A Chick-fil-A customer appears convinced that the beloved fast-casual poultry franchise has changed its main attraction stating that the brand’s chicken just doesn’t hit like it used to.
Katelyn Nassar (@katelynfletcher) posted a viral TikTok addressed directly to Chick-fil-A, demanding to know why the business decided to change the chicken it uses in its recipes.
“This message is for Chick-fil-A and for Chick-fil-A only: why did you change your chicken? Because this tastes like rubber,” she states, opening up one of the chain’s red cardboard containers and then pulling out a breaded nugget.
“It’s like rubber. Like literally…” she says right before she takes a chomp out of the allegedly “rubber” chicken. “Not the same crunch…I’m upset. That’s all,” she declares.
In 2014, Chick-fil-A promised customers it would never serve chickens that have been treated with antibiotics, NBC News reported, but it has since shifted from this stance in the spring of 2024: “In a statement released Monday, the fast-food company said that starting this spring it would serve chicken that was free only of antibiotics ‘important to human medicine,’ or those commonly used to treat people.”
NBC went on to write that the popular fast-food chain stated its wares will still be free of “artificial preservatives, steroids, and added hormones” and that the chickens they’re serving may have been raised with other birds treated with antibiotics.
The chain isn’t the only prominent American business that’s had to shift away from an antibiotic-free chicken policy: Tyson in July 2023 shifted away from this stance as well, a consequence of the “avian-flu outbreak that devastated poultry supplies nationwide.”
@katelynfletcher It was so bad today and im upset #chickfila ♬ original sound – Katelyn Nassar
Perdue has committed to this pledge, and Pilgrim’s Pride says that it offers customers the option of eating chickens that have been raised without antibiotics too.
Healthline stated that some have concerns over antibiotics in food due to bacteria that can be passed onto humans. Additionally, some contest that antibiotic usage weakens our immune systems.
“Agriculture uses antibiotics to help reduce death rates among livestock, but the amount is very low and tightly regulated. No current evidence suggests that antibiotics in meat and animal foods directly harms humans,” the outlet penned. It adds that even consumers who are concerned about eating food containing antibiotics may be overthinking matters: “Contrary to what you may think, your chance of actually consuming antibiotics through animal foods is extremely low.”
This is mostly due to the laws surrounding serving animals who have drugs present in their systems, something Healthline says is categorically illegal not just in the states but many other countries: “Additionally, veterinarians and animal owners are required to ensure that any animal products they produce are drug-free before they can be used as food.”
It’s unknown whether Chick-fil-A’s decision to switch from antibiotic-free chicken is behind the purported dip in the taste of the chicken. However, several others responded to Nassar’s video and agreed with her assessment.
“The last two times we had it was awful. No more going to chick fil a,” one person wrote.
For another user, the after-effects of chomping down on the chain’s offerings simply weren’t worth it: “Not to mention it ALWAYS upsets my tummy.”
Someone else replied, “I spit out a piece the other day I thought it was raw it was so chewy and elastic.”
While another remarked, “I got it today and forgot they changed it and I had a huge tendon.”
However, there was one person who said that they didn’t seem to think Chick-fil-A’s offerings were all that different: “Maybe it’s certain areas- I’ve gotten it 2x the past month and it’s tasted the same.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Chick-fil-A and Nassar via email for further information.
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