Chick-fil-A Hikes Prices 21 Percent in Two Years as U.S. Fast Food Inflation Accelerates

Photo of David Beren
By David Beren Published

Key Points

  • Chick-fil-A has been around since 1967, and its chicken sandwiches are a beloved staple among customers.

  • The cost of a chicken sandwich has gone up exponentially over the years.

  • Today, Chick-fil-A is in a crowded space of chicken sandwiches against companies like Popeyes.

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Chick-fil-A Hikes Prices 21 Percent in Two Years as U.S. Fast Food Inflation Accelerates

© Alex Wong / Getty Images

While Chick-fil-A might not yet have the size and status of McDonald’s, it’s well on its way to becoming one of America’s favorite fast food destinations. First opening its doors in 1967, this brand is committed to delivering a consistently great-tasting chicken sandwich to its customers every time. 

Of course, with a restaurant chain that opened in 1967, it’s only right that the company has adjusted its prices over the years to keep pace with inflation and changing times. The real question is how much Chick-fil-A has increased its sandwich prices and whether it’s still a great value. 

14. Eat Mor Chikin

Chick-fil-A | Retail Chick-fil-A
Retail Chick-fil-A by ccPixs.com / BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Chick-fil-A is rapidly gaining popularity in the fast-food industry.

In 2025, Chick-fil-A is now a fan favorite and one of the fastest-growing fast-food brands in the country. Famously closed on Sundays, customers flock to its locations thanks to its delicious sandwiches and sauces. However, the company is also feeling the heat, having increased prices 21% in the last two years alone, a reflection of the current global market. 

13. 1967

bluemaumau / Flickr

The first Chick-fil-A location opened in 1967.

When the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta, S. Truett Cathy and family priced the sandwich at just 59 cents. At the time, this was only somewhat competitive with McDonald’s, which was charging 21 cents, but you were getting a larger sandwich that was heavily focused on delivering better ingredients. 

12. 1970

Wolterk / iStock EditWorial via Getty Images

For 59 cents, a chicken sandwich in 1970 was a steal.

In 1970, if you wanted a Chick-fil-A sandwich for yourself, you could find one for just 59 cents. The good news is that even a few years after the chain opened, it wasn’t charging exorbitant prices. This didn’t mean the whole 1970s decade would remain at the same price, but at least the early years did. 

11. 1976

jeepersmedia / Flickr

In 1976, there was a significant increase in pricing due to inflation.

By the time 1976 rolled around, like much of the rest of the consumer goods during a decade of heavy inflation, the price of a Chick-fil-A sandwich had gone up. In 1976, it was going to cost you approximately 75 cents to get your hands on a sandwich. However, you could also get your hands on a sandwich more easily as the company expanded to more mall food courts during this time, while remaining closed on Sundays. 

10. 1980 

plherrera / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

The 1980s still saw relatively low pricing for Chick-fil-A.

When the 1980s began, it was high time to increase the price of a Chick-fil-A sandwich once again. This time, the company increased the price to around $1.35 per sandwich, depending on the location within the United States. At least one menu picture from 1980 validates the pricing on Reddit, with the caveat that prices may change depending on your location. 

9. 1986

Chick-fil-A Potato Waffle French Fries
danielmaina320 / Shutterstock.com

There is just something about how Chick-fil-A waffle fries taste.

Just six years into the 1980s, Chick-fil-A wasn’t messing around with pricing as they increased the sandwich cost to $2.09. At this point, the very first standalone location (non-mall) in Atlanta was selling the sandwich for this price, all while waffle fries, introduced in 1985, were gaining popularity as a menu item. 

8. 1990

jeepersmedia / Flickr

The chain finally achieved 400 locations by 1990.

In 1990, Chick-fil-A had just achieved a milestone of hitting 400 locations around the Southeastern United States. The grilled chicken sandwich was introduced in 1989 to appeal to health-conscious eaters, and the sandwich cost around $2.25 per sandwich. 

7. 1995

Susan Vineyard / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

In 1995, Chick-fil-A debuted its famous “Eat Mor Chikin” campaign.

With 600 locations now available in 20 states, Chick-fil-A was well on its way to becoming a fast food powerhouse. The company had now introduced kids’ meals and salads, giving customers more options. The 1995 debut of the “Eat Mor Chikin” campaign was also a surprise hit, as sandwiches cost an estimated $2.50. 

6. 2000

suzyoliveira / Getty Images

Bottled sauces debuted at Chick-fil-A in 2000.

The new millennium had arrived, and so too had a price increase for a Chick-fil-A sandwich, as prices hit around $2.75 at any of the 1,000 locations the chain now had. Best of all, it was in 2000 that bottled sauces debuted, which would later come to retail in 2020. 

5. 2005

ivanastar / Getty Images

By 2005, Chick-fil-A had achieved $2 billion in annual sales.

Growth continued for the Chick-fil-A brand in 2005, as the company was just hitting sales of just under $2 billion annually, thanks to 1,200 locations. The Spicy Chicken Sandwich was now being tested, though it wouldn’t debut for another five years. Still, you could get the original sandwich for approximately $3.00. 

4. 2012

Close up shot of the delicious Chick Fil A meal, ate at Las Vegas, Nevada
Kit Leong / Shutterstock.com

If you don’t want chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets are another staple at Chick-fil-A.

Turn back the clock to 2012, and according to local restaurants during that time, a Chick-fil-A sandwich would cost you approximately $2.95. The spicy chicken sandwich, which debuted two years earlier, would cost you $3.19, so it’s not a whole lot more if you wanted something spicy to kick off your day. 

3. 2015

Man eating fries at a fast food restaurant.
Joni Hanebutt / Shutterstock.com

The combination of waffle fries and chicken sandwiches is a fantastic meal.

In 2015, Chick-fil-A made a significant consumer-friendly update by committing to antibiotic-free chicken by 2019. Of course, the company knew this would raise costs, but it also recognized that it was part of a globally conscious supply chain that customers wanted. Regardless of the commitment, customers continued to flock to enjoy the company’s $3.65 chicken sandwich. 

2. 2019

jetcityimage / Getty Images

Chick-fil-A and Popeyes are competing for the chicken sandwich market.

According to Facebook posts from 2019, it was likely that you would pay approximately $3.45 for a Chick-fil-A sandwich. If you wanted a deluxe version, you’d have to pay around $3.65. It was also in this year that the “Chicken Sandwich Wars” started with Popeyes introducing an immediately popular chicken sandwich that quickly went viral on social media. Macaroni and Cheese was also introduced in 2019, which helped support additional sales of up to $11.3 billion. 

1. 2025

Fang Zheng / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

A Chick-fil-A sandwich is at least $5.49 anywhere in the country.

Depending on where you live in the country, a plain Chick-fil-A sandwich is roughly going to cost around $5.49. For those of us living in Florida, this is the current price you will pay for a traditional Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich, without any toppings, condiments, or additional items. Adding a piece of cheese only bumps the price up another 30 cents, so you can likely get out of the door for under $6 with this sandwich in 2025.

Photo of David Beren
About the Author David Beren →

David Beren has been a Flywheel Publishing contributor since 2022. Writing for 24/7 Wall St. since 2023, David loves to write about topics of all shapes and sizes. As a technology expert, David focuses heavily on consumer electronics brands, automobiles, and general technology. He has previously written for LifeWire, formerly About.com. As a part-time freelance writer, David’s “day job” has been working on and leading social media for multiple Fortune 100 brands. David loves the flexibility of this field and its ability to reach customers exactly where they like to spend their time. Additionally, David previously published his own blog, TmoNews.com, which reached 3 million readers in its first year. In addition to freelance and social media work, David loves to spend time with his family and children and relive the glory days of video game consoles by playing any retro game console he can get his hands on.

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