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Fried chicken sandwiches are all the rage these days, but everyone knows that Chick-fil-A's classic take is the one worth clucking about. Sure, the Southern chain has gotten flack for it's political opinions in the past, but their top-secret recipe keeps customers coming back for more. Read up on the time-honored traditions and tasty eats that make Chick-fil-A a fast-food favorite.
1. Chick-fil-A has been around since the '60s
Truett Cathy opened his first restaurant in 1946 and founded Chick-fil-A, Inc. in the early '60s. The first Chick-fil-A location opened at Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta, Georgia in 1967, where the corporation is still headquartered today. Truett was in the restaurant business for almost 70 years before he passed away in 2014.
2. It's the largest quick-service chicken restaurant in the United States
Today, there are 1,950 locations in 42 states and Washington D.C. The chain gives customers a variety of convenient dining options with full-service restaurants, mall/in-line stalls and drive-thru-only locations. You can even find the chain on college campuses, at hospitals and in airport terminals.
3. The Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich is seriously famous
Truett Cathy invented the beloved boneless chicken sandwich in 1964 and it's been one of the country's favorite fried chicken sandwiches ever since. The chicken is 100% breast meat (no antibiotics, fillers or additives) and hand-breaded in the restaurant kitchens, then pressure cooked in peanut oil before being piled onto a toasted, buttered bun with dill pickle chips.
4. The secret recipe is stored under lock and key
The coveted recipe is locked in a hidden safe at the Chick-fil-A home office in Atlanta, meaning the irresistible sandwich has been unchanged for over 50 years! Lucky for you, we cracked the top-secret recipe.
5. The sauces are clutch, too
That chicken sandwich wouldn't be complete without nuggets and waffle fries dunked in the chain's addictive dipping sauces. The famous Chick-fil-A Sauce is a special blend of honey mustard, barbecue and ranch sauces, but the finger-licking Polynesian Sauce remains a beautiful mystery. Rest assured, though: There are no artificial colors or high-fructose corn syrup in the dressings or sauces
6. They're very particular about the ingredients
Cucumber slices are soaked for three whole days to transform them into the perfect pickles for the sandwiches and the chain even ditched iceberg lettuce altogether because it's "at the bottom of the salad food chain."
7. Chick-fil-A is never open on Sundays
Back in 1946, Truett Cathy decided that all locations of the chain would close their doors to the public every Sunday. He wanted to give operators and employees time to rest, spend time with their families and worship if they choose. Cathy was a church-going man himself, and the tradition stuck.
8. You can eat Chick-fil-A at other restaurants
The founder was a serious restaurateur, and several of his other dining ventures remain today. Dwarf House, his first-ever restaurant, has 12 locations in the metro Atlanta area, serving classic items from the Chick-fil-A menu. Truett's Grill, a 50s diner–themed restaurant, and Truett's Luau, a Hawaii-inspired spot, also serve the fast-food favorites in Georgia.
9. Cows love Chick-fil-A
In 1995 a few rebellious cows vandalized a billboard, urging passerby to "Eat Mor Chikin," thereby launching a popular ad campaign that's been around since. In honor of the bovine mascots, the chain started Cow Appreciation Day, which gives customers a chance to nab free meals if they dress like a cow and show up at a participating location. The famous cows even have their own photo calendar, which changes each year.
10. There's a super-secret loyalty program
If you want to snag awesome deals, you have to be personally invited to join the chain's exclusive club by another member. A-List customers get a dedicated Chick-fil-A card to scan or swipe with every purchase, which unlocks free food awards and access to an app that notifies them about events and giveaways.
11. You should never use your cellphone at the restaurants
To encourage quality family time, the restaurants encourage guests to stop texting and put their phone in a cell phone coop box. If you last the whole meal without taking it out, dessert is on them! Who can say no to a free ice cream cone?
12. You can win free food for an entire year
If a new Chick-fil-A restaurant comes to town, grab your sleeping bag! The chain started its "First 100" promotion in 2003, decreeing that the first 100 customers through the door on opening morning receive free food for one year, which adds up to over $30,000 worth of delicious eats. 9,400 people camped out to cash in on the offer in 2015!
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