The Deerfield Chick-Fil-A hasn't started construction yet with the teardown of Office Depot). What is with Deerfield? Portillo's was delayed years and now Chick-Fil-A. Still don't know why Deerbrook Mall went the boring route with Art Van and especially The Dump (which sits vacant all week because it's only open Fri-Sun). No wonder they were hoping for a Sam's Club or Costco. That would be pretty crowded. I keep seeing a Culvers where the old Bally's was. I think that would do well in the area. Anyway the wait for chicken biscuits continues.

I have a friend who is on the planning commission for the village of Deerfield, and I think she told me that Sam's Club changed their mind. Originally they were going to put in a Portillo's there, and then the mayor decided that he would rather have a Sams Club there.

NFriday wrote:I have a friend who is on the planning commission for the village of Deerfield, and I think she told me that Sam's Club changed their mind. Originally they were going to put in a Portillo's there, and then the mayor decided that he would rather have a Sams Club there.

From what I heard: Portillo's wanted the On The Border spot but there were issues with the property. Then the Mayor proposed the Bally's site because she didn't want to lose Portillo's. However Deerbrook Mall wanted that spot for a gas station with Sam's Club or Costco instead. So Portillo's overcame the issue at the original site and built it. Sam's Club/Costco backed out because they felt the structure being over a parking garage would not be able to hold all the weight of the store and people so they ended up with The Dump. I could definitely be wrong about some of this. Chick-Fil-A is still waiting on the demo of Office Depot and other than the winter weather holding them back, I'm not sure what the hold up is.

Ram4 wrote:The Deerfield Chick-Fil-A hasn't started construction yet with the teardown of Office Depot). What is with Deerfield? Portillo's was delayed years and now Chick-Fil-A. Still don't know why Deerbrook Mall went the boring route with Art Van and especially The Dump (which sits vacant all week because it's only open Fri-Sun). No wonder they were hoping for a Sam's Club or Costco. That would be pretty crowded. I keep seeing a Culvers where the old Bally's was. I think that would do well in the area. Anyway the wait for chicken biscuits continues.

The Office Depot demolition has begun. Progress.

Vienna Beef plans to build two buildings to house Chick-Fil-A and Panera Bread where its hot dog factory and store once stood at 1942 W. Fullerton Avenue, according to permits.

https://chicago.eater.com/2019/6/25/187 ... ood-report

Stone's throw from Fresh Farms, Niles brand spanking new Chick-fil-A.

Busy as paparazzi at Prince Harry's bris I went inside as the drive-thru was 678-cars long. Hyper-efficient, friendly, surprisingly fast, reasonable price, tasty, if not earth shattering, chicken sandwich, so-so waffle fries. Side note, Kelley's Gourmet mustard is terrific!

I continually find it amazing how efficient they are inside and how inefficient they are at the drive through.

lougord99 wrote:I continually find it amazing how efficient they are inside and how inefficient they are at the drive through.

White Castle model. If you go to WC it's always quicker to go inside.

G Wiv wrote: so-so waffle fries. [/attachment]

I've always really enjoyed their chicken sandwich, especially the spicy one, but I've been bemused by the waffle fries. They always seem to show up on "best of fast food" lists, often quite high, but I've never had one that rated more than a "meh." Maybe if you threw some Merkt's on it and "garbaged" it up a bit, but for a purist potato, they don't speak to me.

I agree their waffle fries are as boring as it gets for fries (and I love just about any kind of fries).

It's funny how the saying goes. "The more things change, the more they remain the same." In spite of the convenience of drive-thrus, I find myself running inside more and more at places that have long drive-thru lines like Portillo's or Chick-Fil-A. In fact, I have been doing mobile orders more and more and I get my food almost immediately every time. No lines, little to no waiting, all pre-paid.

Same thing with delivery. Delivery is a hot item these days with third parties delivering from just about any restaurant you want. Yet I find myself doing pickup almost every time as if it were 30-40 years ago.

A few weeks, I had going into the place instead of waiting in line at drive-thru backfire.

It was Popeye's in North Chicago at peak volume with a long drive-thru line and customer's waiting inside. Between ordering and waiting for my food, it was 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I did see a flow of cars at drive-thru suggesting cars waiting for food received a higher priority.

What really bugged me, when I got home my order was missing apple pies. Retrieving them a few days later was not a big deal, though I just don't go this direction very often.

Having read enough comments about chaotic service at Popeye's, I should have know better.

Regards,
Cathy2

I have started asking for the waffle fries well done, which in my experience, means they come out actually perfectly done. Still not great, but decent enough.

Ram4 wrote:

Dave148 wrote:

Final approval in sight for proposed Deerfield Chick-fil-A

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/d ... story.html

Chicken biscuits coming closer...

Opened today.

Chick-fil-A has finally agreed to stop giving money to organizations that actively oppose same-sex marriage. Chick-fil-A is crediting the protesters, but I have to think some of it has to do with the Popeye's chicken sandwich phenomenon.

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Chick-fil-A is crediting the protesters, but I have to think some of it has to do with the Popeye's chicken sandwich phenomenon.

Chick-fil-A is NOT crediting the protesters. Although news stories have noted that they have come under increasing pressure from LGBTQ activists, all Chick-fil-A has said is that they "will work exclusively with organizations that focus on education, homelessness and hunger" without publicly stating any specific reasons for the change.

nsxtasy wrote:Chick-fil-A is NOT crediting the protesters. Although news stories have noted that they have come under increasing pressure from LGBTQ activists, all Chick-fil-A has said is that they "will work exclusively with organizations that focus on education, homelessness and hunger" without publicly stating any specific reasons for the change.

That's absolutely not all the company has said. Here's a quote from Tim Tassopoulos, the president and COO of Chick-fil-A: “There’s no question we know that, as we go into new markets, we need to be clear about who we are. There are lots of articles and newscasts about Chick-fil-A, and we thought we needed to be clear about our message.” That's about as plain an admission they're changing their strategy because they lost the PR fight as you're going to find. And their most vocal pro-bigotry supporters got the message loud and clear. See, e.g., Mike Huckabee: "The sad message of @ChickfilA is quite clear- they surrendered to anti- Christian hate groups."

Second voyage to the new Niles Chick-fil-A, grilled chicken club w/pepperjack cheese and a lemonade. This sandwich equally belongs in the Annals of Banal as it was boring, banal, uninteresting, mediocre, forgettable. Insipid yet inoffensive. Lemonade so-so, not sweet, not tart, not slushy, simply chilled citrus flavored liquid. Bonus: Sitting near the enclosed kids playground containing, barely, three of the loudest minis in the surrounding counties.

Niles Chick-fil-A being a hop-skip-jump from Fresh Farms Niles has a stronger pull than it should, curiosity and convenience. I think after last weeks fish filet debacle I will be able to resist.

Underdone fries and low-rent frozen fish filet. The best I can say was the fish was not freezer burned. Chick-fil-A lemonade is drinkable, the one saving grace.



Culver's kills Chick-fil-A in the fast food fish filet category. Actually, if memory serves, McD's ultra mediocre fish filet sandwich tops Chick-fil-A as well.

G Wiv wrote:Culver's kills Chick-fil-A in the fast food fish filet category. Actually, if memory serves, McD's ultra mediocre fish filet sandwich tops Chick-fil-A as well.

And there's a new kid on the fast-food-fish-sandwich block.

That bacon looks pretty good, but I think ordering grilled chicken or fried fish at Chik fil A is akin to getting pasta at Pequod’s. It sort of sounds like it should be in their wheelhouse, but it ain’t what pays the bills, and kitchen treats it accordingly. Still, I appreciate the reports/photos from the dark side of the menu. And Culver’s fish fry is now on my list.

Strongest memory from my one journey to Niles Chik fil A: surprise at the number of people eager to take advantage of fast food wifi with laptops, tablets, ersatz office setups a la Starbucks. Even something that mundane is like a memory from another time now!

I had the Popeyes flounder and was not impressed at all. Mealy and a not pleasant fishiness. With Hagens still open there is no reason on Earth to go anywhere else for a fried fish sandwich.

Octarine wrote:With Hagens still open there is no reason on Earth to go anywhere else for a fried fish sandwich.

Chick-fil-A Accuses Poultry Suppliers of Price Fixing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/06/busi ... ticleShare

Bucktown Chick-fil-A Opening This Week Across From Shuttered Vienna Beef Factory.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/01/12 ... f-factory/

Chick-fil-A opening 4 new Chicago-area locations this month

Here are more details on the four new Chick-fil-A restaurants, which will be open 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday for drive-thru and mobile pickup:

Bucktown: 1910 West Fullerton Avenue, opening Jan. 14
South Loop: 1106 South Clinton Street, opening Jan. 21
Joliet: 2705 Plainfield Road in the Joliet Commons, opening Jan. 14
Elgin: 1110 South Randall Road, opening Jan. 21

Coming soon to Golf-Mil.

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Chick-fil-A has finally agreed to stop giving money to organizations that actively oppose same-sex marriage.

Despite such assurances, Dan Cathy, Chick-Fil-A’s billionaire owner, has continued to donate personally to a group fighting the Equality Act, legislation that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, as recently reported here.

nsxtasy wrote:

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Chick-fil-A has finally agreed to stop giving money to organizations that actively oppose same-sex marriage.

Despite such assurances, Dan Cathy, Chick-Fil-A’s billionaire owner, has continued to donate personally to a group fighting the Equality Act, legislation that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, as recently reported here.

You like beating this horse to death many, many times.

Maybe it is enough.

Regards,
Cathy2

I will say one thing about CfA . . . their chicken sandwich doesn't compare to a lot of other fast food chicken sandwiches, even quite a few sold by chains where chicken isn't the primary item.

When I finally had one, I just couldn't believe how ordinary it was. After hearing/reading so much fetishizing about it over the years, I was expecting so much more (ok, I guess that was two things).

=R=

Their fries suck. I've had them a half dozen times in various places and they are always underdone.