15 Annoying Habits Chick-Fil-A Employees Want You To Stop Doing
Walking into a Chick-fil-A means expecting top-tier service, warm smiles, and “my pleasure” at every turn. Of course, though, behind these cheerful expressions are often many negative behaviors that employees will face during their regular shifts, so it is not always rosy.
Anyone who has read one customer satisfaction survey knows Chick-fil-A has a customer-first culture, and they know it. However, not every guest understands the value of placing orders efficiently – there is another waiting to cause a hiccup.
Do you want to know what these habits are? Here are views from former Chick-fil-A employees and real-world examples of behaviors they’d like you to rethink.
Not Knowing What You Want Before Ordering
For Christ’s sake, it’s a lunch rush—every second counts in the food service world. Browsing the menu doesn’t increase the line’s speed, as you’re standing there anyway. Consider this: At a typical Chick-fil-A location, 95 cars are served every lunch hour. One of the safest ways to speed up a line of customers is to eliminate an indecisive one.
Pro Tip: Wait and glance at the menu. Downloading the Chick-fil-A app makes ordering a meal easy and quick.
Ignoring the Greeting Process
Imagine this scenario. ‘Welcome!’ a team member warmly says. “What can I get for you today?” You don’t acknowledge it and launch into your order. However, for Chick-fil-A employees, finding them disheartening is common due to the emphasis in their training on being hospitable.
It’s more personable if you take two seconds to connect when greeted.
Requesting Oddly Specific Modifications
Chick-fil-A employees genuinely want to meet your dining needs, but orders like “a sandwich with exactly seven pickles and no butter on the buns” might leave them scratching their heads. Requests like this are so hyperspecific that they slow down prep times during peak hours.
Solution: Practice keeping it to the standard customizations; if your preference is different, accept how it’s made.
Camping Out in the Dining Area for Hours
Free Wi-Fi and refills are tempting, but treating Chick-fil-A as a coffee shop slows everything down. It’s used because employees frequently mention how larger parties are repeatedly parked at tables for hours, which limits seating for other folks.
Spaces not filled by customers cost businesses money. Businesses survive on flow, and taking up space without paying disrupts the flow.
Trying to Argue About Closed Sundays
Arguably, Chick-fil-A’s most famous quirk is that it’s closed on Sundays. Employees can’t do anything about the closure, regardless of how much you love those waffle fries.
“We’ve heard every joke under the sun about it,” said one employee. “Some of us could go for a Saturday dinner nugget run,” they wrote. “Trust us, even we could.”
Failing to Mention Allergies Early
Food allergies are no joke. Many customers forget to mention theirs until halfway through an order, though. However, employees are trained to consider these scenarios and need adequate lead time while preparing, so these precautions are taken.
Pro Move: If you have any allergies, state them upfront so that staff can best assist you safely.
Not Using the Drive-Thru Correctly
Chick-fil-A’s process is remarkably efficient at the drive-thru, but here are some ways customers don’t help. Cutting the line, driving too slowly, or being distracted when it’s time to pay throws off the whole rhythm.
Stay on a smooth process—listen and follow what employees tell you.
Leaving Trash out on Tables or in the Parking Lot
However, one common grievance experienced by employees is that customers leave behind trays, wrappers, and cups that require cleaning up. They’re happy to help, but it inevitably interrupts upkeep and cuts the time allotted to manage other tasks.
Just use the convenient trash cans provided as you would any place of self-respecting dining space.
Expecting Secret Menu Items on Demand
You might have heard rumors of “secret” Chick-fil-A menu items. Some of the more popular off-menu items at franchises stay that way, but they’re not always able to be made. So unless you know the menu’s availability, stick with the official menu.
Using Coupons Incorrectly
Chicken sandwiches or nuggets free? Fantastic! Many customers give expired coupons or attempt to combine savings offers that the store does not permit. Denying these requests puts employees in an uncomfortable place.
Avoid unnecessary confusion by double-checking your offers.
Complaining About Chick-Fil-A Sauce Limits
Chick-fil-A sauce is liquid gold, but stores try balancing distribution so there’s sauce for everyone. Complaining, or worse, trying to grab more sneakily, strains the team. Employees link these behaviors to a lack of respect for fair policies.
Overloading Custom Orders In Large Groups
Just imagine going through a 30-piece nugget order with ten individual modifications. This might be manageable on a slow day, but it makes service much harder during peak hours.
If you’re ordering for a group, stick with group-friendly orders. If you want to be extra kind, call ahead so the employees have enough time to prepare.
Interrupting Employee Conversations
While being eager for service is understandable, employees say their customers frequently disrupt internal discussions even when it’s obvious they’re about business. Politeness goes a long way. They’ll even wait a second or two, so you won’t go unnoticed.
Requesting Fresh Fries During Peak Times
Everyone wants hot, fresh fries, part of the Chick-fil-A promise. Rest assured, employees are already prioritizing fresh batches during busy hours. Special requests may delay your order (and others’ too).
Being Impatient with Workers
Customers can be stressed or hungry, but employees know that’s never an excuse for rudeness. For example, the average employee takes over 300 orders at peak shifts. A little politeness and patience may result in smoother service all around.
What’s Your Breaktime Contribution?
Avoiding these habits doesn’t just help employees—it improves your experience, too. It guarantees the visit will be smoother and more pleasant every time because anyone can respect the hard work they put into their service.
Next time you’re getting waffle fries, use this list as a reference and remember that a bit of courtesy can go a long way.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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