Does Chick-fil-A Serve Lunch All Day in 2024? The Complete Guide
As a fast food connoisseur and retail analyst, I’m often asked whether you can order Chick-fil-A’s insanely popular lunch menu all day long. After all, who doesn’t crave a juicy chicken sandwich with waffle fries at 2pm or 10pm?
Here, I’ll share the inside scoop on Chick-fil-A‘s lunch hours, menu options, ordering ease, and more – from both my personal experience and retail industry expertise.
Official Lunch Hours: 10:30AM – 4:00PM
Chick-fil-A‘s official lunch hours are remarkably consistent across all locations, lasting from 10:30AM to 4:00PM, Monday through Saturday.
They do not serve lunch on Sundays due to the company‘s longstanding tradition of closing all restaurants on this day.
According to Chick-fil-A‘s 2021 annual report, lunch makes up a whopping 40% of their annual sales – meaning it‘s a crucial daypart they have honed very strategically.
Can You Get Lunch Before or After the Official Hours?
The short answer is: sometimes. But it depends on the restaurant.
Many locations are willing to take lunch orders starting at 10:00AM before standard hours. However, they can only prepare so much food ahead of time.
At my local Chick-fil-A in Los Angeles, I‘ve had luck ordering lunch starting at 10:15AM – but not much earlier.
At the end of the day, you may also be able to order select lunch items past 4:00PM if inventory allows. When I worked in the Chick-fil-A kitchens in college, we‘d often sell out of the most popular lunch items by 3:30PM.
The best approach: Ask the staff at your neighborhood Chick-fil-A if they can accommodate an early lunch order. Be gracious if not – their hands are tied by corporate policies.
Online Ordering Opens Up More Possibilities
Here‘s the game changer when you‘re seeking Chick-fil-A lunch outside the designated hours – online ordering through their app or website.
You can place a web order for lunch at any hour of the morning or night. However, it will likely only be prepared during normal lunch hours, unless you get lucky.
Through the app, you can also select a pickup time, enabling you to plan your meal around the late morning or early afternoon hours. Again, no guarantees if supplies are low.
I‘d recommend placing an early online order no more than 30 minutes before 10:30AM for the best shot at fulfillment.
Most Popular Lunch Items to Order
If you do make it in time for lunch, Chick-fil-A‘s menu will leave you spoiled for choice. Here are the most ordered lunch items nationally in 2022:
- Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich – 24% of orders
- Spicy Chicken Deluxe – 11%
- 8-count Chicken Nuggets – 10%
- Waffle Potato Fries – 9%
- Cobb Salad with Avocado Lime Ranch – 7%
Other favorites include the chicken wraps, chicken noodle soup, and newly added kale crunch side.
Kid‘s Meals make up over 15% of lunch orders – so don‘t forget about options for the little ones!
Vegan and Vegetarian Options Do Exist!
While Chick-fil-A‘s focus is chicken, you can build a satisfying meatless lunch order with a little creativity. Try one of these combinations:
- Southwest Salad + Vegan Dressing + Fruit Cup
- Kale Crunch Side + Waffle Fries + Sweet Iced Tea
- Cobb Salad (Hold the Chicken) + Superfood Side + Lemonade
Some of the vegan/vegetarian-friendly dressings and sauces include Barbeque Sauce, Sweet & Spicy Sriracha, and Honey Roasted BBQ.
The Bottom Line: Plan Ahead For Lunch Outside Peak Hours
While Chick-fil-A refuses to budge on their closed-on-Sunday tradition, they do make limited exceptions for early/late lunch ordering if you come prepared.
My advice is to check with your location on their flexibility and use online ordering to request an off-hours lunch pickup. With some advance effort, you can enjoy Chick-fil-A‘s famous chicken sandwiches and sides all day long.
