Williams (local chain), Cane’s, Popeye’s, Zaxby’s, Chick-Fil-A, Chicken Express, Golden Chick, Louisiana Fried Chicken, and a gaggle of local places by the low-income apartments that advertise fried chicken with fish and/or waffles. And on top of that, EVERY burger joint has chicken nuggets of some kind on the menu. I don’t get it- I mean, I don’t dislike it or anything, but nor is it something I often crave or even think sounds particularly appetizing. Yet we have an absurd surfeit of fried chicken fast food, and with the exception of the local fish & chicken/chicken & waffles joints, NONE seem to go out of business. I think Chick-fil-A just does that better than some of the others, that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/42 "2019-07-26T15:53:02Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > … Chick-Fil-A wait times are usually double or triple or more than other places- I don’t think the average fast food diner is willing to wait an extra long time _just_ to get a smiling face, please and thank you? Are you willing to wait in a long line just because you like a billboard or ad campaign? I don’t know about comparison of usual wait times between fast food places. I do know that in the time it takes McDonalds or Wendy’s to handle one transaction, Chik-Fil-A can do 3 to 5. Admittedly, Chick-Fil-A basically throws warm bodies at the problem. Wendy’s is content to have one order taker/drink-maker, one butt-busting worker doing all the food, and three or four other employees screwing around. Our Chik-Fil-A will have one or two order takers OUTSIDE walking up to cars taking orders, a person to conduct the financial transaction at the window, one or two expediters to assemble/bag the prepared food & drinks, separate employees monitoring several various food prep stations in back, two management staffers, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/43 "2019-07-26T15:57:30Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Probably the bigger question is why fried chicken (boneless or otherwise) is SO popular? People are overthinking this. Why is anything popular? Not every popular thing is self-evident to all people – there will always be segments that don’t like sushi, Indian cuisine, pizza (yes, it’s true), etc. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/44 "2019-07-26T16:13:57Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Probably the bigger question is why fried chicken (boneless or otherwise) is SO popular? > > Yet despite that, we have entire chains dedicated to variations on the theme - to list the outlets within a couple miles of my home, we have: KFC, Church’s, Williams (local chain), Cane’s, Popeye’s, Zaxby’s, Chick-Fil-A, Chicken Express, Golden Chick, Louisiana Fried Chicken, and a gaggle of local places by the low-income apartments that advertise fried chicken with fish and/or waffles. And on top of that, EVERY burger joint has chicken nuggets of some kind on the menu. > > I don’t get it- I mean, I don’t dislike it or anything, but nor is it something I often crave or even think sounds particularly appetizing. Yet we have an absurd surfeit of fried chicken fast food, and with the exception of the local fish & chicken/chicken & waffles joints, NONE seem to go out of business. > > I think Chick-fil-A just does that better than some of the others, that’s all. Because fried chicken, like ribs, is delicious. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/45 "2019-07-26T16:20:17Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Probably the bigger question is why fried chicken (boneless or otherwise) is SO popular? Because it both tastes good AND most people either consider it a pain in the ass to make themselves or they wouldn’t even know where to start. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/46 "2019-07-26T16:36:41Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > Religious aspects aside, is brand loyalty really a thing with fast food? I don’t know anyone who say, eats at only McDonalds, never Burger King or Wendy’s, unless they just don’t like the taste of the others? Totally a thing. I think it was at the beginning of “Super Size Me” where they were interviewing teens on the street and they were displaying strong brand loyalty. Here in Canada, Tim Horton’s has a stranglehold on the drive-thru coffee/bagel/doughnut/breakfast sandwich market for no damn reason I can see other than brand loyalty they’ve acquired. Well, they are everywhere too. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/47 "2019-07-26T17:20:26Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > But let’s talk about the Chik-Fil-A dining in itself. In my opinion, it’s better-than-average fast food and better-than-average service. The restaurants are always clean; the service is always fast, friendly, and high-effort. At least in my opinion, I think its chicken sandwich is better than any other fast food joint’s chicken sandwich. > [@Hermitian](#): > > . 1. Even if the line is long, the service is fast. They always seem to have enough employees to run the business even at peak hours. I have seen CFA drive-throughs with the line that literally wraps around the building twice and they make that thing hum with efficiency. > > 1. The employees are friendly. Always. Most other fast food employees look like they wish you would just go away. I’ve only eaten at one twice, but I very much liken Chik-Fil-A to the West Coast burger chain In-N-Out. Both have a better than average fast food product and both have fast, efficient, friendly customer service. In In-N-Out’s case they actually pay better than other fast food chains so they can skim the cream of the crop of young service workers. Have no idea if Chik-Fil-A does the same( they might just hire very carefully ). But I can say I find them definitely a cut above average. I have a good friend who worked in one as a teen and still pines for their chicken sandwich, which she can’t bring herself to eat anymore for the standard reason. So the success is no mystery. I don’t patronize the place( honestly, politics aside there are none near me )and have better non-fast food options locally for better fried chicken sandwiches. But I get it, because In-N-Out definitely works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/48 "2019-07-26T17:32:27Z")
The backlash against Chik-fil-A’s pro-traditional-marriage stance was also a mistake; it really got conservatives/evangelicals to circle the wagons and support the restaurant chain even more. I haven’t seen the numbers but I wouldn’t be surprised if the store reported significantly stronger sales ever since its opposition to gay marriage became a big public thing. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/49 "2019-07-26T17:58:55Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > am a little annoyed by the whole “anti-gay” thing. Yes the founder is religious and has religious views, but when that night club in Florida was shot up, they opened on a Sunday and brought free food to the site for everybody. > > Making a commercial with a rainbow and paying lip service is nice, I guess, but it’s just advertising, or virtue signaling. > > Chick Fil-A rose to the occasion, and behaved generously and decently and did it without fanfare and nothing they have said or done since seeks to capitalize on it. > > While I disagree with the Founder’s stance, I cannot help but admire what the company did. Was that done at the direction of the head office, or on the initiative of the local franchise holder? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/50 "2019-07-26T18:08:12Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The backlash against Chik-fil-A’s pro-traditional-marriage stance … This seems to be sugarcoating things just a bit. They are pro-traditional marriage in the sense of what? They don’t oppose it? Who does? I’ve never eaten there, and I won’t start now. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/51 "2019-07-26T18:34:08Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Was that done at the direction of the head office, or on the initiative of the local franchise holder? Difficult to say. A local decision supported by corporate seems like the best answer. These two article are the only ones I could find that touch on the issue. > **[Chick-Fil-A Opens On Sunday To Give Free Food To Orlando Shooting Blood Donors](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chick-fil-a-opens-on-sunday-to-give-free-food-to-orlando-shooting-blood-donors_n_576016fbe4b053d433064c87/amp)** > > The controversial company gave food to law enforcement working at the scene as well. > **[Chick-fil-A opens Sunday to help Orlando victims, despite anti-gay-rights record](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article83641932.html)** > > Chick-fil-A has had a policy of not opening on Sundays since 1946, but some Orlando locations opened last Sunday ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/52 "2019-07-26T18:41:19Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Because fried chicken, like ribs, is delicious. Well yeah, but I guess where I’m a bit confused is why it’s SO popular? I mean, if I’m going to lunch, and I see both drive through lines backed up past the microphone at Chick-Fil-A, I’m going somewhere else. No fast food is worth that level of dedication. But people will drive up and sit in a line 15 cars deep for Chick-Fil-A, which I don’t get. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/53 "2019-07-26T18:43:13Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Well yeah, but I guess where I’m a bit confused is why it’s SO popular? I mean, if I’m going to lunch, and I see both drive through lines backed up past the microphone at Chick-Fil-A, I’m going somewhere else. No fast food is worth that level of dedication. But people will drive up and sit in a line 15 cars deep for Chick-Fil-A, which I don’t get. Probably just the politics. Although, maybe some people do like their food that much, for whatever baffling reason. Just like how we’ve heard of [people driving hundreds of miles to get McDonald’s McRibs](https://big979.iheart.com/featured/shawn-patrick/content/2018-11-05-people-in-colorado-drove-150-miles-to-get-100-mcribs-from-mcdonalds/). ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/54 "2019-07-26T18:48:15Z")
> [@bump](#): > > But people will drive up and sit in a line 15 cars deep for Chick-Fil-A, which I don’t get. I hate standing/sitting in queues, but I have gotten into 15 car lines for In-N-Out. Why? A.) I’m looking to satisfy a [particular craving](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4J1seTHAMU), but equally B.) those lines usually move very fast. They’ve quite the little efficient assembly line chugging away and you usually don’t end waiting very long for your( freshly cooked )food. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/55 "2019-07-26T20:09:49Z")
> [@Dongyang2016](#): > > I honestly think that it isn’t the food that people like about Chick-fil-A so much as the “culture” of the company. While I have seen people of all races work and eat in their locations, I think that mainly white, conservative, suburban and especially Christian people go there. Chick-fil-A seems akin to their “values” and it seems a place that they feel the need to support as part of their beliefs and even their patriotism (and Chick-fil-A drums up that patriotism, “our troops” thing). I certainly can’t tell you what to think, but perhaps there is a combination of confirmation bias as well as the fact many/most Chick-fil-A locations are built in the suburbs where the white people are in more abundance? From your observation, what exactly does a Christian look like? Obviously there is enough distinction that you can pick them our of a drive through line. Just wondering… ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/56 "2019-07-26T20:17:53Z")
I’m not a fan of their bland sandwiches, but the waffle fries are quite tasty. At the suburban Maryland locations I visit, the customers seem to be mostly people of color, reflecting the demographics of the area. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/57 "2019-07-26T20:22:59Z")
Around here, one’s likelihood of partaking in Chik-Fil-A and one’s ethnicity don’t appear to be related. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/58 "2019-07-26T20:58:48Z")
Is, “Have a blessed day”, still the thing they say when they hand you your meal? Because that made me throw up in my mouth a little bit before I actually had my first and only meal there. Which was otherwise nothing worth noting. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/59 "2019-07-26T20:59:53Z")
As everyone has said: 1. Very above average fast food 2. Excellent customer service and very friendly employees–at McDonalds or Burger King you get the impression that it pisses them off just for you being there 3. Clean restaurants but nobody has said: 1. fresh made lemonade. And yes, their stand for traditional marriage has put them in a good place with a lot of people as well as their Sunday closings. Tell them to fuck off for that if you want, but most people haven’t. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/60 "2019-07-26T21:03:48Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > And yes, their stand for traditional marriage Sigh. Again, they’re not standing FOR anything, they’re just bigotedly AGAINST everything else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654.md?page=4)