Chick-Fil-A Fans Are Disagreeing With This Reddit Pickle Complaint

You don't need to be a frequent flyer through the drive-thru to know that fast-food chicken sandwiches have been having a moment. The poultry product has been in the spotlight ever since Popeyes debuted its take on the chicken sandwich in 2019, per Restaurant Business. And now, it's practically impossible to find a fast-food menu that doesn't feature the crispy sammie — though it's still the Original Chicken Sandwich from Chick-fil-A that many fans consider the crown jewel of the bunch.

The brainchild of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy, consisting of breaded chicken and pickles in between two buttery toasted buns, was found to have an average customer satisfaction score of 4.39 out of 5 last year, earning it the prestigious title of the best fast-food chicken sandwich of 2021, according to Eat This, Not That!. Yet the acclaimed sando was still the recipient of a complaint from a customer on Reddit, who took to the social media platform to air a very specific grievance about the eatery's star item.

"Why does every sandwich I get from every location, made by every employee consistently have two pickles mating either on the outer edge or in the dead center of my sandwich, surrounded by pickle-less spicy wasteland?" Reddit user u/Ecstatic_Ad7362 wrote in a January thread on the Chick-fil-A subreddit. The Redditor also requested that employees "put some space between the d**n things." However, several respondents claimed that the Reddit poster could also take action to fix this "problem" themselves, rather than complaining.

Redditors have a solution for the Chick-fil-A pickle issue

Pickles are a key component of both Chick-fil-A's Original and Spicy Chicken Sandwiches, which a majority of participants in a Reddit poll preferred. So we can't say we don't understand Reddit user u/Ecstatic_Ad7362's disappointment with how the pickles have been placed on their sandwiches in the past. "It's like you take four bites with no pickle, and then one lucky bite is 'HELLO PARTNER! WELCOME TO CATHY'S PICKLE CARNIVAL, WHERE THE PICKLES OVERWHELM YOUR TASTEBUDS AND TAKE THE WHOLE FLAVOR PROFILE HOSTAGE YEEEEEEEEHAWWWWW'," they explained.

Getting a piece of tangy pickle in each bite of a Chick-fil-A sandwich is certainly the ideal situation. However, unlike Reddit user u/Ecstatic_Ad7362, most of the eatery's fans on the social media platform don't seem concerned if that isn't the reality of their sandwich-eating experience. A majority of commenters didn't agree with the original Redditor's complaint about what they perceived as unacceptable topping placement. More specifically, other Reddit users took issue with the user putting the blame on the chain's employees.

"I've never worked at a CFA, but I have a feeling that if you had to crank out as many sandwiches per hour as they do, you might get a little sloppy with your pickle placement," said u/coffee_guy, whose theory was later confirmed by another Redditor who claimed to be employed by the chain. "We make roughly 10-15 sandwiches a minute, so we really don't have the time to carefully place the pickles," u/dramaticlychicken said.

Chick-fil-A has specific instructions regarding pickle placement on its sandwiches

As it turns out, Chick-fil-A is very particular about the placement of its pickles, which come in a standard serving of two to three per sandwich, depending on size. In fact, in response to u/Ecstatic_Ad7362's post, one self-identified Chick-fil-A employee said their store had a meeting regarding standards in 2021, during which staff members were advised that "pickles should be 'dating not mating.'" For those who aren't employed by the chicken giant, Business Insider offered a more plainly-worded description of the pickle placing rules. "The pickles have to be touching but not quite overlapping, and placed so they cover the maximum surface area," the outlet detailed.

But even with such diligent instructions, there are plenty of reasons why the pickles on your Chick-fil-A sandwich won't be picture-perfect — which is something a majority of respondents to the Reddit thread seem to understand.

Another Reddit user, meanwhile, offered an easy fix for the supposed pickle problem. "I always ask for extra pickles, and then rearrange them on the bun," u/sauceistheboss5 shared. Just like that, problem solved.

As noted in another Reddit thread, the free customization typically yields an additional two pickles slices — though you can always request more to get your optimal pickle-to-chicken ratio. You can even ask to get your extra pickles on the side to avoid the dreaded soggy sammie, which, to many, might be an even worse fate than having to rearrange the pickles before digging into your meal.