The 4 Biggest Changes Chick-Fil-A Is Making In 2026

Chick-fil-A turns 80 this year, and they're celebrating in style. Far from slowing down, one of America's oldest fast food chains is behaving like a veritable spring chicken, throwing a year-long party inspired by nostalgia and kicking off some key structural changes that could set the company up for the next 80 years.

While the first Chick-fil-A restaurant was founded in 1967 in Atlanta, the origins of the chain can be traced back to 1946, when S. Truett Cathy and his brother Ben started their hospitality journey with the Dwarf Grill in Atlanta. Eight decades later, Chick-fil-A remains a family-run chain, with the company's stewardship passing down from Truett to his son, Dan, and now his grandson, Andrew. The chain has over 3,000 restaurants in 48 states.

While it may not have the scale of McDonald's, which has over 40,000 locations worldwide, Chick-fil-A still has a loyal legion of fans. In fact, America's favorite chicken sandwich chain isn't KFC or Popeye's, according to Yelp. It's Chick-fil-A. Staying on top of the game in a fast food landscape that's constantly evolving means never standing still, and Chick-fil-A continues to make big changes in 2026.

Chick-fil-A has resisted the temptation to get caught up in fast food value wars like McDonald's or Taco Bell. The chances of finding it on a list of the most affordable fast food chains in America are slim. However, the chain is taking advantage of its 80th anniversary celebration to run a massive marketing campaign, termed Newstalgia, in which customers are receiving some cracking deals and enjoying the return of fan favorites, including the Honey Pepper Pimento Sandwich that got rave reviews when it first hit menus. Other old hits that are back on the summer menu are the pineapple dragonfruit beverages and seasonal peach drinks. 

This year's anniversary celebration has delivered some other juicy hits. In January, the chain ran a Golden Cups Sweepstakes, where it introduced classic reusable cups with retro designs. Among these were hidden 3,000 Golden Fan Cups, with lucky winners getting free Chick-fil-A for a full year. The Original Chicken Sandwich got an old-school makeover as well, thanks to limited-time packaging featuring vintage graphics from the chain's archives. Further leaning heavily into nostalgia, Chick-fil-A is also selling a variety of Newstalgia-themed merchandise, including specialty plush cows with different designs that will be rolled out throughout the rest of the year. 

Chick-fil-A's flavor experiments in 2026 are not restricted to food. The drinks menu is getting a festive upgrade as well. Since its launch in 1946, the "Icedream" has been at the heart of the chain's sweet offerings. The Icedream is Chick-fil-A's take on a soft serve, and is an underrated dessert that's worth trying on its own. 

This year, the chain combined its Icedream with soda flavors from the past and present to add fizz and fun to its customers' meals. Called frosted sodas, these creamy treats are made by hand-spinning Icedream with the guest's favorite soda flavor, whether that's Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, Sprite, or classic Root Beer. Chick-fil-A also offers floats, which are made by layering the soda and Icedream for a more fizzy version. While these used to be secret menu hacks that turned any soda into a dessert, Chick-fil-A has now chosen to put them on its permanent menu.

The chain has been experimenting with its drinks for decades now. Back in 2006, its culinary team launched its first hand-spun milkshakes, which blended Icedream to create a line of creamy drinks. The Frosted Lemonade has a whole army of fans and copycat recipes online, and versions of the classic, like this Peach Frosted Lemonade, are still hitting the spot.

From play areas to plush toys, Chick-fil-A has always gone out of its way to ensure that kids are engaged and entertained. These small touches are all part of ensuring that the chain is creating spaces where families can not just eat, but actually connect. This commitment to family time is most evident in the fact that the chain remains closed on Sundays, so employees can spend time with their families. 

In 2026, Chick-fil-A is making significant efforts to upgrade this experience — starting with introducing an all-time favorite on the Kids' Meals menu. The chain's children's menu features items like fried chicken nuggets, grilled chicken nuggets, and fried chicken strips, along with sides like apple sauce and mac and cheese. In fact, when we ranked fast food mac and cheese from best to worst, Chick-fil-A's baked-in version was among our favorites. However, this evergreen option has been absent from the Kids' Meals menu as a main dish – until 2026. Kids can now enjoy the cheesy, creamy mini meal as an entree, along with a side dish and a drink, ranging from fruit bowls and applesauce to waffle fries and milk.

It isn't just the food, either, getting an upgrade in the kids' department. Over 200 playgrounds attached to Chick-fil-A outlets across America are getting a makeover this year, with new interactive games and designs on the menu. Meanwhile, the Chick-fil-A Play App includes animated shows and immersive games — taking the idea of playing with food to a whole new level.

While most customers experience Chick-fil-A at traditional locations, others may get their fix at non-traditional spots, like in a food court at a local university. At the end of 2025, the company announced that during the next few years, it would begin converting its licensed locations on college campuses, hospitals, and theme parks to an owner-operator model. While the daily operations will continue to be run by its franchisees, this move better aligns the Chick-fil-A customer experience across all locations by ensuring each store offers more than just the same menu.

While this owner-operator model is designed to encourage local ownership and community engagement, it also allows customers to use the same apps, memberships, and branded gift cards across more locations. While over 400 licensed spots will switch to the new model in 2026, this is being projected as a long-term play that will shape the company's future. "We are excited about this next chapter," a Chick-fil-A press release noted, adding that the company believed this local ownership business model would allow it "to serve and care for guests and extend the great food and hospitality of Chick-fil-A in more places, for many years to come."