Eat Mor Chikin

The Setting: Not a cloud in the sky.

The Soundtrack: Birds squawking away outside the window.

Steaming up the Oven: A sheet of rice. More on that next time.

The Scenario: Uh-oh. Chick-fil-A is even more wonderful than I thought.


Disclaimer: what you are about to read is an unapologetic, and definitely unsolicited, love letter to a fast-food chain. And yet, I encourage you to read on.

Hoosband and I eat fast food very rarely--far, far, less than he would like, and a little more than I'd like to admit--mostly on road trips.

There are very few fast food establishments whose food I actually crave on a regular basis, but Chick-fil-A is one of them.

Chick-fil-A founder, Truett Cathy, was the keynote speaker once at a philanthropy conference I attended in college, and his humble message of giving made me proud to be a Chick-fil-A addict.

The warm, and somehow seemingly genuine, welcome I receive every time I approach a Chick-fil-A counter or drive-through, no matter the location, season, or time of day, affirms my addiction.

And when I unfailingly get a craving for a chicken biscuit every Sunday, the "closed" sign I see, though saddening, both deepens my respect for the establishment and keeps my addiction in check.

After the introduction of the spicy chicken sandwich, I didn't think it was possible that I could love Chick-fil-A any more deeply.

But the other day I went into a Chick-fil-A and saw a basket overflowing with little to-go cups of Cheerios.

Behind it, a sign read roughly:

Parents,

Are your children too small to Eat Mor Chikin?

Please help yourself to some free Cheerios, on us.

As a parent who's been breaking off pieces of pancake to pacify the little one at breakfast joints and toting around "banana puffs" to dole out when mommy and daddy do lunch, I almost started clapping when I saw this thoughtful gesture.

I'm not sure if the Cheerios are a nationwide initiative for Chick-fil-A, or simply something a local store thought up, but either way, I am impressed.

As I'm certain other moms with wee ones would also appreciate Chick-fil-A's consideration, I simply had to share.

Thanks for reading! Here's to Being the Secret Ingredient in your life.