The One Discontinued Item A Chick-Fil-A Chef Wants To Bring Back - Exclusive

Longtime lovers of Chick-fil-A know that the menu has seen a lot of changes since the restaurant served up its first chicken sandwich more than half a century ago. That's been both a delicious blessing and a sad reality for some dedicated fans — while new and exciting items have been introduced over the years, changing times and evolving tastes also mean saying goodbye to some of our favorite menu items over the years.

Of course, just because an item leaves the menu doesn't mean that it's forgotten in our hearts. And that's not just true for customers, of course. The folks on the inside — from the local employees to the corporate staff and the chefs who bring Chick-fil-A's culinary delights to life — also have their own menu favorites that have come and gone.

Recently, Mashed had the chance to get a peek behind the curtain during an exclusive visit to the chicken chain's headquarters and test kitchen in Atlanta, Georgia. We were there to taste a brand new menu addition, Chick-fil-A's first plant-forward offering, a cauliflower sandwich. While we thoroughly enjoyed this finger-licking new menu item, it got us thinking back to some of our favorite former menu items. We weren't alone, either — while speaking with Chick-fil-A's Lead Culinary Developer, Chef Stuart Tracy, he shared the discontinued offering he would love to bring back to the menu.

When you think of Chick-fil-A's most beloved menu items of the past, a lot of things may come to mind. There was the creamy coleslaw, the carrot raisin salad, the chicken salad sandwich, the breakfast bagels ... you get the idea. We've all got one that dredges up feelings of nostalgia for Chick-fil-A runs of days gone by. For one of the chain's top chefs, it's an old-school after-dinner treat that brings back fond memories.

"I grew up going to Chick-fil-A number one on North Druid Hills," recalled Chef Stuart Tracy. The restaurant's first stand-alone location was also where Tracy used to enjoy a beloved dessert that you may remember: "The old brownie with the frosting and the nuts on top — so good." Reminiscent of a staple lunchbox treat, Chick-fil-A's old brownie was super fudgy, covered in a thick layer of chocolate frosting, and sprinkled with chopped walnuts.

Chef Tracy would love to bring the menu item back for a revival, but he knows it joins a long list of items that customers can't stop thinking about. "Whenever I tell somebody I work for Chick-fil-A, five times out of 10, it's like, 'Why'd you guys get rid of the coleslaw? Or what happened to the carrot raisin salad? Or what about those cinnamon clusters, you guys?'" While Tracy and his fellow Chick-fil-A chefs are responsible for creating all those delicious menu items, he insists he's got no control over what stays and what goes. "I get hit like I had something to do with it, which I didn't, I promise."

Chick-fil-A's new cauliflower sandwich is available at select locations in Colorado, North Carolina, and South Carolina.