Review: Chick-Fil-A's New Fall Menu Items Need To Stay On The Menu For Good

You could argue that Chick-fil-A's stellar reputation among customers is owed to the fact that it has practically perfected the chicken sandwich. But just because the chain remains a steady fan favorite doesn't mean it isn't still innovating and shaking things up. As we head into fall, Chick-fil-A is introducing a new flavor each for its Cherry Berry beverage and Waffle Potato Chips, as well as a whole new chicken sandwich.

Earlier this week, I was invited to lower Manhattan to sample its new Cherry Berry & Sprite, Chick-fil-A Sauce Flavored Waffle Potato Chips, and Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwich. As a nearly lifelong Chick-fil-A fan, I was thrilled to get a firsthand look at these products. As usual, the restaurant appears to know exactly what it's doing with its menu, with intriguing yet familiar flavors that provide something new to look forward to on your next visit. If you're already salivating, let's get to the details about what you can expect from Chick-fil-A's new fall menu items.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Chick-fil-A is relaunching its Cherry Berry beverages, bringing back the Cherry Berry Lemonade, Cherry Berry Sunjoy, and Cherry Berry Frosted Lemonade for the first time since they temporarily hit the market in spring of last year. However, you can also look forward to a new mixing option with the debut of Cherry Berry & Sprite, which blends the beverage's bright cherry, blueberry, and cranberry flavors with the beloved lemon-lime soda.

On the food front, the chain is also launching a redesigned version of its packaged Waffle Potato Chips, including a brand-new flavor that I'm convinced will be a runaway hit: Chick-fil-A Sauce Flavored Waffle Potato Chips (but more on my newfound obsession later). However, the new item that will probably turn the most heads is the Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwich, which is making its way to the market after a brief test run in Raleigh, North Carolina, last year. As the name suggests, these are served on a toasted pretzel bun along with lettuce, sliced tomato, cheddar cheese, strips of applewood-smoked bacon, and side packets of the chain's new Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce (another new must-have for me). Like the core sandwiches on Chick-fil-A's menu, you can opt for original, spicy, or grilled chicken.

The good news is that you won't have to wait very long to try any of these brand-new items for yourself. Chick-fil-A is rolling them out to its restaurants nationwide beginning on August 18, 2025. But just make sure you don't wait too long to get in to try them: The chain says most of the items will only be available for a limited time. Fortunately, the chips are a permanent addition to the menu and will also be sold in 7-ounce bags in select grocery stores across the mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S. as of later this fall.

So, how much do these all cost? You'll be able to get the Cherry Berry & Sprite for $2.89, while the original, spicy, and grilled Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwiches will run you $7.65, $8.05, and $8.59, respectively. The chips will cost $2.09 in the restaurant but may vary by location.

On the nutritional front, the Cherry Berry & Sprite clocks in at 200 calories. The 1.5-ounce side-order bags of Waffle Potato Chips are 210 calories for the original and 220 calories for the Chick-fil-A Sauce flavor. And the Pretzel Cheddar Club starts off at 580 calories for the grilled option, 730 calories for the original, and 750 calories for the spicy.

There are probably very few adults out there today who don't have fond memories of ordering a Shirley Temple at dinner when they were kids. So when I saw that Chick-fil-A was essentially creating a modernized version of this beloved mocktail, I was personally thrilled. Of course, there's a lot more going on here than just grenadine and fountain Sprite, with flavors of blueberry and tart cranberry on top of the cherry, which I imagined would round out the taste.

Fortunately, I assumed correctly. While going through the lineup of the revived Cherry Berry drinks, others around me noticed my eyes light up when I got to this new Sprite-mixed offering. (I even went so far as to write "possibly my new favorite" in my notes.) While I wouldn't say no to any of the other options in the Cherry Berry lineup, the carbonation from the Sprite helps buoy the flavors, while the citrusy backbone helps round out the fruitiness without being too cloying. Ultimately, this new option just sang through as the kind of bright and refreshing drink that's begging to be paired with a fried chicken sandwich.

I can't lie: I'm usually the type of person who runs from anything served on a pretzel bun or roll on a menu. Even in the best-case scenarios, they tend to be a lesser bread vessel, often far too dense, waxy, or chewy, with the texture along the lines of a bodega or supermarket bagel.

I started with a bite of the grilled Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwich and was blown away by how soft and airy the bun was. Far from stodgy, this bread was buttery, with a slight bounce to each bite. This was complemented by the juicy chicken breast at the heart of the sandwich, which was neither too salty nor bland and brought a delicious fresh-off-the-barbecue flavor with its grill marks. But in my opinion, the sandwich reached even higher levels when I added a packet of the brand-new Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce: Not only is it a match made in heaven for the pretzel bun, but it's a balanced take on the piquant condiment that adds so much depth to the chicken sandwich.

As I expected, the original sandwich didn't disappoint in the slightest. In this case, the juicy fried chicken breast seemed to enhance the texture of the pretzel bun, while the Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce punches through the fattiness so well that I might start putting it on more of my fried food. However, it was ultimately the spicy sandwich that spoke most to me (and would likely have been my order if I were walking up to the counter), with a slightly crispier skin and a pleasant heat that lingers after each bite.

Even though chicken is literally the name of the game at Chick-fil-A, there's no denying that its waffle fries have worked their way into the hearts of diners in an equally meaningful way. Maybe that's why I never brought myself to try the packaged chip option I had noticed for sale a few times in the past. Now that the company has retooled the chips' shape to more closely resemble the beloved side order, this tasting proved that it's only a matter of time before I reach for them again.

It's not surprising that Chick-fil-A Sauce would work so well as a flavor on a potato chip. Just like the fan-favorite dipping sauce, there's a beautifully complex combination of tastes at play, with hints of mustard and ketchup as well as garlic, onion, and vinegar. If anything, I would say it's similar to the BBQ-flavored chips I grew up eating — just as tangy but thankfully less sweet. The unsung hero here must be the reconfigured shape, though, which provides holes big enough to see through and creates a softer crunch in the mouth that truly does get closer to that in-house fry texture. Whatever the reason, these chips were absolutely made to be eaten.

It's not as if I needed reminding, but the latest fall additions to Chick-fil-A's menu are proof that this restaurant still knows what it's doing. The Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwich is a subtle yet effective deviation from the chain's core offerings and effectively got me to change my opinion on what pretzel buns can be when done right. I have no doubt longtime customers will take a shine to the lineup (and if they're like me, they'll opt for the spicy version). I'm also secretly hoping that the Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce earns itself a permanent position on the chain's sauce lineup.

I also commend Chick-fil-A for bringing back a drink flavor that clearly has legs — especially considering how well it works with the existing core beverage lineup. Those delicious Chick-fil-A Sauce Flavored Waffle Potato Chips will probably work their way into my shopping cart if I can't make my way to a location for an order. Ultimately, I'm just impressed that a chain which continues to rake in orders from customers coast to coast has been able to pull off such a well-executed addition to its menu.