Yet ANOTHER Chicken Sandwich

[ExFlyBoy5]

McD's is getting into the "we hate Chick-Fil-A" game and are introducing their version. I find it interesting that they are going to use the same kind of bag as CFA, too. I am not sure what happened, but a few years ago they launched a "Southern Style" chicken sandwich that was very similar to the CFA version and was pretty good but it was soon removed from the menu.

Anyway, McD's...your problem isn't that you don't have a good chicken sandwich, your problem is that your customer service is crap compared to CFA.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/06/telsey-advisory-mcdonalds-new-chicken-sandwich-is-really-good.html

 

[JoeWras]

Anyway, McD's...your problem isn't that you don't have a good chicken sandwich, your problem is that your customer service is crap compared to CFA.

It is my pleasure to agree with this.

 

[Dtail]

CFA's service is top notch by me, especially for fast food.
However McD's has the automated machine order service and brings the food to the table, so pretty good overall too.

 

[mickj]

CFA has table side service that you can order with your phone. I love their mobile app!

 

[camfused]

Chick-fil-a is a class act. With lots of profits. No wonder everyone is trying to dethrone them. Their Mac & Cheese is to die for.

I tried the Popeyes sandwich and was unimpressed. Maybe the McD one will be better.

You know, one of the best chicken sandwiches I have had recently is the Zaxby's TLC. You don't hear much about it, but it was really tasty (to me).

 

[davebarnes]

I like McD's $1 chicken sandwich.
It is not very good, but it is only $1. I buy 2 and combine (toss redundant bread) into 1. Share drink with wife.
McD's does not make money from me.

 

[GravitySucks]

Agree with the Chik-Fil-A service.
Each Franchisee only gets one restaurant I'll bet they're there at least 12 hours a day 6 days a week.

 

[camfused]

As for the CFA bag, when I was younger, and even dumber, I was in a hurry to get back to work and brought my CFA sandwich back to eat later. So, I then took it to the microwave and put it, in its paper&foil-lined bag. Needless to say, the show was colorful, and sandwich was barbecued.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I have no idea what CFA's service is like, as I despise their politics, and if I were to eat fast food (a once in a blue moon situation for me anyway), I would sooner get a Big Mac. I have never set foot in a CFA or eaten their food, and I probably never will.


Luckily for me, there are plenty of local/regional "casual fast food" chains around here, like California Tortilla, Five Guys, and Moby Dick House of Kabob.

 

[CRLLS]

CFA's service is top notch by me, especially for fast food.
However McD's has the automated machine order service and brings the food to the table, so pretty good overall too.

Sorry, I can't agree your McD's rating whether they deliver it to your table or not. Good customer service is not DIY ordering. Nor is it having a person to help you at the ordering Kiosk. I hate that stuff with a passion! I've never been to a CFA so cannot comment on their service.

 

[Bamaman]

I've tried CFA's, Bojangles', Popeye's, Burger King's and Jack's fried chicken sandwiches. I found all but BK's to be just great.

And I'm amazed at CFA's incredible rise in sales--up to 3rd of all American fast food restaurants. And they haven't even got started good yet. I attribute their success to be from quality of the food, quality of the people working there and God is truly blessing CFA as a company. Remember: "Never on Sunday."

Truett Cathey lived in the south end of Atlanta, and he was a Baptist Sunday School teacher and local philanthropist. There's no telling how many CFA workers received scholarships from Mr. Cathey personally and also from CFA. Stay with CFA through college, and they will very often pay your tuition and put young, motivated workers into management rolls that often comes with a franchise at a young age.

It's pretty doubtful that anyone really knows what CFA's politics are. Politics and being in any business are almost like damned if you do and damned if you don't--loose/loose situation. You can bet that the Cathey family personally thinks just like the majority of us Southerns--very conservative.

 

[samclem]

Mod note: If we want to keep talking about chicken sandwiches, lets talk about chicken sandwiches. The politics of chicken sandwich vendors, pro and con, will take us from chicken to Pork in a hurry.


Thank you.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I love chick FIL sandwiches and the people are so nice.

 

[W2R]

I have never been to Chick-Fil-A. I had no idea that their chicken sandwiches were different from any others.

 

[jazz4cash]

Around here CFA is so popular they had to innovate drive thru lanes that lap the building and use order takers working the line. Not sure how effective it is since I never use it nut o don’t see anyone waiting long to get their meals. Inside service is quick and courteous. Food is high quality and cheaper than McD.

 

[tinlizzy]

Try Chester's chicken. They are usually within or next to convience stores or services station like BP or Food Mart. They make some seriously good chicken!

 

[JoeWras]

I love chick FIL sandwiches and the people are so nice.

It is a lost art to manage bottom rung service workers this way. I really don't know how they do it. My first post above about "my pleasure" is no joke. It is one of their catch phrases. When a customer gets their food and says "thanks" to one of the workers, you'll get an automatic "my pleasure" back from them.

In other places, you are lucky to get a grunt.

As for McD's, it used to be like this! A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (late 60s), McD's workers were also front line pleasant and helpful. Now, walk in and give an order and you are lucky to get decent interaction at all. I think since they put in the kiosks, it has actually gone down. Almost like: "Why don't you use the kiosk, you are making me work by taking your order" kind of thing.

I'll end it with this. For processed chicken sandwiches, I like Burger King's. Love the artificial pressed taste of it. I'm not joking -- much like I love the McRib, which gets me into McDs. CFA has the best "real meat" sandwich tho.

 

[folivier]

I like CFA but usually go to Raising Cane's for fried chicken. Their service and quality is also top notch. Tried Zaxby's a couple times but not nearly as good.
I also don't go to any fast food place where I feel like I'm bothering the workers by being there. That pretty much rules out most of the others. Haven't eaten at McD or BK in over 20 years due to the lack of service and low quality of the food.

 

[mpeirce]

Around here CFA is so popular they had to innovate drive thru lanes that lap the building and use order takers working the line.

Good idea when they are busy, but McDonalds was doing this in some locations over a decade ago.

 

[Aerides]

Anyone tried the new Popeye's sandwich? I followed the ruckus this summer with interest, and now that it's back I'm interested in trying it, but both locations are 20 mins away, so I'm not sure it's worth the trip (or calories!)

 

[Kelor]

My problem with McDonalds is their bathrooms. Any bathroom that has a door that pulls into the bathroom area either needs paper towels or a foot pull.

For that reason alone, I can count on 1 hand the amount of times I step into McD's each year.

Back to chicken. I have no idea if CFA has the best sandwich, but the pleasurable encounter with each team member makes it so I don't care if it is or not.

 

[Chuckanut]

CFL treats their people well. They even have Sundays off! I remember as a youth how almost the entire clan could always get together on Sundays since nobody had to work (other than a few medical and public safety people). The starting pay at my local CFL is now $16.25. Not bad considering that the nearby big-city is working towards a $15 minimum wage.

My biggest regret is the I find their chicken sandwich rather salty. I wish they had a 30% lower salt version.

 

[Another Reader]

CFL treats their people well. They even have Sundays off! I remember as a youth how almost the entire clan could always get together on Sundays since nobody had to work (other than a few medical and public safety people). The starting pay at my local CFL is now $16.25. Not bad considering that the nearby big-city is working towards a $15 minimum wage.

My biggest regret is the I find their chicken sandwich rather salty. I wish they had a 30% lower salt version.

Exactly why I have never eaten there. They recently opened a couple in the San Jose vicinity, but I looked at the menu and could not hack the sodium content. The line for breakfast at the San Jose airport is the longest in the airport, so they are either good or the novelty hasn't worn off.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

A few years ago (while still living in Atlanta) I had the opportunity to go be a "guinea pig" at the their training center. It's a cool thing...a complete restaurant/drive through that was inside a rather large warehouse. In the 8 hours I was there, I saw several different tests they were doing to increase productivity and although I haven't seen them in action, you could tell that it was cutting edge and that it indeed would make the blazingly fast service even faster.

Also, a kid I went to church with many, MANY years ago had a nice scholarship through CFA and now has a location in metro Atlanta. As far as being a franchisee, *if* you are selected out of the thousands of applicants, your buy in is in the neighborhood of $10,000 and then you split the profits 50/50 w/ the CFA corporation. That is unheard of in the franchise world.

Edit: Inside look at the "innovation center" where the simulated stores are used: https://www.southernliving.com/culture/chick-fil-a-innovation-center

 

[JoeWras]

Also, a kid I went to church with many, MANY years ago had a nice scholarship through CFA and now has a location in metro Atlanta. As far as being a franchisee, *if* you are selected out of the thousands of applicants, your buy in is in the neighborhood of $10,000 and then you split the profits 50/50 w/ the CFA corporation. That is unheard of in the franchise world.

$10k? Really? I swear I thought it was $100k. $10k is truly unheard of for a buy in.

Edit: you are totally correct. $10k, with no asset test! I think I was thinking of a different franchise operation. This is unheard of. Word is only %0.4 of applicants get a franchise. They are "particular" about franchisees fitting into the culture. I think the same is true of their employees.

I really wasn't considering it, but 10 years ago, when ER bug started biting, I at least looked into the idea. Somehow I got the numbers for various franchises mixed up.

https://www.chick-fil-a.com/Franchising/Franchise
The Chick-fil-A franchise opportunity represents an exceptional offering in the quick-service restaurant industry. For an initial financial fee of $10,000 selected franchisees (who we call Operators) are granted the rights necessary to operate a franchised Chick-fil-A Restaurant business. Chick-fil-A, Inc. is also looking for people interested in franchised locations in Canada for an initial investment of $15,000 (CAD). The Chick-fil-A franchise opportunity requires that the individual be free of any other active business ventures and operate the restaurant on a full-time, hands-on basis.