“Hey guys, where do you want to go eat on Friday?”  

   This is something that a lot of people have heard at one point or another.  If you live in Holland however, it may go a little something like this.  

   “We want to go to Chick-fil-a!”  

   “Nope, we have already talked about this, we can’t do that, the closest one is over forty minutes away.”

   NOT ANYMORE!  Finally, in early 2018, Holland will have a Chick-Fil-A of our own.  It is currently being built in North Park Drive near Walmart and Steak and Shake.  Before the two Chick-Fil-A locations were opened in Grand Rapids, West Michigan was stuck waiting for the restaurant to come.  Even still, those of us on the furthest west coast have not had easy access to this restaurant.  For some, that didn’t matter, but for most, it did, and they still have not eaten there.  To those who have never eaten there, it may not seem like that special of a place, but there are many reasons why Chick-Fil-A is a one of a kind restaurant.

   No matter where one decides to eat, there are two things that stand out the most to patrons at restaurants, the quality of the food and the service.  Chick-Fil-A has unique food options.  The majority of the food offered at Chick-Fil-A has chicken in it (not a surprise), but there are also salads, as well vegan sauces and fries, so everyone can find something to eat there.  “I like Chick-fil-a because I’m vegan, and their fries are vegan (unlike McDonald’s) and taste better than any other restaurant’s. Also, some of my favorite sauces are vegan there, like the Polynesian sauce, honey mustard sauce, barbecue sauce, and the sriracha sauce.  On top of everything else, there is also salad, which is really nice,” Soph. Olivia Paquette said.  All the food at Chick-Fil-A is cooked in highly refined peanut oil, which is healthier than what is used in other fast food restaurants, and according to Chick-Fil-A, not an allergen.  “The food at Chick-Fil-A is comparable with higher-end fast food, like Five Guys,” Jr. Joe Kramer said.  “A great benefit of Chick-Fil-A is that it is good fast food, but it isn’t a normal, greasy burger,” Sr. Abby Panse said.

   The service at Chick-Fil-A is also highly rated.  If a restaurant chain wants to be remembered well, this aspect is extremely important.  If patrons are treated poorly or employees are not welcoming and personable, it will make many people not want to come back.  “It’s food is great, but it’s service is even better,” Panse said.  “Great service and food, the whole family loves it,” Kramer said.  Good service at restaurants also means that people looking for work will be more inclined to check out the places that they enjoy going to eat.  “Chick-Fil-A will probably give a lot of people jobs, and it seems like a good place to work,” Paquette said.  All in all, Chick-FIl-A has a really good atmosphere around it.

   A lot of people are excited that Chick-Fil-A is coming to Holland for other reasons than good food and service though.  “I don’t usually get to go to Chick-Fil-A because the closest one is in Grand Rapids, so I’m super excited I won’t have to go as far,” Kramer said.  Kramer also states that if given the choice of any fast food restaurant to eat at on any given night, he would choose Chick-Fil-A about half of the time, which is a pretty large percentage considering all of the other options out there.  Kramer also finds another interesting benefit of Chick-Fil-A coming to Holland.  “Because Chick-Fil-A expanded here, other restaurant and businesses might do the same, so we will have newer ideas, options, and products to experience and buy.”  For those with specific dietary needs, Chick-Fil-A is a fairly inclusive restaurant.  “I like that I can go to Chick-Fil-A with my friends, and even though I am vegan we can both eat, and it isn’t awkward for either of us,” Paquette said.

   Construction is already underway for the Chick-Fil-A here in Holland, and it is planned to open in the next six months.  There are those who like Chick-Fil-A more than any other restaurant, those who don’t like it very much, and those in Holland who have never been there before.  No matter which group you are in, it is probably worth checking out the newest Chick-Fil-A venue.