Chick-fil-A — Restaurant in Virginia Beach

I debated for several minutes about how many stars to give and I finally decided that 4 were appropriate for tonight's visit.

Normally, the biggest issue I've ever encounter at this restaurant are long & really slow drive-thru lines. Tonight was 2 very different & separate issues.

The Chick-Fil-A app allows diners to order ahead with several ways to get your food: by physically going into the store, going through the drive-thru or by curbside service where they bring the food out to your car. Tonight, I opted for curbside service.

Prior to going to Chick-Fil-A, I was next door at Rite Aid after taking my sick son to the doctor. My son was with me during all of this. When leaving Rite Aid, I place my food order through Chock-Fil-A's app. I received an order # and had an option to review my order, an option/button not available before you place your order. I drive over to the restaurant and park in a Curbside Parking pick up space and wait.

Boy did we wait! We initially waited about 20 minutes and I continuously checked our order status and chose to review our order to make sure I entered everything properly. So, at around the 20 min mark, I pull up the app and it us NOW asking me to submit my order!!! I was incredulous! All that time I'd been track in ng my "order" and now I'm being asked to place my order?? It made no sense! Well, i placed my order. Again.

I'm handicapped and getting around isn't easy for me so I called the store (instead if going in) and asked for a manager. "Lynn" came to the phone & the rescue. She told me there was no record of my having placed an order approximately 25 minutes earlier and only had the one I'd just placed. I explained how i knew for certain that my original order had gone through - i had an order #, was able to review my order, I was able to check the order status, etc. Lynn was very apologetic and said they'd had several issues with the app today. She assured me that she'd have my order out to me ASAP now that sh er had it on her screen. When Lynn brought the food out, she apologized again and gave me several "free food" gift cards. All was good and I headed home, which was less than a mile away, practically across the street.

I walked in the house and asked my hubby to get the food out. Guess what? My son's (the sick kid) chicken nuggets weren't in the bag! I called Lynn to tell her and prepared myself for having to drive back to Chick-Fil-A to pick up the food. Lynn couldn't believe they forgot part of the order and then surprised me by offering to drive to food to me!

About 10 minutes later, Lynn herself arrived at my doorstep with my son's food in hand. She sincerely apologized again and told me she would be refunding our entire order because of all we had been through!

Yes, I had a rough experience but Lynn took charge and made everything right by me, the customer. Yes, I will definitely continue to eat at this restaurant and I'll even give the app...

Children running the farm here. So what else is new at these places. We are witnessing the continuous degradation in the quality of service and personnel at Chick-fil-A over the past several years--at more than one location. Same has been noted by others in my circle as well. While I appreciate the improvements in the drive-through and attractive renovations to the interior spaces, the staff has become younger and younger, they're less focused, and flirty play time and chat time seem to occupy much of their time most every time I visit. Especially when it's not very busy.

Today, I entered with no one in front of me. There were at least seven or eight employees behind the counter. One of them approached after staring blankly at me for at least 15 seconds, and then backed away telling the other one to take my order. She was young, pale of skin and with strawberry blonde bushy hair tied back into a ponytail. She wore glasses. I include this information for no other reason than to not have to name her and embarrass her, and yet allow a manager to perhaps identify her for reeducation. So...the other one took my order but she was extremely slow like I've never seen before here. My food came to her before she could even get the drink. So then I ended up dumping the table conde onto my own tray, taking everything back to my table myself.

Later I needed a refill, so I approached the counter. The same two young ladies were there. The same one who backed away before walked right by me without saying a word, and the other one apologized. I don't know why, but she also kept walking. Literally 3 1/4 minutes later (as I timed it) someone else only came in line, and lo and behold, the one with the ponytail actually approached them and ignored me. Unbelievable. So I called out to the other young lady and said "I don't know why you're ignoring me but I would like a refill please." She apologized again. Profusely this time but offered no explanation. Why she was standing right in front of me for almost 4 minutes without actually addressing me or the empty cup in my hand, I will never understand. I thought I was in the twilight zone. This is not the standard that Chick-fil-A has set for service since I've been a regular from the 1980s. Far from it. I lived in their own territory of Atlanta and Birmingham, and this would never happen they're used to not be this way the beach, but it's deathly be coming in a few. Also with the hellcat location unacceptable hate to say it time of the children are running the entire operation. I don't know what happened to the adults, but they disappeared from all their restaurants. And I do love young people, but sometimes they need a little bit of support and re-training from seasoned individuals...

This Chick-Fil-A is located in the Parkway Plaza Shopping Center, which is located just south of Lynnhaven Mall. The place is pretty easy to spot along Lynnhaven Parkway. I have been here several times now, and my most recent visit was on December 26, 2021.

On my first visit on December 18, 2021, it was pretty busy. I had ordered everything online through their app, so I didn't have to do any payments there. The biggest thing on the first visit was the line was backed up quite a bit. It was backed up into the main road in the shopping center, so it was blocking traffic that wanted to go elsewhere or were leaving the shopping center (for the record, there were two lines). After spending some time in line, I told the order taker I had an order from the app and found it quickly. With a few taps on his end, that was it. After that, the two lanes end up merging as everyone ends up going through the drive through lane. Once you merge, Kimberly was there to print out the receipt and continued on. Once you get to the window, there were a few out there getting the orders. They ask for your name and if they didn't have it ready, they had you go down to the end until it did come out. For this particular order, I had gotten the Grilled Chicken Club with Pepper Jack Cheese, large fries, and an 8 piece grilled nuggets. The grilled nuggets were for the dog.

On this most recent visit, I pre-ordered ahead of time again through the app. This time I ordered the Grilled Chicken Club with Pepper Jack Cheese, large fries, and a chocolate chunk cookie. The cookie was free as a birthday reward on the app. The line this time was not as crazy as the first visit, so it was pretty quick this time. The overall experience was mostly the same as the first one. The only difference is after I got home, I realized they gave me the wrong sauce as I had chosen the Sweet and Spicy Siracha sauce, but got a honey mustard one instead.

Overall, I can tell you that the food was really good. I have really come to a liking with the Grilled Chicken Club with Pepper Jack Cheese. I like things with a kick to it, and the Sweet and Spicy Siracha sauce fit the bill when it came to having it with the fries (they gave it to me correctly in the first visit). Things happen. It was the day after Christmas after all. That won't stop me from coming back, and it shouldn't sway anyone else to not come here either. One suggestion though is to maybe not use the drive through when it's extremely busy. Other locations bring it out to you in the line without having to go through the single drive through lane. In the end, I have had some great experiences here overall and will be back. You should check this place out too if you're looking for...