Chick-fil-A Menu Prices

When it comes to fast food, the top two options are burgers and fries or fried chicken meals. Those who want something more laid back and easier to consume while on the go will opt for the former but those who want something that might feel a bit more substantial will opt for the second one.

And for fried chicken, one go-to place would be Chick-fil-A. As a Southern staple, this chain is widely known for its excellent fried chicken and its fried chicken sandwiches, so it would make sense that it’s a top choice for quick meals wherever it’s available.

Want to get to know more about this fast food chain? Read on.

Chick-fil-A is an American fast food chain that is considered as one of the largest in the country. It’s the largest in the fried chicken sandwich segment and is practically the first to introduce the concept in the fast food arena.

As its name would suggest, its key offering is chicken filet sandwiches. They do claim that they invented this popular dish as per their slogan "We Didn't Invent the Chicken, Just the Chicken Sandwich," but there’s a lot of resistance in that topic. However, many will agree that their particular recipe which includes pickle slices can be considered unique to them when they first opened.

The play on words also emphasizes the quality of their ingredients, as the A is meant to stand for “grade A top quality chicken”. They also use real potatoes for their famous waffle fries and in 2008, they became the first fast food chain to completely stop using ingredients with trans-fat.

In recent years, it was deemed to be the most profitable fast food chain in the US on a per location basis - surpassing big names like Burger King, KFC, Subway, and Wendy’s. A surprising feat given that it’s stores are closed on Sundays. It’s also deemed to be the most popular chain among teens.

Quick History

To get to know this chain better, it’s important to look at its history. Chick-Fil-A traces its roots back to 1946 when Dwarf Grill was founded by Samuel Truett Cathy. It’s a full-service diner located in Hapeville, Georgia, just across the street of the former Ford Motor Company Atlanta Assembly Plant.

In this restaurant, Cathy tried out and experimented on new menu items, including his famous chicken sandwich. In 1961, when he found a pressure cooker that’s capable of cooking chicken breasts as quick as hamburger patties, he experimented on a new recipe.

Just a few years later, in 1967, they were able to open the first Chick-Fil-A store in the food court of the Greenbriar Mall in the Greenbriar neighborhood of Atlanta. They continued to open food court locations for the next two decades and opened their first free-standing location in 1986 on the North Druid Hills Road. From then on, they focused on opening free-standing locations instead of placing stores inside malls.

Today, Chick-Fil-A has 2,605 stores throughout the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. They also used to operate stores in the UK but operations were halted in 2019.

What Sets Chick-Fil-A Apart

Fast food chains may all seem the same but certain practices can set them apart from the competition. Here are the things that make Chick-Fil-A quite unique.

Original recipes

Most restaurants have their own original recipes so what they serve up can’t be found elsewhere. However, at Chick-Fil-A, they tend to come up with new ideas and stick with the recipes they have. This means that they are capable of combining originality with a good dose of consistency, two things fast food fans love.

For starters, their chicken sandwich recipe is something unique to them, so much so that they claim to have invented the whole chicken sandwich item. This is still up for debate as a lot of African-American food experts are disputing the claim with quite a good deal of evidence to back them up.

However, as mentioned above, the particular recipe of Chick-Fil-A which includes slices of pickles and a proprietary sauce is believed to be unique to them. This is where most experts concede and can agree that they were able to invent a chicken sandwich recipe of their own.

Chick-Fil-A is also known to stick to their guns, so to speak. Their best selling waffle fries is cooked the same way it was made and cooked when it was first offered in the 1980s. So those who have always frequented and enjoyed Chick-Fil-A will also get to enjoy the same taste and flavors they’ve always been familiar with.

Strong Christian values

Among the top things Chick-Fil-A has been known for is their strong Christian values. The founder, S. Truett Cathy, was a devout Southern Baptist. His religious beliefs were applied to his operation of the brand. One of their most notable commitments is the Sunday Sabbatarianism so stores are closed on Sundays.

This is certainly a new thing for fast food chains. Nearly all of the brands it’s competing with barely close their stores, many need a catastrophe to shut down for the day.

After the major backlash it received in 2012 over its donations to anti-LGBT organizations, however, the brand loosened up a little when it comes to religious topics.

Small menu, big service

Instead of trying to win people over with variety, Chick-Fil-A also took the small menu route and stepped things up with a stellar service. A growing number of fast food chains are taking this approach and it’s really proving to be effective.

By keeping its menu small, they get to focus on the quality of their offerings. The kitchens are not overwhelmed with the options that they have to make adjustments for in their assembly line. This also results in improved service as they get to be more efficient.

The way they focused on their main menu item is very notable. People go to Chick-Fil-A for their chicken sandwich and the chain makes sure that people continue to love it. They didn’t work on any other menu item to appeal to a wider market but made people prefer their chicken sandwich over others’. This is why if folks want to have a chicken sandwich, they’ll go to Chick-Fil-A.

With their growing popularity, it also helps that the chain has an emphasis on hospitality. They take customer service to the next level so even if there may be longer wait times at their restaurants, customers don’t get too grumpy and irate. The staff makes sure to be friendly with their diners, so they feel like they’re being taken care of.

Closed on Sundays

As mentioned above, Chik-Fil-A’s are closed on Sundays because the founder adheres to the concept of Sunday Sabbatarianism. This is the concept of observing Sunday as a day of worship and rest which is in keeping with the ten commandments.

Normally, Sundays are the last days restaurants will choose to close their doors as most folks are not in school or work during this day and they may prefer to eat out. Not operating on this day can have a huge impact on a chain’s earnings so it’s rather unheard of. It’s actually estimated that Chick-Fil-A loses $1 billion in sales yearly because of this practice.

Despite this, however, Chick-Fil-A still manages to get amazing numbers as their scheduled weekly store closures benefits them in a unique way. For one, it’s great for the employees as they all get a day of rest. Franchisees, also known as operators, get to take a day off as well. Everyone gets some rest and can go back to work rejuvenated by Monday.

The scarcity also creates a call for action among customers. Many are pushed to get Chick-Fil-A whenever they feel the urge to because they’re closed on Sundays. They can’t just put it off because there are days when the store is unavailable. This tends to explain why Chick-Fil-A’s stores continue to grow in sales despite its limited operating hours.

Unique operators system

Another thing that makes this brand unique is the way it runs things. Chick-Fil-A is privately owned, so from this point alone, it’s already pretty different. The way they run their franchising system, however, is also quite unusual.

While most chains only provide training, rights, and supplies to franchisees, Chick-Fil-A maintains ownerships of their stores. This is why they have ‘operators’ instead. Those who are going to invest in a Chick-Fil-A store will not need a lot of money to do so but they also will not own a branch.

The brand will choose a location, purchase the real estate, build the store, and pay for all the equipment. In exchange, they require commitment and dedication to the operation of the store. They’re clear that a Chick-Fil-A franchise is not for those who want a passive income.

They also have a very stringent application process for operators. While the startup fee is very low for a franchise (just $10,000), they’re very discerning when it comes to accepting new operators. They only accept about 0.4% of applicants per year.

With this style of operating their business, Chick-Fil-A gets to maintain the quality of their service and products. They are able to stay true to their values which can be hard to do when the business is growing in size.

Why Did Chick-fil-A Raise Their Prices?

Like many other fast food chains, Chick-Fil-A prices are steadily rising over the years. While they’re still considered friendly since they are fast food, it’s noticeable that there are changes.

What are the reasons for the price increase? Here are some that have been determined in the recent months:

Surge in demand

One of the reasons brought up for the price increase is the surge in demand. More and more people are getting fast food as of late as the longer lines in their drive-thrus can attest to. This means that stores need to adjust for the increase in demand which can also translate to price adjustments.

This isn’t just about taking advantage of the demand, however. It has a lot to do with the supplies as well. Most suppliers have a fixed allocation for the stores they cater to and if there’s a significant increase, some suppliers may not be capable of meeting them.

In such cases, stores may need to turn to other suppliers just so they can meet the demands of their clientele. These additional suppliers may not have the same pricing as the original supplier, so Chick-Fil-A menu prices will definitely be affected.

Partnerships with third-party delivery apps

One of the most widely reported price surges in the recent months are connected to delivery apps. Most folks now use third-party food delivery services like UberEats, DoorDash, GrubHub, and PostMates because they’re very convenient. They can already give users many options on where to get takeouts instead of downloading their favorite restaurants’ delivery apps or using dedicated websites for the same task.

However, there are fees for restaurants to use such services. They charge per transaction and the rates are quite significant. So most restaurants pass the burden to their customers so they can continue to make money from the partnership.

Most users are not bothered with this tacked on cost. It makes sense, actually, and since the services are so convenient, customers are willing to spend the extra buck or two.

Wage hikes

It’s also believed that the increase in wages pushed fast food chains to hike up their products’ prices. Chains need to keep up with the wage increase in other segments of retail and service industries so they can keep their workers happy. This change, of course, trickles down to the consumer.

Chick-fil-A Menu Prices vs. Industry Prices

Chick-Fil-A menu prices are considerably higher than other fast food places, especially since they don’t have a lot of add-ons and extras on their menu. However, in terms of serving size, their sandwiches are comparably bigger than many of their competitors. In quality, they also tend to stand out.

However, due to its higher price point, some competitors are now aiming to offer better value instead. This is definitely the tactic of McDonald’s as they have just launched their southern-style fried chicken sandwich. For years, McDonald’s recognized the fact that they are unable to beat Chick-Fil-A in the chicken sandwich segment but now they’re giving it a try.

The folks who started a chicken sandwich war, Popeyes, are duking it out neck to neck with Chick-Fil-A. The price is slightly lower than the latter’s but the size of the sandwich is significantly bigger. This may have a lot to do with their choice of bun which doesn’t get flat easily.

But since it is a classic and most folks prefer Chick-Fil-A’s chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, and seasonal items anyway, they continue to be the choice of many diners. It proves that the quality and taste of their meals make the Chick-Fil-A menu prices worth it.

Best Items on Chick-Fil-A Menu

Every year, Chick-Fil-A releases their own roundup of their top items. Honestly, this shouldn’t be too complicated to do since they don’t have a lot of items in their menu. In any case, here are the top sellers in the recent years:

Waffle Fries

Most diners may come to Chick-Fil-A for their chicken sandwiches but it’s not necessarily their best seller. For several consecutive years, the top item at this chain is their Waffle Fries. Crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside, this proves to be the perfect companion for the chain’s entrees.

Chicken Nuggets

Beating out the chicken sandwich as the best selling entree on the menu are the chicken nuggets. The versatility and simplicity of this dish is top notch so it shouldn’t be too surprising that it has won many hearts and tummies. It will also let you enjoy the iconic Chick-Fil-A sauce so there really are lots of reasons to give it a go.

Original Chicken Sandwich

Surprisingly, the iconic chicken sandwich only comes third in the best selling list of Chick-fil-A. This may come as a surprise for some but for those who frequent the chain, it’s not always the case.

The other two items above are snacks that are easier to consume and enjoy at any time of the day while the sandwich is pretty much a meal in itself already so it’s not as versatile. It’s still an excellent menu item, however, and being the third in this list proves that it is the key item in this chain.

The seasonal items

Lots of loyal Chick-fil-A customers look forward to the comeback of their favorite seasonal items. This list often includes the Chicken Tortilla Soup, Lemon Kale Caesar Salad, Peppermint Chip Milkshake, and Smokehouse BBQ Bacon Sandwich.

With the small size of the chain’s menu, these additions offer a refreshing change every so often. They’re also quite exciting palate-wise, as well, so they’re very much a welcome change for diners.

Sauces

Chick-Fil-A is also known for the range of sauces they have. They’re very tasty that a lot of people tend to hoard them. Some even go as far as ordering a small item and asking for each and every sauce available.

This is why the shortage in sauce supply has made news recently. The company announced that they will be limiting the amount of sauces they’ll give out to customers.

Worst Items on Chick-Fil-A Menu

To be fair, people have varying preferences when it comes to taste, so the picks in this category are not necessarily definitive. In any case, here are the Chick-Fil-A menu items that some might want to skip:

The grilled stuff

Lots of health experts recommend the grilled stuff over the fried items on the Chick-Fil-A menu because they have less calories. However, they’re less satisfying, especially if you’ve already sampled what this chain can offer. They may be better for you but they’re not as amazing as the fried chicken nuggets and the chicken sandwiches.

Grilled nuggets, for one, may not seem as appetizing as the fried chicken nuggets. Some also find the Grilled Cool Wrap to be quite underwhelming.

Peach milkshake

This chain’s milkshake are quite popular but this particular seasonal item isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Some find it to be a bit too sweet and syrupy to their taste. It’s also packed with calories, so some health and nutrition experts recommend skipping them altogether.

Cheapest Items on Chick-fil-A Menu

Those who are very particular about their budget might want to get to know the Chick-fil-A menu prices thoroughly. Take note, however, that they can vary from one location to another so it’s always best to check with your local store to get the exact amounts.

In general, however, here are the cheapest Chick-fil-A menu prices:

Buttered Biscuit

Straight out of the breakfast menu, a serving of a simple, buttered biscuit can go as low as less than a dollar in some locations.

Hash Browns

Served tater tots style, Chick-fil-A’s hash browns are crispy, easy to enjoy, and satisfying. They’re also very affordable, a perfect addition to any breakfast meal.

Waffle Potato Fries

The best selling Waffle Potato Fries is also among the most affordable options at this chain so it’s easy to see why it’s a popular pick. Diners can cave in and get some extra carbs without hurting their budget.

Chick-Fil-A Hacks

Chick-Fil-A prices are not that high to begin with but it wouldn’t hurt a few hacks how you can get more bang for your buck. Here are some that you can try without a hitch:

Come dressed as a cow on Cow Appreciation Day

Every year, the chain designates a specific day as Cow Appreciation Day. To celebrate, they give folks who come dressed as cows a free breakfast, lunch, or dinner entree. So if you have a bovine costume lying around, put them to good use on this day.

This date tends to vary, so keep your eyes peeled for updates.

Go for the breakfast combo

Breakfasts at Chick-fil-A are filling, tasty, and cheap if you’ll get their Biscuit Combo meal. You’ll already get a breakfast biscuit, some hash browns, and drinks for a very friendly price.