Chick-fil-A has become one of America’s most popular fast food chains, with lines wrapping around buildings and devoted fans making special trips just for their chicken sandwiches and waffle fries. But even if you’re someone who orders from them regularly, there’s a good chance you don’t know about all the ways you could be saving money or getting exactly what you want. Some of these hidden features could help you get more food for less, while others might completely change the way you think about ordering. Here’s what the chain doesn’t always advertise.
You can buy their sauces at grocery stores
Most people think the only way to get Chick-fil-A sauce is by ordering food and either using what comes with your meal or asking for extra packets. But you can actually buy full-sized bottles of their most popular sauces at many grocery stores. Walmart and Target both carry 16-ounce bottles of Chick-fil-A sauce, barbecue sauce, Polynesian sauce, and sweet and spicy sriracha sauce. Some stores even have 24-ounce bottles of the signature Chick-fil-A sauce. If your local grocery store doesn’t carry them, you might find them online or pick up an 8-ounce bottle directly from most Chick-fil-A restaurants.
Having these bottles at home opens up so many possibilities. You can use them on homemade burgers, dip your own fries in them, or even use them for meal prep throughout the week. Instead of hoarding sauce packets in your fridge drawer or begging employees for extras, you’ll have plenty on hand whenever you need it. The bottles are reasonably priced considering how much sauce you get, and they last quite a while in the refrigerator. Next time you’re at the store, check the condiment aisle and you might be surprised to find your favorite Chick-fil-A sauces waiting for you.
The app gives you free food after spending just twenty dollars
Downloading restaurant apps might seem like a hassle, but the Chick-fil-A app actually pays off quickly. Every time you order through the app, you earn 10 points for every dollar you spend. Once you hit 200 points, which only requires $20 in purchases, you get your first free reward. That’s probably just a few visits for most people. Your first reward is a free Icedream cone, but if you keep saving points, you can get much better items. At 600 points, you can get free 2-count Chick-n-Strips, and at 1,200 points, you can snag a free 12-count of nuggets.
Even if you forget to order through the app, you can still get credit by scanning your receipt afterward. The rewards program is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require jumping through complicated hoops like some other fast food apps. Since most people already have their phones with them when ordering food anyway, it’s basically free money just for doing what you’d normally do. The points add up faster than you’d think, especially if you’re feeding a family or ordering for coworkers. Before you know it, you’ll have enough points for a free meal.
Some locations offer military and veteran discounts
If you’ve served in the military, you might be able to save money on your order at certain Chick-fil-A locations. Some restaurants offer a 10% discount for veterans and active military members. Other locations might give out free food on Veterans Day or during Military Appreciation events. The catch is that not every location participates in these programs. Because Chick-fil-A operates as a franchise system, each restaurant owner can decide whether to offer these types of discounts. That means the store near your house might have different policies than one across town.
To take advantage of any available discounts, you’ll need to bring your valid military ID card so employees can verify your service. The best way to find out if your local Chick-fil-A offers any military discounts is to call ahead and ask. It’s worth making a quick phone call, especially if you eat there regularly. The 10% discount might not sound like much, but it adds up over time, particularly if you’re ordering for your whole family. Some locations might also have different promotions during certain times of the year, so it pays to stay informed about what’s available in your area.
You can customize almost everything on the menu
Just because something comes a certain way on the menu doesn’t mean you’re stuck with it. Chick-fil-A will let you customize your order however you want. Don’t like pickles? Ask them to leave them off. Want extra sauce on your sandwich? They can do that too. The easiest way to make sure your order comes out exactly how you want it is to use the app. They’ve set up the app to make adding or removing ingredients really simple. You can add chocolate syrup to a cookies and cream shake, swap regular chicken for spicy on a salad, or remove any toppings that don’t appeal to you.
You can also make these requests when ordering in person or at the drive-thru, though using the app gives you more control. Some people create their own combinations that aren’t on the official menu, like putting a hash brown in their breakfast sandwich or mixing different sauces together. The employees are trained to accommodate reasonable requests, so don’t be shy about asking for what you want. After all, you’re paying for your food, so it makes sense to get it prepared the way you’ll actually enjoy eating it. Just remember to be polite when making special requests, especially during busy times.
There’s no official secret menu but you can create your own
The internet loves talking about secret menus at fast food restaurants, and Chick-fil-A is no exception. But the company has actually come out and said they don’t have a secret menu. Employees aren’t trained to make special items that aren’t on the regular menu. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with your order. Since you can customize items and combine different menu components, you can essentially build your own unique creations. One popular option is the Cookie Icedream sandwich, where you order two chocolate chunk cookies and a cup of Icedream, then assemble them yourself into an ice cream sandwich.
Another favorite is Buffalo chicken mac and cheese. Order some nuggets, mac and cheese, Garden Herb ranch sauce, and Zesty Buffalo sauce. Cut up the nuggets, mix them into the mac and cheese, and drizzle both sauces on top. While Chick-fil-A calls these “underground menu delights” rather than a secret menu, the idea is the same. You’re using items that already exist to create something new. The key is ordering all the components separately and putting them together yourself. Employees appreciate when customers understand this distinction rather than asking for items that don’t officially exist in their system.
You can buy their drinks by the gallon
Running out of your drink before you finish your meal is always disappointing. Good news: you can actually buy gallons of Chick-fil-A’s most popular drinks to take home. They offer unsweetened iced tea, sweetened iced tea, lemonade, and diet lemonade by the gallon. You can even get their Sunjoy, which is a mix of tea and lemonade, in gallon form. Some people buy a gallon of lemonade and a gallon of iced tea to make their own Arnold Palmers at home, mixing them exactly to their preference. This is way more economical than buying multiple individual cups, especially if you’re having people over or want to keep some on hand for the week.
A gallon of any of these drinks costs less than buying several regular-sized cups, so you’re getting more for your money. The tea stays fresh for several days in the refrigerator, and the lemonade keeps well too. This is particularly useful during summer months when everyone wants something cold to drink. Instead of making multiple trips to Chick-fil-A or settling for whatever’s in your fridge, you can have your favorite restaurant drinks at home. The gallons come in convenient jugs that are easy to store and pour from, making them practical for everyday use or special occasions.
You can mix two milkshake types together
Choosing just one milkshake type can be tough when they all sound good. Here’s something many people don’t know: you can ask to have two different milkshake types mixed together into one drink. Want something that tastes like a chocolate-covered strawberry? Ask them to mix chocolate and strawberry shakes. Think the cookies and cream needs more chocolate? Request half cookies and cream and half chocolate. The employees might even throw in some extra Oreo crumbles if you ask nicely. This isn’t officially advertised, and whether they’ll do it might depend on who’s taking your order and how busy they are.
The key to getting this to work is being polite and understanding if they say no during a rush. Most employees are happy to accommodate special requests when they have time. Some of the most popular combinations are chocolate-peanut butter, strawberry-vanilla, and cookies and cream with anything else. Since you’re still paying for one milkshake, you’re not getting extra product for free, just a custom combination. This is another example of how Chick-fil-A’s flexibility with orders lets you create something that’s not on the menu but is made entirely from ingredients they already have.
Check your receipt for survey codes worth free food
Before you throw away your receipt, take a close look at the bottom. Some receipts have a survey code printed below your total. Not every receipt gets one, but if yours does, it’s worth your time to complete the survey. You’ll need to visit a website and enter the serial number from your receipt, then answer a few quick questions about your visit. After you finish the survey and enter your email address, you’ll get an offer for a free Original or Spicy Chicken Sandwich. The survey usually only takes a few minutes, which is a small price to pay for a free sandwich on your next visit.
You’ll need to bring the same receipt back when you redeem your free sandwich, so don’t lose it after completing the survey. This is similar to what other fast food chains do, but not everyone knows about it because the survey invitation doesn’t appear on every receipt. If you eat at Chick-fil-A regularly, it’s worth checking your receipts each time. Getting a free sandwich here and there really adds up over time. The company uses these surveys to get feedback about service and food quality, so your responses actually do matter. Plus, you get rewarded for taking a few minutes to share your thoughts.
Everything really is made to order but not from scratch
When Chick-fil-A says food is made to order, they mean your sandwich is assembled when you order it, not that they’re starting completely from scratch. The chicken is cooked in batches throughout the day to keep up with demand. When you place your order, they take already-cooked chicken and build your sandwich or salad right then. Nothing sits around for very long though. Hot food doesn’t stay out longer than 20 minutes before it gets tossed. All the salad ingredients and other prep work gets done fresh each morning. This system lets them serve food quickly while keeping everything relatively fresh.
This is why your food usually comes out fast even when the restaurant is busy. They’re not cooking each piece of chicken individually for every order because that would take way too long. Instead, they cook batches and assemble orders as they come in. The food quality stays consistent because they have strict rules about how long things can sit before being thrown away. Some fast food places let food sit for much longer, which is part of why Chick-fil-A’s food often tastes fresher. Understanding this process helps explain why your sandwich might be ready in just a couple minutes even during lunch rush.
Knowing these tips can help you get more value from your Chick-fil-A visits and customize your meals exactly how you want them. Whether you’re taking advantage of the rewards program, buying sauces for home use, or creating your own menu combinations, these strategies make the most of what the restaurant offers. The next time you’re craving waffle fries or a chicken sandwich, you’ll know exactly how to order smarter and potentially save some money in the process.
