How long would you wait in line for fast food?

[Exterous]

Two new Chick-fil-As opened up in SE MI and people were waiting in huge hour long drive through lines to order and get their food. Why? I've never had fast food good enough to wait nearly that long for my food.

 

[Pohemi]

Yeah that's defeating the "fast" in 'fast food'. Might as well go to a real restaurant and get better food.

Edit: I don't eat a lot of fast food, but one of the few I do visit once in a while is made-to-order, so even when the drive-thru line isn't backed up, you need to wait while they make it.

If it's only a few cars in line, it usually takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes. Sometimes you get lucky and everyone in front of you ordered only custard. There is regularly lines around the building, but I never go if it's that busy. The business name is Culver's.

 

[MrSquished]

I did wait in line about 10 minutes for my first Popeye's chicken sandwich. When Shake Shack had just the one location, there was always a crazy line, simply refused to go. Waited like 7 months until a cold winter day and got my first Shackburger with a 5 min wait. Best fast food burger to this day. Even after they started opening more Shack locations in the city, the lines were still pretty crazy. I did wait 10 minutes a few other times for the Shack. That seems to be my limit.

Also, here in Jersey we had been seeing Sonic commercials for years and there was no Sonics here at all, so there was a lot of curiosity and hype built into the consumer mind here - when the first couple opened up, right off of highways, the lines cause traffic jams so that cops had to direct traffic. I waited until that hype died down too, and didn't wait in line at all, man those burgers were kinda shitty. Sonic burgers are crap.

 

[MtnMan]

An hour at Chick-fil-A? that must be like 5000 cars. The one here, 30 - 40 cars, and if you ain't on your way in 2 minutes with your food something is seriously wrong. It's actually hard to get your card back in your wallet and wallet in your pocket before they are handing you your order.

 

[ultimatebob]

Two new Chick-fil-As opened up in SE MI and people were waiting in huge hour long drive through lines to order and get their food. Why? I've never had fast food good enough to wait nearly that long for my food.

I think that Chick-Fil-A's still offer a lot of opening day promotions, like free food coupons for the first few customers. That's why they always have lines like that.

 

[Grey_Beard]

Have not been to a Chick-fil-A in decades. I cannot spend my money at an organization that the owners are as misguided as the Cathay’s. Now, ShakeShack is the best burger. Their ChickShack is equally amazing, but I never wait in line there,they are way to efficient. It was weird going there during COVID, no napkins, water, mustard or ketchup like they used to have. Gave us packets of everything. Just was weird. Have not had Popeyes sandwich, as I avoid most fast food these days. I can usually rustle up better fare more quickly in my own kitchen or grill. Been to a “fast good” place twice since COVID hit, both times were ShakeShack.

Any way, Chick-fil-A sucks!

 

[bbhaag]

Two new Chick-fil-As opened up in SE MI and people were waiting in huge hour long drive through lines to order and get their food. Why? I've never had fast food good enough to wait nearly that long for my food.

It's the hype bro. Let me guess.....a medium sized town with a population of around 85K to 100K and a few surrounding suburbs that drive the population up a little more am I right?

Same thing happened here when they came to town. The hype settles down after a few weeks when everyone gets their fill. Then the lines are normal like every other ff chain.

 

[kt]

About 10 mins at In-n-out. They are so used to having long lines that they have taking orders at the drive-thru down to a science.

 

[Kaido]

Chick-fil-a is pretty decent for a once-in-awhile crispy chicken sandwich. Kind of gets old after awhile. Originally, the McDonalds buttermilk crispy chicken sandwich back 20 years ago was excellent, but they ruined it with various recipe changes. Popeye's new chicken sandwich is good enough for me to get on a regular basis. But Chick-fil-a does have some pretty bomb stuff:

1. The waffle fries are just...dope. So good.
2. Frozen lemonade = heaven. It's lemonade blended together with their vanilla soft-serve. Amazing on a hot day!
3. The sauces are legit. I'd recommend the standard Chick-fil-a sauce, as well as the Polynesian sauce, which is kind of like a spin on Sweet & Sour.

I wouldn't wait an hour for it tho, unless you're really bored & just want to kill some time. Just wait until the rush dies down. I will say that every store I've been to has been very clean, with great service, properly-cooked food, and they train the staff to have nice responses (i.e. they're required to say "my pleasure" when you say thank you...it's a minor thing but a HUGE experience shift from some of the McDonalds I've been too lol).

 

[Kaido]

About 10 mins at In-n-out. They are so used to having long lines that they have taking orders at the drive-thru down to a science.

While I wasn't a huge fan of In & Out the couple times I've been, they do have the speediest service I can recall! Long lines but they go quick, quicker than a short line at most McDonald!

 

[zinfamous]

Two new Chick-fil-As opened up in SE MI and people were waiting in huge hour long drive through lines to order and get their food. Why? I've never had fast food good enough to wait nearly that long for my food.

this is standard with Chik Fil-A. It's unavoidable. ...the value of such waiting for this type of food, is really an individual preference. but those drive-throughs are very efficient. they have jesus kids out in the parking lot taking your order well in advance, smiling all the way, and blessing your day. It's quite a thing. double up drive throughs and really, regardless of what it looks like from the street, you are through the ordeal in 5 minutes. It is like a miracle. No one handles customers and traffic like them. No one. It is known.

Never has rampant homophobia tasted so delicious. The only problem is you can't go on Sunday. It is, inevitably, the only day that you really want Chik Fil-A.
You'd think that their airport counters across the world, where rabid sociopathic christians do not congregate, would cotton to the normal order of business--selling actual products and such, when people want to buy them, and eat...but they do not. Every Chik Fil-A in the world that you run in to, desperate for food, at 3am or 4pm on any Sunday at any part of the world, will be fucking pissing on your face with their closed counter.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I think that Chick-Fil-A's still offer a lot of opening day promotions, like free food coupons for the first few customers. That's why they always have lines like that.

I think on opening day they sometimes offer Chick Fil A for life. Not joking there either.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Personally, hard for me to gauge based on minutes. Typically I'm basing it on car count in combination with how fast the line typically moves... But also...

I fucking love Chick Fil A. When I do order from them I do be the pickup method where you just park in a parking space and they bring it out to you. Logically make more sense thanctbe fast food line.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Chick-fil-a is pretty decent for a once-in-awhile crispy chicken sandwich. Kind of gets old after awhile. Originally, the McDonalds buttermilk crispy chicken sandwich back 20 years ago was excellent, but they ruined it with various recipe changes. Popeye's new chicken sandwich is good enough for me to get on a regular basis. But Chick-fil-a does have some pretty bomb stuff:

1. The waffle fries are just...dope. So good.
2. Frozen lemonade = heaven. It's lemonade blended together with their vanilla soft-serve. Amazing on a hot day!
3. The sauces are legit. I'd recommend the standard Chick-fil-a sauce, as well as the Polynesian sauce, which is kind of like a spin on Sweet & Sour.

I wouldn't wait an hour for it tho, unless you're really bored & just want to kill some time. Just wait until the rush dies down. I will say that every store I've been to has been very clean, with great service, properly-cooked food, and they train the staff to have nice responses (i.e. they're required to say "my pleasure" when you say thank you...it's a minor thing but a HUGE experience shift from some of the McDonalds I've been too lol).

View attachment 38961

I made an entire thread on how awesome Chick Fil A is that deserves a bump at this point.

But.... Of all things.... Why in the living Fuck would you recommend standard sauce? That shit Is just honey mustard. Disgusting. BBQ all the way.

 

[bbhaag]

I made an entire thread on how awesome Chick Fil A is that deserves a bump at this point.

But.... Of all things.... Why in the living Fuck would you recommend standard sauce? That shit Is just honey mustard. Disgusting. BBQ all the way.

Totally not related to this thread but have you ever mixed horseradish and honey mustard together? That shit is so dope and is good on everything.

 

[BoomerD]

Tried Chik-fil-A one time. It wasn't terrible...but no better than any of the other fast food chicken sammiches. I'd rate them a C at best.

 

[shortylickens]

10 minutes for regular fast food, 15 for chipotle. I am a big loser but not a huge loser.

I remember when a krispy kreme donuts opened in our town and there were lines going down the street.
I walked into the Harris Teeter RIGHT NEXT DOOR and bought a 12 pack of krispy kreme donuts and took them home, laughing as I drove by the crowd.

 

[mztykal]

You’ve never been to What A Burger in Katy during lunch...easy 20-30 minute wait. 🤦‍♂️

 

[ponyo]

Chick-fil-a is my hometown restaurant so there's like Chick-fil-a at every corner here. They just tore down old Chick-fil-a restaurant and built newly designed Chick-fil-a that's designed for Covid world. Drive through is full 2 lanes throughout and there are roof, fans, and shade for cars and outside order takers. They could probably do 4 drive through lanes if they wanted. And crazy number of curbside order pickup spots where they bring the mobile orders to you. Lines might look like mile long but they're like crazy efficient and everyone is just super nice and helpful. It's like DisneyWorld where everyone who works there is so cheerful and nice to you. You're like how is this possible and where do they find these people? Whoever teaches training at Chick-fil-a deserves a gold star and pile of money.

I wish there was Whataburger in Atlanta. I would wait 10-15 minutes in line for Whataburger. That's the best fast-food burger and better than In-N-Out. I don't need In-N-Out if I have Whataburger.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I don't have a specific time in mind but when I see it's ridiculously busy, then I'll usually check out and not bother waiting, and I'll just go get something else. The other day I decided to go to Tim Hortons, took a late break so it was close to 11, you'd think it would be dead but it was PACKED. Cars all the way to the street, and due to covid they were only letting one person at a time inside. Did not wait to wait outside in the cold so I said F it and went to the other Tim Horton's a block away and it was not as busy. Tim Horton's is weird like that, some locations will be busier than others and it will hit at random.

I tend to make my coffee at home or at the office, but sometimes I want a Tim's, it's just something to do on my break and I honestly don't mind their coffee. I don't really make a habit of it though. If you actually get one every day at $2 a pop that's like $60/mo in coffee, that's a bit much.

 

[MrSquished]

Chick-fil-a is my hometown restaurant so there's like Chick-fil-a at every corner here. They just tore down old Chick-fil-a restaurant and built newly designed Chick-fil-a that's designed for Covid world. Drive through is full 2 lanes throughout and there are roof, fans, and shade for cars and outside order takers. They could probably do 4 drive through lanes if they wanted. And crazy number of curbside order pickup spots where they bring the mobile orders to you. Lines might look like mile long but they're like crazy efficient and everyone is just super nice and helpful. It's like DisneyWorld where everyone who works there is so cheerful and nice to you. You're like how is this possible and where do they find these people? Whoever teaches training at Chick-fil-a deserves a gold star and pile of money.

I wish there was Whataburger in Atlanta. I would wait 10-15 minutes in line for Whataburger. That's the best fast-food burger and better than In-N-Out. I don't need In-N-Out if I have Whataburger.

I would enjoy a Whataburger around here for sure. Tried it when I was in Houston or Dallas for work ages ago. Remember thinking it was a really good fast food burger. Definitely better than the big 3 around here at the time - McD, Wendy's and Burger King and better than In n out. It wasn't the same feeling when I had shake shack for the first time and I was like holy crap this is an amazing fast food burger, but it was great.

A Shack was supposed to open up 10 min from me back in June but the Rona delayed it. Apparently they started working on the location again so hopefully soon I can get my shackburger cravings satisfied. But we have some really good local mom n pop spots around here too with their own house blend patties and sauces.

A good burger spot is essential to a good neighborhood.

 

[dasherHampton]

Chic-fil-A is pretty damn good. I've been going there more and more. The chicken sandwiches are delicious and the waffle fries are so fracking good.

I'd wait there longer than another place.

 

[sactoking]

They just opened a Chicken Fillet here, lines were an hour+ of the surface street onto the highway. I've been to Chicken Fillet in Atlanta and it's not even worth a minute wait. Plus, while their social beliefs for in quite nicely with where I live, I find them to be reprehensible. I wouldn't eat their food if it were free.

Longest I have waited was about 45 minutes in a Del Taco drive through. The line was only about 6-8 cars deep but I guess there was some sort of emergency (medical?) inside that caused them to not do anything for like half an hour. Unfortunately for me it was one of those drive through designs where once a car pulls in behind you it is physically impossible to leave the line.

 

[iCyborg]

Somewhat amusing situation yesterday when I went to Starbucks - there were 15+ cars in the line spilling into the main street.
I pass them by and park in front of the store, I go in, I'm the only one there (well, one guy was just exiting, holding the door as I went in), it took about 30s before I was served, the order was completed in about 2 mins, and all-in-all, I was back in my car with the drink in less than 4 mins.
I struggle to understand why people prefer wasting fuel even when it's obvious going inside will be faster. In this case, considerably.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Somewhat amusing situation yesterday when I went to Starbucks - there were 15+ cars in the line spilling into the main street.
I pass them by and park in front of the store, I go in, I'm the only one there (well, one guy was just exiting, holding the door as I went in), it took about 30s before I was served, the order was completed in about 2 mins, and all-in-all, I was back in my car with the drink in less than 4 mins.
I struggle to understand why people prefer wasting fuel even when it's obvious going inside will be faster. In this case, considerably.

I always do this as well.

Similarly, at places like Chick-Fil-A, they have the drive-thru - AND they have parking curb-side delivery. Just park and quickly make your order via the app. It's certainly faster than waiting in a huge line. The sooner your order goes in, the sooner it's cooked/fulfilled.