When I turned 16, I worked as a Chick-fil-A employee for a mere five months in my hometown. It was during this time when I realized that working in fast food was not for me (but we’ll save that story for another time). Still, five months was long enough to be able to round-up these behind-the-scenes secrets and Chick-fil-A hacks. So feast on these insider tips and facts — your Chick-fil-A experience just got a whole lot better.
1. Order a Cookie Sundae
I feel compelled to add this because they’re no longer on the menu, but the restaurants still have all of the ingredients to make them. These are extremely good and aren’t the type of secret menu item that will annoy the hell out of the employee’s who put together your order.
2. Get a Fresher Sandwich Every Time
French fries and the basic chicken sandwiches are made constantly and kept under a heat lamp. And to be fair, the turnover rate is pretty fast, but if you want your sandwich made fresh, order something special. Get the deluxe sandwich or spicy deluxe, add cheese, add pickles — add anything. Asking for specifics requires staff to make a sandwich especially for you, therefore, it’s fresh from the fryer.
3. Chocolate Milkshakes Are Kind of… Fake
I’m not sure if this is a fast-food industry standard, but our chocolate milkshakes were made out of vanilla ice cream with a few pumps of Hershey’s syrup in them. I was kind of disappointed when I found that out. I was hoping for real chocolate ice cream.
4. The Person Inside the Cow Suit is Probably Crying
For a couple of events, I had the pleasure (misfortune?) of being inside the cow suit. Yes, they stuff regular employees from the kitchen in there. It was extremely, unbearably hot inside.
One day in the middle of the Texas summer heat, the lady in charge of the cow suit told me to come find her if I needed a break. I spent about 30 minutes looking for her and couldn’t find her anywhere. I was so hot and claustrophobic, I just started crying. What’s worse, I couldn’t wipe my tears or sweat dripping down my face so it just made me cry harder. Luckily, no one could tell.
It’s funny to think that there are probably pictures of me somewhere, posing with little kids, and unbeknownst to the outside world, bawling my eyes out.
5. You Have Access to Unlimited Sauces
Unlike McDonald’s, who charges for extra sauces for some reason, Chick-fil-A’s sauces are free and unlimited. The employee might refuse if you ask for an outlandish number, but if you’re bold enough, you could try every sauce in one hit.
6. Get Your Fries Made Well Done
This is by far the greatest thing I learned during my time at Chick-fil-A. You can order your fries well done, and they’ll be twice fried. You can also order them thrice fried, but I’ve never tried that.
The waffle shape of the fries is perfect for this because the outside gets extra crispy and the inside stays soft and super potato-y. I order my fries like this every time now. It’s also the best way to ensure that you’re getting the freshest fries possible.
Even though my time as a Chick-fil-A employee was short, it’s still a great environment to work in and the employees are treated very well. I’d totally recommend this for a first job, or even if you’re already working in fast food and want to upgrade your experience. So, you’re welcome for the inside scoop, or I should say, it was “my pleasure.”