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My First Visit to Chick-fil-A: Read it and Weep

February 4, 2015   68 Comments

I have had many people tell me that Chick-fil-A is one of the healthiest fast food venues. There isn’t one in my town so I had never tried it.

Chick-fil-A Review

I was driving back at 1 PM from a television appearance and I realized I was hungry as I was passing – you guessed it – Chick-fil-A!

Hurray! I was short on time and I kept meaning to review it and share my findings. I went in, it smelled good, and I was excited to get a chicken sandwich so I ordered one and a coffee.

All set to taste this delicious grilled chicken that would curb my desire for a Big Mac forever!

This is what I received:

Ummmm, it is deep fried chicken and two pickles on white bread. Hey! I thought this was supposed to be healthy. Where is the lettuce, tomato, multi-grain roll and grilled chicken?

I looked up to see a photo of the chicken sandwich of my dreams hanging on the wall. What is this? The ol’ bait and switch?

I walked back up to the counter and inquired about the lettuce, tomato, multi-grain roll and grilled chicken only to be told that I hadn’t ordered it.

Ohhhhhhhhhh.

I ordered a “Classic” chicken sandwich instead of a “Grilled” chicken sandwich and the switch of that one word cost me 120 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 500 grams of sodium.

Oh dear.

I might have ordered the correct one if I had more time – but I ate it – and it was okay but not what I consider healthy.

The lesson here is to take your time and try to ensure that you get the healthiest option. It is harder than you think sometimes to be sure that you know what you are getting.

Read the menu! Don't be impatient like me.

Anyone else had ordering snafus? What do you order at fast food to stay on track?

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68 Comments:

I love Chick-fil-a, was a fan of both the original and the grilled before going gluten free and occasionally get a salad when my husband has to have his Chick-fil-a fix.

Ours has pictures on the menu showing most items with the calorie counts. Wish they would include what has gluten and what is lower in sodium. Just symbols wod be great :)

I avoid fast food for this very reason. Fast food means fast ordering and I struggle when I gaze at the large menu on the wall. The cashier is staring at you waiting on you and the guy behind you is in a hurry...too much stress!!! And the drive thru can be even worse!!!

I like the grilled chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-A, but I am not crazy about their multi-grain buns. So, I order the grilled chicken deluxe (with lettuce and tomato) on a regular bun. I still get the benefit of grilled over fried and I also enjoy the sandwich a whole lot more. :-)

As we all know, a large part of ordering healthy, whether at a fast food or sit-down restaurant, rests upon the consumer to read carefully and/or ask for what you want. Salad is not always the best option either. Planning ahead and checking nutritionals is so helpful. Check out dwlz.com for lots of restaurant nutritional information, including WW points.

I nearly gagged during my one and only visit to that horrible chicken joint. On top of that, they got my order wrong. Of course, I didn't discover their mistake until I was far from their location. The entire order actually smelled and tasted like it was cooked in rancid grease. Grease-Filled-A is a better name for it. Everything is overpriced, too.

I use to think Chik fi la was a good option. They have grilled chicken nuggets so I thought it's a perfect place to take my toddler for lunch. After eating the grilled chicken nuggets, fruit, milk and BBQ sauce he had an allergic reaction. He's not allergic to any of the items above so I knew it had to be something added to the chicken. I asked for the ingredient list in the chicken and BBQ sauce and I was shocked how many things were in the grilled chicken nuggets. It was too many to count. I have not been back and it really makes me question how healthy they really are.

Good morning-Check out foodbabe.com if you want to find out what you are really eating when you eat Chik-fil-A.

I never hesitate to stop at chic fil a when I need it and order my favorite grilled chicken sandwich.I ask for extra pickles and when I get it, I ditch the bun and wrap the chicken breast and pickles in the generous lettuce leaves with a small amount of the honey roasted bbq sauce they give you with the sandwich. The pickles satisfy my need for crunch and salt so I can avoid the ridiculously yummy fries:)

Chic is the only fast food place I'll go to. I love their salads with the dressing on the side. They are always fresh.

Employees extremely polite too. That in itself is worth going! haha

I like the grilled chicken sandwich at Chick-Fil-A. It comes with some sort of honey roasted bbq sauce packet. I'm sure it adds some calories, but it makes it taste very satisfying to me.

I love Chick-fil-A, but I would never consider it to be healthy fare, nor would I say that of just about all dining out experiences. I have ordered the grilled chicken, and I've also had the salads. The ones I've gone to all have nutrition info posted when you order (can't say for sure about gluten because I don't pay attention to that). Since we eat fast food once every couple of months, I figure if I eat their fat laden fried chicken that seldom, I might as well enjoy the best their is. The thing I love the most about them is their staff/servers. When you say thank you, they say "my pleasure" and really truly make you feel as though they mean it. I stand behind the company as a whole, their values, their beliefs, and mostly that what I believe to be "good business practices". Doesn't mean something couldn't surface I disagree with, but on a whole, I believe they are the real deal.

Love Chic-fil A and yes you have to order correctly. I like the cobb salad with an order of grilled nuggets. I put the nuggets on the salad with oil and vinegar. Perfect and filling.

The new grilled chicken nuggets are amazing! Great flavor and a 12 pack (they are tiny bite sized) is only 5 Points Plus on WW! So those nuggets, with a side salad and the fat free honey mustard dressing is a dinner of only 8 points total! Can't beat it for fast food. It's my go to when I'm on the run.

I do love Chick Fil A, and have to force myself to not get the sweet tea. but I usually get the grilled chicken strips and a side salad and put lemon on instead of dressing. Now when I was pregnant it was a different story. Fried chicken is fried chicken ( never going to be super healthy) but I do like that when I give my kids chicken nuggets, I am confident it is chicken breast not some other concoction that includes chicken meat ( you know where it is so processed it has air bubble holes in the "meat" product. I also LOVE the service there

Oh I forgot to add to my post that the grilled chicken is prob VERY high in sodium.

I don't ordinarily go through the drive thru. As part of a customer sales team, we often travel as a pack and make stops in drive thru fast food places.

Besides coffee or water, here's my go tos

McD - yogurt parfait, egg mcM, apple & walnut salad, apple slices, salad w/asian sesame dressing & grilled chicken, grilled chix snacker, no cheese

Wendy's - chili, naked baked potato (top w/chili), salad

Dunkin' - oatmeal, english muffin w/PB, egg white sandwich

However, I always have my own snacks in my tote for when all else fails! I hate burgers so some places have no options for me.

All fast food is of low quality, low cost, and thus high profit grade. The game is to make profit not health. My opinion and I'm sticking to it. So nothing FF chains do will induce me to partake in their wares. I'm certainly not perfect but I try to make wise decisions with my nutrition intake each meal, planning is no. 1. :)

I love the grilled chicken wrap! It has some veggies with the chicken, and the wrap is tasty (although I'm not sure about how healthy it is). It satisfies all my needs...crunchy, soft, yummy. And if I'm good, I can eat it for 2 meals!

Fast food is what it is-yeah it's not great for you. But I think Chick-Fil-A (and Chipotle) offer the best of their class. Can't compare it to a homemade meal just like you don't compare a BMW and a Chevy. I love Chick-Fil-A's grilled chicken and fruit salad, and for a person on a diet, it's one of the few places that I can have multiple options rather than the same "side salad with a plan little burger" when we need to grab something on the go. Also, agree with a previous poster that our Chick-Fil-A posts all calorie values on the menu so you can pretty easily add up what you're getting.

As a member of the LGBT community, I boycotted Chik-fil-A years ago. They donate heavily to anti-equality causes. I realize that a company can donate to whatever cause they want. But I do not have to support them doing so. When I get fast food (which is rare) I try to pick a company which supports social causes I am okay with. Or doesn't support any.

I guess I am slow to see the purpose of this article. I think anyone that orders a FRIED chicken sandwich is not surprised it has more calories than a grilled chicken sandwich. Shame on you for not ordering grilled instead of fried. The employees at my local Chick-fil-a are nice and efficient, but not mind readers. You could have dumped the fried sandwich and ordered the one you really wanted. By the way, I have never "mistakenly" ordered fried instead of grilled or baked. I enjoy Chick-Fil-A, but like most things, eating your own food at home is better and mostly cheaper than eating out. You control the seasoning, oil, etc. at your own home.

I love chick-fil-a, but look it up on food facts before calling it healthy. The bread (like everywhere fast food pretty much) has azodicarbonamide - remember subway's yoga mat scandal? The chicken grilled or not has msg. The fry oil isn't bad, but the fries are not just potatoes.

I still get it as an occasional treat and can't resist the lemonade but health food? Um....

I agree with Sharon on this one. This company actively champions anti-equality causes, so no matter how healthy or tasty the food is, I choose not the eat there.

We do not have a Chik-Fil-A were I live. My daughter lives in Maryland and used to go alot until she found out where some of their money goes.(Sharon's article) Still, I think the more healthy fast food choices we have the better. I am sadly lacking in vegetable intake. Wish there was a healthy alternative thats fast. My veggies always go bad quickly at home.

When I know that I might be having fast food, I go to their websites and check out the nutrition information. I also have listed in my phone a list of the different items that are "healthy" at different places.

I had no idea that Chick-Fil-A was donating money to anti-marriage equality causes. Thank you for the information and I will not promote their products in the future.

I have never been a fan of Chick-fil-A because I think their "breading" or "seasoning" is WAY too sweet for me.

I love Chick-Fil-A! I usually order the grilled chicken nuggets and a large fruit cup. In my opinion Chick-Fil-A has the best fruit cup available in fast food - always fresh with a nice variety of fruit (2 kinds of apples, strawberries, mandarin oranges, and blueberries). Their salads are also very fresh and good. If I want to eat fast food, this is about the only place where I can have a truly satisfying meal that stays low-calorie. Sorry you were disappointed by ordering something you didn't want. That doesn't make it a bad place.

In my experience, the food you get never looks like the picture. And I dont eat " fast food" anymore,ever.

But they are getting better at publishing contents and some are getting healthier. Fast food was never

meant for everyday. occationally its ok its fun. However due to our buzy lives it comes in handy way too often.

Judi

I agree with Sharon (above). I'd rather not get a greasy chicken sandwich with a side of judgment -- I'll spend my money with companies that are not actively hostile toward me.

I never tried the place but due to their strong anti views prob never will anyway, and I am not an LGBT member!!

Compared to other fast food restaurants, chick fil a is a dream! Not only is their food better than places like McDonald's, the customer service is outstanding! I love to hear "My pleasure" after I say thank you! If I'm craving chick fil a, I get the regular chicken sandwich, toss half the bun,

and add some fruit.

Personally I find their homophobia even harder to swallow than their food.

I don't care what they sell. I won't spend my money there because they still donate heavily to anti-equality groups. They can do what they want, but I refuse to be a part of it. In my opinion, giving them your money is the equivalent of giving your money to the KKK.

WOW thanks for the insight and education

homophobic, anti equality? (not the employees I hope)

well I am glad they are polite. LOL

I agree with all the socially conscious comments! I've never eaten at Chick Fil A for the anti-equality (plus low quality FF), Hobby Lobby for its anti birth control, Eden too, Walmart for its horrible employee treatment. IF and its a big IF I happened to be out unprepared I might consider a Wendy's potato w/broccoli, a banana or apple at a convenience store. I'm very heartened to know of all the awareness here.

Won't do the Chick fil a thing for political reasons.

To keep veges fresh try those green baggies - you can usually find them in the "as seen on TV" sections of Bed Bath and Beyond. Lisa, those green bags might be an interesting thing for you to write about. They really and truly do help fruits and veges last longer!

I will never eat at Chick-fil-A due to their anti-equality beliefs.

I order the kids meal grilled chicken with a fruit cup and a side salad. It is healthy, tasty and fills me up.

Interesting, I've never heard anyone refer to Chick Fil A as healthy...I've always known about them for the fried chicken & pickles sandwich and sweet tea. I have heard it said about Wendy's though. Anyway. I've never eaten at a Chick Fil A but recently took my 5 year old to Friendly's and ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo (just Dijon mustard on the side). I was happy with my choice and the fact that I only ate maybe half a dozen fries...when I got home and plugged it into MyFitnessPal (great app for logging what you eat and seeing the calories and nutritional breakdown), I found that the bun alone had 360 calories!! Yikes! I should have known. Apparently it's called a Brioche bun and is liberally bathed in butter before being grilled. Next time I'll either go bunless or just do half. (the bottom, smaller half ;) But at least now I know.

I agree with SHARON and for that reason I have never tried Chick-fil-a when I am looking for FF in theUnited States. We do not have this franchise in Toronto where I live.

I agree with SHARON and for that reason I have never tried Chick-fil-a when I am looking for FF in the United States. We do not have this franchise in Toronto, Canada as far as I know.

I kind of feel like you pulled the ol' bait and switch on us here. i thought from your email you'd be talking about the healthier options at CFA, but just found out you ordered the wrong item and ate it anyway. purpose?

I hate this place. The classic sandwich is just fried something with no noticable meat. I found it absolutely disguxting. Safer to eat at home. At least if you prefer the prep is more sanitary.

About a month ago I was shopping close by chick-fil-a and for the very first I decided to take my friend and me to try it. Ok, the salads are good, I order a spicy chicken sandwich and drinks. It was good, like any other place I would go to also to have a salad and a spicy chicken sandwich. However, the price would be much lower in another place, so we tried it no big deal, and that's that for me.

None of us should be eating at Chick-fil-A, whether dieting, watching calories, or not. The owner refuses to stop using chickens shot up with hormones and he also an open homophobe.

@Cheryl - the purpose was to discuss ordering food at fast food and how challenging it can be to get what you want. I was trying to tell a cautionary tale. Thanks for your comment!

Chick fil A is biased against the gay community. Therefore, I would never support their company. Period. Vote with your dollars.

I love Chick-fil-a---their grilled chicken sandwich is very good---and the other day I had the grilled nuggets with a side salad--it was a great choice!

Yuck, yuck, yuck! Wouldn't eat there if it was the last place on earth. Bad food... Bad politics!

Wow so many people are so judgemental. I think most of us in a hurry have ordered things that werent quite what we wanted. Lately have been on the go and away from home so have found the need to be getting food on the go, so fast food seems to be it. Do the best to pick things that are the healthest that they may have, which is not healthy but the best they have. Need to do what I need to do. Have a good day all and lets try not to be so bitchy all.

I ate Chick-Fil-A frequently before I retired. I usually got the grilled on the wheat bun and would just eat the smallest portion of the bun. With the whole bun it's only 6 points I think.

When I go to Chick-Fil-A I get the chicken wrap with FF Honey Mustard Dressing. It is fabulous!! They also have grilled chicken nuggets!

I've had that same issue of fried vs. grilled in sit-down restaurants too. I've gotten in the habit of asking for 'grilled' whenever I order a chicken sandwich. Even if I don't notice a fried option on the menu, the servers usually have to make a note that I want grilled, so the fried option seems to be standard. Seems like there 'bait-and-switch' going on in more that fast food places...

When you buy a Chic you support hatred and inequality. Boo!

I don't eat in chick-fil-a ever because it is not a healthy option -- try getting your kids to order the grilled chicken with whole grain bun when there is a fried version available and more importantly, they are a company that openly discriminates against gays and non-Christians and I never want to give money to such a company. Discrimination and hatred are never ok in my book.

Could you not write a blog post like this again? It's not CFA's fault that you didn't just ask for what you wanted out right ("May I have the grilled chicken sandwich please?"). I get your point to slow down and actually READ the menu board, but the tone of this post didn't sit right with me at all.

I'm with Sharon. When I found out about the anti-equality causes that C-F-A donstes to/supports, I never stepped foot in there again. And even before that--I thought their chicken far too salty for my tastes. Not a fan.

Chick-fil-a is some sort of southern icon of eating, because the founder was devout. He is to be commended for the service across the chain.

However, while all of us trying to eat healthier are diving for the grilled whatever option, most times, that pretty brown color is not coming directly from flames on a grill. Chick-fil-a is tasty, and with their popularity, I thought perhaps healthier. I was rather disappointed after I checked out the ingredients in many of their items. Not all that different from the rest of their competition. Nothing organic. Lots and lots of sugar in items. We are very, very lucky to have the internet to inform ourselves. I just did a quick look, and was quite surprised to learn that Wendy's and Burger King actually have some of the shorter lists of ingredients in their grilled chicken items.

Chick-fil-a's dressings are real disappointment as well. Olive oil is fairly sturdy; keep some in the car, and if you get to a place that has lemons/lemon juice, bring your own olive oil and eat tasty.

In fact, my local grocer, Kroger, only recently reduced the number of ingredients it was covering its 'rotisserie' chicken in. How is it at home we can massage a little olive oil and spices on a chicken, throw it in the oven, and it tastes great? Yet, these monster food suppliers have to add 3 or 4 kinds of sugar, unnecessary sodium, and who knows what else. If they're selling it fresh, with accurate dates, the garbage is not necessary.

Fast food grilled chicken is still a chemical nightmare.

I'm sorry you didn't know what you were ordering, but if you ask for a chick-fil-a sandwich you are asking for the "regular" sandwich. Which is delicious! Their salads are not bad for you as long as you control your salad dressing dispersal.

Sharon, I take issue with your comments that have nothing to do with the food sold. Unfortunately LBGT always makes the simplest site comment into a political issue. This is why there is resistance, live your life let the rest of the world live theirs, and enough with the politics.

Seriously Babs? For one thing, I only made one comment. To me, it does have to do with the food sold, as the money you are paying to go there is spent on hateful causes. Which does affect how I live my life.

I completely agree with Sharon. At the end of the day, their donations are coming out of their profits. Why would I give any of my money to someone who would use it to try to limit my rights and speak out against me? I don't care what they're selling or how tasty it is.

Chick-fil-a is definitely not a healthy joint. I have no idea why it has a health halo. So freaking strange. Plus their politics are bad. That being said, I'll to occasionally and have a drink (like coffee or lemonade) so the kids can visit the playground.

I am surprised they didn't replace your order even though you ordered it wrong. I live in NC and all of the Chick-Fil-As that I have been to have had incredible customer service. I highly recommend trying it again, but either order the grilled chicken sandwich or the cool wrap. They have yummy salads too, just go easy on the toppings that they give on the side.

I avoid chick-a- phil religously. I am against any company that posts their beliefs religious or political. I am not gay but really get angry that they discriminate and let the public know of their private beliefs. The companies are using their beliefs as a marketing tool.

My only comment today, Lisa, is to wish you and your lovely little family all the Joys of the Season. I hope this will be your Merriest Christmas ever, and that the New Year will brim over with abundant good health, happiness, prosperity and the fulfillment of your most cherished dreams! I know it will be a

much healthier, and therefore happier year, for me...thanks In great measure to your website and all I've learned from it! Lots of love and warm hugs!!

.

I'm with Sharon. As a mom of a gay child, I would never support Chik-fil-A. Life can be difficult enough without supporting companies that hate others.


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