Chick-fil-A — Restaurant in Riverdale

My wife and myself were on vacation in the area and decided to visit this Chick-fil-A location located at 7348 Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro Ga.As we approached the restaurant we noticed the landscaping was manicured and maintained with no visible trash visible on the ground and within the perimeter of where we entered the drive-thru area. There we're about 6 employees that were the designated as drive-thru team members.This consisted of outside order takers, expediters, and those eployees that received payment for the customers orders. As a side note, I was a Restaurant Manager for over 20 years before I became a nurse so I consider myself somewhat pretty well versed in regard to customer service protocol to be delivered and the miminal standards.We were second in line and we were greeted within less than a minute, she took our order and directed us to proceed to the team member that was to receive payment from us. Subsequently after this segment of the drive-thru process was navigated, we were directed to the window around the left curb of the building where we were to receive our order.The time was still well within acceptable customer service limits in regard to POS time(Point Of Service) at this point it was under 3 minutes.This is where the fly in the ointment first appeared, once we were at this point at the drive-thru experience, we were told by the team member working in the window, to pull up and park about 8 feet forward from the window once the car who was already in that spot had pulled out. We pulled up and the time was now 5 minutes and counting, still not atrocious in regard to the time that had elapsed.After parking,15 minutes had passed and still no order presented itself via the expediter, 20 minutes and counting and now we were becoming a little agitated, not just because of the delay, but the more relevant point of contention was, no employee had relayed to us what was the source of the delay and what was the estimated time that our order would be ready.10 more minutes expired and then exactly 30 minutes into the experience our food arrived.What didn't accompany the food unfortunately, was an apology of why we waited for the time that we waited and why.Ok at this juncture, let me take of my ex managerial hat at this and look at the entire experience from a pure customer point of view only.No protocols or customer service time goals as the litmus test of what fell down here.The main component in this FAIL in my opinion, was not how hard the team was trying to deliver on what the brand promised, through their advertising both store based and on a national level, we all are human and things happen and you learn more from mishaps than milestones accomplished.The tragedy if you can call it that,is that a degree of complacency seems to have set in at this location and that unfortunately comes from above their pay grade, that appears to be ownership or if you will, the Operator, who has decided the level of customer service prioritization that is executed at this location.Since we'll have all heard the old phrase," the speed of the leader is the speed of the pack."Now let's be transparent here, no matter how friendly the service, if one has to wait too long, especially without the customer being kept in the loop, it's...

Today, I was picking up an order for my school event and while I was walking in, I over heard a customer say “don’t worry about it, customer service is too far”. I thought to myself, “why is he being a difficult customer this morning to Chick-fil-A, they’re always on point”. I went to the cashier to pick up a “pay later order” and the cashier asked for money. I wasn’t upset and knew that the issue could be resolved with a manager. So she politely got a manager and I explained everything and all was well. I stepped to the side to wait for the order that I’d discussed with the now, the cashier and manager, while they talked to another “supervisor” I suppose. (He was dressed differently than the manager and cashier, with a silver tag). He came over to ask me if I’d been help and what did I have. I assured him that I’d been helped and proceeded to show my receipt, to make him aware. As I am handing him my receipt he responses with “I CAN’T READ MINDS”. I was so stunned in the moment and in disbelief that all I could reply was “well, someone had already helped me”.

I’ve had trouble with this particular Chick-fil-A since I’ve used it, they run out of things, they leave out items that you request, the salad hasn’t been made fresh and I always give them the benefit of the doubt. I don’t blame the cashiers and cooks they are typically friendly, but following this encounter, I realized that it is management, at this location. I wasn’t rude to them, when I could’ve been and I didn’t expect to be treated this way especially since I was making a large purchase. I will probably use the other Chick-fil-A on Mt. Zion for now on because this one off of Battlecreek was not the Chick-fil-A I’ve learned to love! I definitely took a look at his name...

The last two orders I've placed were missing items ordered. First time I chalked it up to being a misunderstanding, I ordered my usual grilled chicken meal, but I added onto it crispy brussel sprouts. I received everything except the fries that come with the meal. That seems like a simple misunderstanding to me. And I was refunded.

But now I'm not so sure, because this time I ordered the same thing, no crispy brussel sprouts, and I didn't receive the chicken... For my sandwich... I don't know if y'all are out of grilled chicken, but that needs to be communicated well before the meal is taken. Now I have to argue with an AI on Uber eats about the refund, because a computer does not understand how I can receive fragments of what could and should have been a sandwich, but not the most important part of a sandwich. Making it not a sandwich.

I know the refund is not on y'all, but as someone who has done Uber eats, door dash, instacart, etc. I am not going to put the blame on the delivery person, because there is absolutely no way while waiting or in person that they would not have communicated this issue to me if it was communicated to them. They are way more likely to lose their job over something like this than anyone at this restaurant.

I'm not really sure what is going on with this location, but please. Train your employees to properly bag and communicate when there are discrepancies with an order. I never had an issue ordering before, but it is insane to neglect putting chicken in an order at a restaurant practically...