Meal kit subscription services sound like a great idea, until you realize that you don't have the money or time to commit to creating Chef's Table-worthy dishes on your average weeknight. Seriously, why pay $20 per meal when you could pay $4? But maybe Chick-fil-A will change your mind, because they're launching their very own meal kits. Seriously.
What will these kits look like?
Available in-store for purchase, Chick-fil-A's kits will exclusively feature chicken recipes that can all be prepared in 30 minutes or less. The current plan for meal offerings includes chicken Parmesan, enchiladas, Dijon chicken, chicken flatbreads, and more. As an extra bonus, the meal kit boxes will be composed of 100 percent recyclable material, and the meal trays will be entirely compostable.
An important note is that the kits will not come with ice packs or anything to keep them cool while transporting, so be sure to throw the box in the fridge when you get home, stat.
How can I get one?
Unfortunately for those of us not in Chick-fil-A's hometown of Atlanta, GA, getting one of these is going to be a struggle. The meal kits are initially only being piloted at 150 Atlanta area locations. The service is launching on Aug. 27, giving the brand plenty of time to prepare the menu of fresh, pre-measured ingredients that customers will be able to pick up at Chick-fil-A drive-throughs, at the front counter, or via the Chick-fil-A One app.
In a recent press release, Chick-fil-A's Michael Patrick announced that the project is designed to provide customers with "a variety of convenient dinner options" to fit their increasingly busy lifestyles. Each kit contains two servings and costs $15.89. The kits can be refrigerated at home for several days, though should be consumed by the "use-by" date marked on each box. And if the pilot program goes well through November, the brand will consider expanding the meal kits nationwide. (Fingers crossed that we can all enjoy a little Chick-fil-A on Sunday at home.)
Chick-fil-A is the first fast food restaurant to enter the meal kit space, and I'm curious to see how the program is received by customers. If it goes well, it's only a matter of time before other brands start experimenting as well.