Food

Chick-fil-A is testing mac and cheese

The chicken chain is offering the item in several cities as a side or off the catering menu.
Photograph courtesy of Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A might add a bit of comfort food to its menu.

The Atlanta-based chicken sandwich chain is testing mac and cheese as a side item in several cities: Phoenix, San Antonio, Nashville, Baltimore, Houston and Greensboro, N.C.

A spokeswoman for the company said the test would help Chick-fil-A decide whether the menu item would become available nationwide “in the future.”

Customers in those markets can also order mac and cheese off the catering menu, as a small or a large tray.

Chick-fil-A has been active in recent months with tests on everything from new products to entirely new business models. That includes a test of meal kits over the summer and a test of a Frosted Key Lime drink.

The chain is also opening new delivery-focused prototypes in Nashville and Louisville, Ky.

Chick-fil-A, which operates well over 2,000 locations in the U.S., is one of the fastest-growing chains in the country, including 14% system sales growth in 2017, according to Technomic. The company’s unit volumes average more than $4.1 million.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

In Red Lobster, a symbol of the challenges with casual dining

The Bottom Line: Consumers have shifted dining toward convenience or occasions, and that has created havoc for full-service restaurant chains. How can these companies get customers back?

Financing

Crumbl may be the next frozen yogurt, or the next Krispy Kreme

The Bottom Line: With word that the chain’s unit volumes took a nosedive last year, its future, and that of its operators, depends on what the brand does next.

Technology

4 things we learned in a wild week for restaurant tech

Tech Check: If you blinked, you may have missed three funding rounds, two acquisitions, a “never-before-seen” new product and a bold executive poaching. Let’s get caught up.

Trending

More from our partners