Why Chick-Fil-A Discontinued Its Chicken Salad

While best known for its wildly popular waffle fries and hearty chicken sandwiches, Chick-fil-A also offers many other beloved menu items. Take its chicken salad sandwich, for instance, which remained a favorite of many customers until it was discontinued in 2017. As for why the sandwich was removed from the menu, the restaurant had a somewhat vague, yet understandable reason.

Speaking with Today, a representative for Chick-fil-A stated, "We know that many of our customers loved our Chicken Salad, but we have also heard from guests that they are looking for new tastes and fresh flavors on the menu in our restaurants." The desire for novel flavors seems a bit overstated, considering that Chick-fil-A is often associated with down-home preparations and comfort food. However, lots of restaurants remove menu items because they don't turn a sufficient profit when compared to the costs of making the food. While that remains to be seen, there's no denying the outcry Chick-fil-A elicited when it axed the chicken salad sandwich.

When Chick-fil-A announced it would no longer be selling its chicken salad sandwich on Facebook, some fans responded quite passionately. One commenter noted, "This is my "go to" fast food sandwich," while another lamented, "Ugggg that's what I always ordered!" Yet another person summed up the state of affairs succinctly by simply commenting, "Nooooooooooo!!!!"

On Reddit, a user of the platform expressed sadness over the absent item, writing, "I got it everyday and I'm still not over it and it's been years." One Redditor, who implied that they were once employed by the chain, also offered a bit more insight into the decision. "It was slowing down our other processes and wasn't worth the complications it presented with how few people ordered it." It's true that efficiency is of paramount importance at most fast food establishments, which is why many of these restaurants look and feel similar to one another. However, chains must weigh this quest for efficiency against customer satisfaction if they want to remain successful.

When it comes to certain discontinued fast food items, holding out hope for a return can be an exercise in futility. As for the Chick-fil-A chicken salad, the chain does not anticipate the sandwich returning any time soon. According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) from 2023, a representative for the restaurant stated, "At this time, we do not have plans to bring back the Chicken Salad." Chick-fil-A does offer a recipe for its famous chicken salad that allows obsessed patrons to whip up their own tasty sandwiches at home.

It also appears that chicken salad is one of many menu items the fast food chain has abandoned over the years. The restaurant's coleslaw is also dearly departed, as is a salad that once featured ingredients like chicken nuggets, almonds, crispy wontons, and honey sesame dressing. As for breakfast offerings, some Chick-fil-A fans may never forget the cinnamon cluster. This treat consisted of many small cinnamon rolls and made for a welcomingly sweet accompaniment to the chain's chicken sandwiches and other savory fare. It just goes to show that not even beloved items are guaranteed to last forever at your favorite restaurant chain.