IT ALL ADDS UP
Download enough fast food apps, and you eventually *can* get what amounts to a free lunch.
Recently, the generous people at Chick-fil-A loaded a few surprise rewards on my CFA mobile app (a free large drink, free bag of waffle chips) and that spurred me to stop here for lunch the other day. This location on Larkin Ave in Joliet opened in August 2025, so it's still relatively new.
Despite there only being a single car in front of me, the drive-thru wait exceeded 5+ minutes. On a return visit, the drive-thru was somehow even slower and even the mobile ordering line (which is typically speedier) was a solid 10 minutes. What gives?
After my visit, I got yet another notification to complete a quick survey for -- you guessed it -- a free sandwich. The carousel of freebies keeps turning! Protip: always ask for "lite ice" in your drink, otherwise you wind up getting nearly 80% ice and only a few sips of actual soft drink.
* TL;DR *
Prior to my posting, this Chick-fil-A only had two reviews: one 5-star and one 1-star. With the median rating already sitting at an underwhelming 3*, this review will neither help nor hinder that.
I've been to a handful of CFA's in the Chicago metro area, and this one is BY FAR the slowest. Whether due to understaffing or a general lack of training, there seems to be no urgency in getting orders out the door. read more