If you’re a fan of Chick-fil-A, chances are you have spent time waiting in one of its famously long lines. This might have caused you some annoyance, but you probably felt like the wait was worth the sandwich or nuggets and fries you took away with you from the drive-thru.
Chances are, you probably never thought about suing the restaurant chain because of its long lines. Well, that thought has crossed the mind of a Texas businessman. However, this man isn’t upset about how long it takes for customers to get their meals. He is angry for another reason.
According to station KNUE 101.5, this businessman from Beaumont, Texas, is suing the restaurant chain and alleging that the chain’s long drive-thru lines keep customers from accessing the parking lot of his business. He is claiming that customers decide not to visit his store due to the drive-thru traffic.
The lawsuit filed by the Beaumont, Texas, businessman isn’t the only one recently filed against Chick-fil-A over the impact the restaurant’s long lines are having on other businesses. The other suits come from business owners in Union, New Jersey, and also Toledo, Ohio, Business Insider reported.
The suit filed in Ohio reportedly comes from businessman and shopping center owner Mario Kiezi. He gave an account of how the drive-thru line at the Chick-fil-A near his property has impacted customers.
“Customers have a hard time getting in. Customers have a hard time leaving. In some instances, customers are trapped in their parking spots. We have had instances where people that are parked in handicap spaces are not able to back out of their space,” Kiezi shared.
Mario Kiezi filed his lawsuit in December 2020.
Salon Owner Describes How Chick-fil-A Drive-Thru Traffic Upsets Her Customers
Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many diners have chosen to use the drive-thrus at restaurants instead of going inside. The pandemic also led to many restaurants closing their inside dining areas. This, of course, led to an increase in drive-thru traffic.
Another business owner who shared details about how Chick-fil-A traffic has impacted business is Sylvia Tan. She is the manager of the Springfield, Virginia business, Joi Wig Salon. She claimed that her customers often struggle to get to the salon because of the nearby chain’s drive-thru traffic. The issue is also causing frustration for her customers.
“The customers, they’re fed up. All our spaces are blocked right in the front, including our handicap spots. And we have a lot of clients with disabilities,” Tan also explained.
Sylvia Tan also said that she felt like Chick-fil-A received more attention from the property manager of her business. “We’re a small mom-and-pop shop. So I feel like nobody really cares about us. The property manager … they care more about Chick-fil-A than us,” she said.
Tan plans to move the salon. They will do so when their lease on the property comes to an end.
“It was solely because of the Chick-fil-A line. There was no other reason,” she said.
According to a statement shared by the restaurant chain, it “strives to be a good neighbor and had modified its drive-thrus to accommodate increased activity because of closed dining rooms during the pandemic.”
