Chick-fil-A consistently ranks as one of the top fast food chains in the U.S., and its latest innovation will take meeting customers to a whole new level—literally.
On August 22, the iconic institution opened its first elevated drive-thru restaurant. Located in the Atlanta suburb of Stockbridge, the drive-thru-only location is open to vehicles only, so forget about walking in. The drive-thru-only restaurant concept isn’t new, as Chick-fil-A opened its first in 1993, but the first-of-its-kind design is a new space for the iconic chicken restaurant. The company says it was built to better serve customers on the go.
“Our guests live busy lives, and we are focused on designing our restaurants to best meet their needs,” Chick-fil-A design manager Jonathan Reed said in a statement. “With our new Elevated Drive-Thru design, which includes our first four-lane drive-through, we aim to deliver quality food and genuine hospitality that is uniquely Chick-fil-A, while also saving our guests time in their daily lives.”
Drivers will remain on the ground throughout the experience, while employees in a larger-than-usual elevated kitchen will prepare their meals. Once the food is ready, it will pass through a “unique food transport system” that allows employees to pick up a ready meal every six seconds.
Brett Lewis, the owner and operator of the new venue, is looking forward to returning to his hometown.
“I have had the great fortune of working with Chick-fil-A for a long time. I am excited to return to Stockbridge and honored to open this new concept four miles from my childhood home,” Lewis said. “As a local business owner, I look forward to learning how to best serve the community I grew up in and working with my teammates as we create a unique drive-thru experience for our guests.”
But it’s not the first restaurant to implement this design. In 2022, Taco Bell opened a drive-through-only location in Minnesota with a similarly upgraded kitchen.
If you are in the area and have a car, be sure to try this unique experience.