Chick-fil-A — Restaurant in Grand Rapids

After an experience like I had today, I would have been a disservice to not write a review. It's Friday, May 14, and it's a beautiful 70 degree sunny day. I had enough points on my Chick-Fil-A app to get a free cookie. A free cookie is like free happiness, so I figured I would return the favor to the Chick-Fil-A staff. While placing my order via app, I used the "special request" line at the end of the process. I simply put "Talk like a pirate". I was hoping to make a few staff members smile, and maybe get them occasionally yelling "Arrgh!" at each other in the kitchen. And maybe, if I got the right person in the window, someone might even give me an "Aaargh!" when I pulled up.

I got the right person.

Whoever the amazing gal was doing the packing/handout at the window today was ready to fully own and honor my special request. As I pulled up, she asked my name to confirm the order. When I confirmed, she went full-send and proceeded to process the rest of my order read back and every other piece of communication in pirate speak. It was glorious. All of the staff around the window were clearly impressed by her skills, and had a good laugh. Pirate-drive-thru-window-packing-girl...I'm sorry I didn't get your name, but you need to know that you are awesome, I love your style, and I will certainly be back to try it again. I hope that management reads this and gives you a raise...or at least an eye patch and a ration of grog. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going to go munch on my free cookie now. Definitely a 5...

I have been going to this Chic fil A for a while now. I have been holding off reviewing this location until I was sure of it's quality and consistency. In the end, I have a few major gripes with this location. First and foremost, the waffle fries are consistently soft and unfresh tasting. I know that this is the case because once out of the probably 20 times I have been there have I received fresh tasting crispy fries. If they would just cook these fries in smaller batches more frequently they could dramatically improve the quality of their meals.

My second issue is their traffic directing. They have set up many inconveniences in their driveway, and instituted a strange system where people are outside taking orders instead of people driving up to the board and ordering through the speaker. I am unable to read the fine print of the meals on their small menus carried by the ordertakers which has left my beautiful girlfriend dazed and confused. The traffic cones are a hassle to move around, and the signs placed around the parking lot are excessive and annoying. Just let us order at the menu screen even if it slows things down slightly.

The only redeeming quality of this location is the inherent taste that is associated with every chic fil a. My partner and I always enjoy our sandwhiches, but repeatedly are disappointed with both the fries and the poor parking lot directional equipment. Such...

I hope this review will be read by management and ownership and put to good use. As a northerner who lived for a decade in the south, I was beyond happy to see a Chick-fil-A being built in Michigan! I have now visited this location many times, and I am sad to say that they have taken Chick-fil-A out of the south, and the food is still spectacular, but they have missed the mark replicating the Chick-fil-A service experience. Right now it is just another soulless homogenized fast food restaurant. It looks like they have had difficulty teaching the Southern Hospitality secret sauce. You can tell they are trying. I think it will be a challenge to train Northerners to serve with the same warmth, the same consistent genuine smile, the same humility, the same hospitable feel. And you can feel the difference as soon as you walk through the door. Waiting in line at this Grand Rapids Chick-fil-A is like standing in line at any other fast food restaurant. While standing in line at a southern Chick-fil-A is a treat, because you get to observe the guests in front of you being taken care of and you can't wait to get to the front of the line to experience it yourself. I think this could be fixed by either having the Grand Rapids staff go on a field trip to a southern Chick-fil-A, or bring a southern Chick-fil-A trainer up here. I will keep my fingers...