In a little more than a week from the time I’m writing this article, I’ll be making the 16-hour car trek from Florida to New York so I can pursue a career in music education. Though I’m elated to return to the cockroach-free tundra of The North, there are a few things I’ll miss about living in Florida. One of these things is Chick-Fil-A.
Before I moved here, I didn’t eat a lot of fast food. Chick-Fil-A changed all of that. While my eating more fast food isn’t necessarily something to be proud of, there are just certain things that make Chick-Fil-A far superior to other fast food restaurants — which I have taken the time to list below, so that you, too, can revel in the famous chicken chain glory. You’re welcome.
1. Chicken Minis
Call me crazy, but yes, Chicken Minis deserve their own category. Also, the little hash browns that they serve in the morning are so delicious. So unhealthy — but so delicious. My tummy is very sad that I’ll have to leave Chick-Fil-A breakfasts behind, but my arteries are thanking me.
2. The Cow Calendar Card
My mom got me the Chick-Fil-A Cow Calendar for Christmas. Back then I didn’t think I’d use the card that much, but it turns out I always end up using my free treat of the month. Sometimes you really can’t justify buying a chocolate milkshake just because you had a rough day at work or school, and that’s when the calendar card comes in. Everyone loves freebies.
(Plus, one of the mystery offers this year was a three-count chicken mini meal. That was one of the best email I’ve ever gotten, second only to my college acceptance email. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But still.)
3. Cow Appreciation Day
I really like cows. Like, really like cows. I have a cow onesie, cow stuffed animals, cow blankets — you name it, I’ve probably got it. So when I heard about Cow Appreciation Day, I took it really seriously. (For my Northern friends who don’t know, the deal is you go to Chick-Fil-A dressed as a cow and they give you a free entree.)
This year on Cow Appreciation Day, I sauntered into Chick-Fil-A wearing my over-the-top cow onesie (with udders!). The decorations for Cow Appreciation Day were equally over-the-top. The little cow stuffed animals and balloons hanging from the walls and ceilings made me feel like I was walking into a themed diner at Disney World. It was magical. Plus, I got free food. Not too shabby, Chick.
4. The super friendly employees
Story time: at the beginning of the school year, Chick put on a promotion where every Tuesday you could buy one breakfast entree and get another one free. My boyfriend and I consequently decided that every Tuesday morning we’d get chicken minis before school. We’d get there at around seven o’clock every Tuesday, and each time, the same employee would take our order. He was always super friendly and accommodating even at seven in the morning; he would joke around with us and eventually knew our names from taking our order so much.
During the summer we finally stopped going for chicken minis every Tuesday, so we didn’t see our employee friend anymore. But just last week, we decided to grab chicken minis on the way to a morning appointment, and we saw him again. We talked for a several minutes since we hadn’t seen him in a while, and came to find out that not only did he know of SUNY schools (a rare phenomenon in Tallahassee), but he was from New York. It was one of those super cool moments in the day that you look back at and just smile about.
This experience could happen at any restaurant, but at Chick-Fil-A, stellar customer service is the norm. That’s what sets Chick apart from other fast food chains. Their employees work really hard to promote a friendly, clean, and community-oriented environment, and their hard work never goes unnoticed nor unappreciated. I’ll certainly miss these positive vibes when I move up north.
So, goodbye, Chick. I’ll miss your chicken minis and your freebies of the month. See you in December!
