Chick-Fil-A Fans Are Marveling At This Super-Crispy Chicken Sandwich

There's a new Reddit post about a super-crispy sandwich one user recently got at their local Chick-fil-A. At first glance, our thought was that while we love all things crispy, that chicken breast looks surprisingly overdone, especially given the fast food chain's reputation for consistency.

Scrolling through the comments, however, we learned that this was no mistake made by a usually-conscientious Chick-fil-A employee. Some fans of the Atlanta-based chain actually order their Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwiches "well done" to give them a little (or a lot, depending on your perspective) extra crunch.

As nearly any Subreddit can, the post stirred up debate. Some Redditors and former/current Chick-fil-A employees responded that, per corporate mandate, cooks aren't allowed to give the chicken breasts a few extra minutes in the fryer. Others chimed in that "their" Chick-fil-A accommodates their extra-crispy requests on the regular as part of the chain's "secret menu." And still others say their local restaurant will make their sandwiches well done outside of lunch and dinner rush times. 

In the Subreddit about ordering your chicken "well done" at Chick-fil-A, one user wrote: "When I do online orders I put it in the special instructions box. When I do, I get a hot as effff chicken sandwich that's crispy. When I forget, I get soggy chicken. Corporate needs to learn what's what." We wonder if "soggy" sandwiches are a delivery or order-ahead phenomenon. Additionally, some Chick-fil-A customers noted that their waffle fries don't hold up well to extra hold times brought on by online ordering and delivery.

This affinity for crunch got us wondering: what is it about crispy, crunchy food that we humans (albeit some more than others) love? There's no doubt that the contrast of tender, juicy chicken and a crispy coating is part of it. But according to an episode of NPR's "Fresh Air" (in which the host notes that Mario Batali once said the adjective "crispy" sells more food than any other), the reason is primal. Show guest John S. Allen, a research scientist at USC, explained that our affinity for crispness might be rooted in a preference for (brace yourself) the insects of 60 million years ago. Our ancestors also learned that crispy equals fresh (and less likely to make them sick) when it comes to vegetation.

Whatever the reason, we like our crispy foods. So if you want your chicken sandwich with a side of extra crunch, try asking your Chick-fil-A to make yours well done.