Whatever Happened To Chick-Fil-A's Asian Salad?

For three years, Chick-fil-A's Asian salad provided a unique flavor profile that was also nutritious. This salad had only 330 calories, and it was crafted with Chick-fil-A fried nuggets, romaine lettuce, baby greens, cabbage, carrots, and mandarin oranges. It was served with honey sesame dressing, honey Thai almonds, and Chinese garlic and ginger wontons on the side. Chick-fil-A discontinued the salad in 2016, and the joint hasn't reintroduced it as of April 2023. 

Depending on your preferences, the salad's production might have been halted for good reason. When Chick-fil-A removed the Asian salad from its menu, it also released its Spicy Southwest Salad, which is made with grilled chicken, a heap of greens and vegetables, various types of cheese, roasted corn, and black beans. It's similar to the Asian salad, and it's served with toppings on the side, such as tortilla strips and pepitas. Unfortunately, when the Asian salad was axed, the honey sesame dressing went with it.

If calorie counting is your goal, then the Spicy Southwest Salad comes in at 260 calories, with 70 fewer calories than the salad that's no longer. Some people want to bring back the discontinued menu item, which they made clear through a Change.org petition.

A Change.org petition was launched online in an attempt to guide the return of Chick-fil-A's Asian salad. The petition received about 50 signatures, with one fan saying it was the most delicious item at Chick-fil-A. Twitter users echoed the demand, with even more customers stating it was their favorite salad. As of now, the requests haven't led to the corporation bringing this salad back. That doesn't mean it couldn't, as customer input recently prevented another salad from disappearing.

In March, it was announced that the garden salad would be leaving Chick-Fil-A's menu. Just before the salad was permanently pulled, the company reversed its decision due to consumer feedback. Upon the salad's departure, the brand planned to increase the size of the kale crunch salad on the menu (via The Takeout). Instead, the garden salad, which contains mixed greens, cheese, bell peppers, and grape tomatoes, seems to be here to stay for the foreseeable future. If this proves anything, it's that there's quite a bit of power in numbers.