Chick-Fil-A

It's really too bad we don't have any near us in chicagoland, the closest ones seem to be downstate over 50 miles away. I've never even had the chance to ever visit one but my friends always seem to rave about their breaded chicken sandwich as the best fast food chicken sandwich in the universe. Anyone agree or sing their praises?

http://www.chick-fil-a.com/

I remember getting samples of the chicken in the mall in Indianapolis as a teenager, and it was almost like crack because it was so addictive. Yet whenever I actually sat down for a sandwich I was always slightly disappointed (although the waffle fries were excellent). Perhaps the small serving of just moist chicken with a nice, flavorful crust was better taken in small amounts.

I was in Indianapolis last week, and couldn't help but stop at a relatively new Chick-Fil-A at the Keystone Mall area. I got the chicken fingers, thinking maybe that would showcase the chicken more without obscuring it with the bread. It was good, but did not match my memory by any means (although the waffle fries were still very nice). I also still have a slight personal guilt about going to a restaurant who's owner is so religious that it closes on Sunday - but that is my own issue.

i think you may have tried the nuggets, which are quite good

i think you may have tried the nuggets, which are quite good

Actually, I just looked at the online menu and remember that it was the chicken strips that we had, although I should have gone for the nuggets to enhance the crust to flesh ratio.

Chick-fil-a is expected to expand to the Chicago market by December 2008:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertain ... ory?page=1

That means no more schlepping (can one even use that word to describe getting to a place that plays Amy Grant music and is closed on Sundays?) to Racine for delicious chicken sandwiches, superlative nuggets, waffle fries, carrot and raisin salad, the divine Icedream, and--of course--sweet tea.

I spent some time living as a transplant in Birmingham, AL where the ubiquitous Eat Mor Chikin ad campaigns were inescapable.

I can verify the quality and piousness of their chicken, that Sunday of rest really pays off! Another interesting item they bring to the table is the chicken biscuit... a staple of the Southern fast-food breakfast, and a mouth watering way to express your local pride in the most chickenest region in this country!
Southern Fried Commodity

Well, that's good news that they're coming to Chicago! Having lived in Asheville NC for 3 years, those "eat mor chikin" billboards are hilarious. I'm not one for fast food establishments, save for a week moment.



I still have trouble finding sweet tea here...

There is a God!

Yes, my devotion to Chick-Fil-A is that fanatical.

wino66 wrote:I still have trouble finding sweet tea here...

Actually, the Sweetened Black Tea
from Starbuck's isn't too bad. They
just squirt in some of the unflavored
syrup to sweeten it, (so you don't
have to wait for sugar from packets
to dissolve ). Why can't more
places master this technological
break-through?

wino66 wrote:I still have trouble finding sweet tea here...

Feed always has sweet tea.

2803 W. Chicago
773-489-4600

FoodSnob77 wrote:...but my friends always seem to rave about their breaded chicken sandwich as the best fast food chicken sandwich in the universe. Anyone agree or sing their praises?
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/

It's been a while, but IMO, it's the lone pickle. Some unique alchemy occurs when a SINGLE pickle is paired with chicken flesh. I always thought it odd that there was merely one pickle slice, but I'm fairly certain that the entire gestalt would be ruined if more were added. I will tolerate no gainsaying on this point.

To paraphrase Connor McLeod: "In the end, there can be only ONE pickle."

wino66 wrote:I still have trouble finding sweet tea here...

This may be true in its brewed form, but Chicago has all the makings for the homemade stuff. Jewel carries Luzianne family size tea bags, and their tea is specially blended for iced tea and the best I've had (http://www.luzianne.com/100th_anniversary_home.cfm?). I've also seen blended for iced tea family size Lipton's tea bags at the Jewel as well. Regular Lipton's Yellow Label tea works okay, too... just add a pinch of baking soda to take away the bitterness.

jonathanlehman wrote:

wino66 wrote:I still have trouble finding sweet tea here...

This may be true in its brewed form

I usually can't stand any of the
bottled varieties (Lipton/Arizona/Snapple),
but I have found one good brand:
Sweet Leaf (both their regular
Sweet Tea and the Green Tea
With Honey and Mint).

I have been to the chick-fil-a in Mishewaka, South Bend, in the Mishewaka mall food court. I believe that is the closest one.

wino66 wrote:I still have trouble finding sweet tea here...

I'm not real sure why you would want to drink it, but CJs Eateryhas both sweetened and regular Iced Tea.

Chick-Fil-A to me was the always the greatest of the fast food restaurants. Interestingly, the owners, devout Christians, always close on Sundays.

I'm VERY, VERY excited to hear that Chick-Fil-A will open soon in the Chicago area! Especially since that's one of the things I've always hated about Chicago, food-wise(besides wino66's excellent mention of southern-style sweet tea, which is one of the very, very few Chicago food offenses I can think of, food-wise, due to the fact it's pretty much non-existant back here). The Arizona brand southern-style sweet tea that you occasionally find in non-southern convenience stores back here, and in places like Walgreens, obviously is very mediocre, compared to true southern sweet tea I've had on trips to see family relatives in the South. And thanks to whoever mentioned Feed, I will definately consider going there at some point to try their sweet tea out, if indeed it is real, southern-style sweet tea.

I guess that's what having southern parents will do for one's food desires, lmfao! And never mind that I was born in Chicago, and've lived here for virtually my whole life....

Finally, I also looked at that Chicago Tribune article, which I thought was interesting, especially the mention of other regional chains yet to establish Chicago locations, on the last 2 pages. I do know that of those 8 chains they mention, my parents told me a good number of years ago that Jack in the Box used to exist in Chicago, but closed up all their locations at some point either around when the food poisoning scandal occurred, or before that. That's all I know, especially since I've still yet to have gone to a JitB in my life, and only recall seeing one about 5-7 years ago, when I traveled to El Paso, TX on a workcamp trip with my childhood church.

FoodSnob77 wrote:It's really too bad we don't have any near us in chicagoland, the closest ones seem to be downstate over 50 miles away. I've never even had the chance to ever visit one but my friends always seem to rave about their breaded chicken sandwich as the best fast food chicken sandwich in the universe. Anyone agree or sing their praises?

http://www.chick-fil-a.com/

They also have a location in the Regency Mall, Racine, WI. While your in Racine, you could also pick up a Kringle.

^ Besides the Regency Mall location, they have free-standing locations in both the Lafayette and South Bend areas(and are the next closest locations to Chicago). Not to mention, there's an additional location in University Park Mall, just to the east of South Bend.

I've often passed by the location off of exit 172 in Lafayette, every time I go to the Culver's along that exit. Of course looking back at the last few times I've gotten off that I-65 exit to get a bite, I'm slightly regretful that I didn't go to Chick-Fil-A instead my last few times, as I was reminded of how great they were, when I ate at one on a recent vacation to Atlanta last month.

Great news! I had Chik-Fil-A in Albuquerque last year and have craved it ever since. A year away? I guess I can wait.

Wow. I grew up in Chick-fil-a country and remember back when they existed only in malls. Not bad fast food by any means, but for me, this groundswell fits squarely into the Pollo Campero/Sonic/Whataburger/Fat Tire/Coors (cira 1970s) "just 'cause we don't have it doesn't mean it's great" bucket.

PS, I do like the chicken biscuit with some honey for breakfast. Chicken for breakfast. Why not.

It would be amazing if Chik-fil-a opened in the Chicago market- then I wouldn't have to stock pile when I visit Indiana. They make simply stated the best chicken sandwich ever!! Will be interesting to see if they stick by their religious guns and stay closed on Sunday as well.

friendly foodie wrote:It would be amazing if Chik-fil-a opened in the Chicago market- then I wouldn't have to stock pile when I visit Indiana. They make simply stated the best chicken sandwich ever!! Will be interesting to see if they stick by their religious guns and stay closed on Sunday as well.

Could have sworn that I saw one open in the Midwest ... just can't remember the location.

jonathanlehman wrote:Chick-fil-a is expected to expand to the Chicago market by December 2008:

ugh, am i the only one who thinks that certain chains don't need to be nationwide in every city/state? it makes the world a much smaller place--too small. soon you won't have to travel. what fun is traveling to the bible belt if you can get chik-fil-a here? what fun is going to LA if you can get in-n-out here? (extend that argument to shopping at macy's in NY, H&M in stockholm, etc)... ugh ugh ugh ...make it stop!

JeffB wrote:Wow. I grew up in Chick-fil-a country and remember back when they existed only in malls. Not bad fast food by any means, but for me, this groundswell fits squarely into the Pollo Campero/Sonic/Whataburger/Fat Tire/Coors (cira 1970s) "just 'cause we don't have it doesn't mean it's great" bucket.

PS, I do like the chicken biscuit with some honey for breakfast. Chicken for breakfast. Why not.

...hitting the nail on the head

I remember Chik-fil-a nuggets(cushiony and oddly sweet...but, not bad by any means) back from when I used to get 'em at the Sharpstown Mall in Houston ca. 1979. Currently residing in a "city" "blessed" with these franchises, I'm oddly unmoved. And, the same way I'll order fish even it's provided by Moonies, I'll probably taste those chicken nuggets again before we move...it doesn't mean I'm not totally gacked-out by the intersection of "religion" and my food.

I remember going to Atlanta 20 years ago and getting C-F-A fix. They had very few here in SoCal (maybe 3), but the last 2 years they have started expanding big time. Not the healthiest food in the world, but their nuggets and waffle fries are a very tasty combination!

You can come close to duplicating it at home...about a 3:1 flour to powdered sugar ratio along with salt, pepper, paprika. I make the homemade nuggets about once a month and the kids just love 'em!

One of the things I miss from my days in Atlanta! Of course, for years I had only experienced the crappy one in the campus food court so I thought it sucked. then I finally ventured into a real one and it was a whole new experience. I had one about a block away from my apartment for the last 2 years I lived in ATL -- it never failed though that when I got a taste for it and ran over there it happened to be Sunday and they were closed! D'oh!

Since I left Atlanta in 2001, my Chick-Fil-A has been limited to breakfast biscuits in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport while connecting flights a couple times... of course, that was always my favorite item they had. Just drizzle a little honey inside...

I'm looking forward to trying one of these revered chicken sandwiches, if only to confirm that as expected, the product cannot live up the hype and mystique it has garnered simply by not having a presence here. Krispy Kreme is now just another donut. I suspect that after a couple of years C-F will be just another junk food joint. They won't get me to eat waffle fries though, screw that.

Cogito wrote:I'm looking forward to trying one of these revered chicken sandwiches, if only to confirm that as expected, the product cannot live up the hype and mystique it has garnered simply by not having a presence here. Krispy Kreme is now just another donut. I suspect that after a couple of years C-F will be just another junk food joint. They won't get me to eat waffle fries though, screw that.

Unlike KK, Chick-fil-a has done a really nice job of maintaining quality from location to location. They do what they do very well and very simply. #1 + 2 packages of mustard + 1 package of mayo + waffle fries and ranch dressing makes me a happy happy man.

Being a life-long yankee (and born to immigrant parents), I'm a little embarrassed to admit that a few years ago, when Chick-Fil-A tacked on their corporate sponsorship to the Peach Bowl, I wondered out loud to my boyfriend, "What the heck is a chick fill uh", and he couldn't stop laughing until he had to tell me that it was pronounced, "chick fillet". Nevertheless, I blushed for a while after that and he still ribs on me from time to time. Maybe it is a bit excusable beacause of that darned schwa vowel. Oh well. But now I can't believe I just admitted this to the erudite folks here at LTH...


Sharona