Santa Barbara ready to declare their Chick-Fil-A a public nuisance

[RNRMOM]

We have a few CFAs within a 10 mile radius and I think they do well with crowd control in a metropolitan area. I think their chicken sandwiches have gone down just a bit in quality, but their fries, macaroni and cheese, milkshakes and customer service are still pretty good. However since the pandemic I enjoy cooking at home more and I feel better after a home-cooked meal.

 

[NotUrsula]

We got a new CFA in our neighborhood a couple of years ago, also facing onto a main road. The local alderman cooperated with the franchisee to prevent traffic backups, and it has worked, but the changes were pretty major. The side road next to the restaurant was gated off 80 feet from the major cross-street; it used to be one-way feeding into the major artery, now it is a 2-way dead-end into that gate (which the FD has the code to open , should they need to come in with emergency equipment.) The remainder of the side road has essentially become part of the CFA entryway; it's the back exit from the drive-thru.

They also reduced the footprint of the restaurant itself, changing the shape a bit to accomodate the ability to have the line double-back several times if necessary, and they put 4 exit cuts into the drive-thru lanes, to give them the ability to walk orders out to cars early and get them out of the lanes if the line is getting too long. Parking in the lot is allowed, but the landscaping is designed to allow pull-throughs, so that people don't have to back out to get out of a parking space.

Sounds like the Santa Barbara shop needs to try the exit cut tactic; it does give you the ability to very quickly shorten the drive-thru line if you have the staff (and I don't know about SB, but here CFA pays much better than the other fast-food places, so they have no trouble getting more staff.)

 

[amcnj]

I am surprised the town didn’t know that the lines get long there when they approved their site plan. The one I saw being built had the entrance from a back lane behind the restaurant. The lane extended to several other businesses too. Unfortunately all locations can’t afford such a luxury. But as it got busier they added more outdoor lanes, then added order takers outside, then finally built a second one about four miles down the road.

Both are still quite busy. It does amaze me just how busy they get compared to the Burger King and Wendy’s right across the street from one of them. I have to admit the lines have scared me off at times.

 

[BrianL]

Both are still quite busy. It does amaze me just how busy they get compared to the Burger King and Wendy’s right across the street from one of them. I have to admit the lines have scared me off at times.

I'll tell you though, I'd get in a CFA line that is 15 cars deep over a Burger King line that's about 3. The service at CFA is very good and they are pretty efficient at working those drive-thru lines!

 

[mrodgers]

"Your quality is too good, your service is excellent, and you're too successful!
Therefore, you're a public nuisance!"

Welcome to California.

Yup. And blame Chick-fil-a for what the general population is doing. Chick-fil-a I'd bet my money doesn't have a single car out on the street. The people however, do have cars all over the street.

 

[StageTek]

I used to live in Santa Barbara. The location is on upper State St very close to La Cumbre Plaza (outdoor shopping mall). This is so totally an SB thing...saying they want new businesses, and then when the businesses show up and attract customers, the city changes its mind and says, "We don't want you here after all."

I grew up in Santa Barbara. You are so right!

There is a similar problem with an In-N-Out in Hollywood. Long, long lines to get into the drive through that blocks traffic and driveway access to many homes and apartments along the way.

 

[Mysterian]

I grew up in Santa Barbara. You are so right!

There is a similar problem with an In-N-Out in Hollywood. Long, long lines to get into the drive through that blocks traffic and driveway access to many homes and apartments along the way.

Are there no other nearby In-N-Outs in that region that folks could drive to, to avoid swarming one location?

We have a nearby Whattaburger and Popeye's and it's the same. During the lockdown especially, same story, loads of cars sitting in the highway that were in line for food. And one of these is right across the street from the police station.

Doctors should provide aerial traffic photos of these places to illustrate the clogged arteries the customers will have after loading up on this food on a habitual basis.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I feel like this is a "only in CA" type story.

When Whataburger opened up here first last year (and there's numerous locations planned in the metro) it was with welcome arms AND a new traffic pattern set up with the police departments and cities where they have opened. The first one on my side of the state line in the metro just opened up last week. Of course these are temporary (lasting several weeks or so after opening) but I can't imagine a city here being like "yeah go figure out something else you're bothering the area".

This story sounds like the city engineers need to come up with a solution for how to rework the street to accommodate businesses in general. I don't think this is about Chick-fil-A at all. Either this street is zoned for commercial usage or it's not. And if the commercial businesses are proving too great for the street you can either rezone it or look at how to bring the street into the future because this seems like the city is playing pass the buck. As population grows and shifts so do your streets.

The issue isn't even not allowing customers to park and eat (doesn't help but isn't actually the main problem). Funny how in the OP it was mentioned "State Street is one of the city’s most important streets for moving people and goods" and yet they allowed commercial businesses including fast food locations where people drive up to a place and wait in line, to be located right on this street. Sounds like poor planning on the city's part and now they are crying foul. Typically government entities though

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Never having heard of such a thing before, I'm confused at how they stop people from doing so?

I don't know that any around my area have done that as in prohibited by a normal policy but I do know when stay at home orders were around and it continued for quite a while later after the orders were removed the parking spots in the several Chick-fil-A in my immediate area were majority turned into mobile order pick up spots so there weren't really many if any for a while normal non-signed parking spots.

 

[MamaBelle4]

I see these lines at Chik Fil A and I just don't get it. It's not bad, but certainly not worth waiting that long for.

I'd much rather have Popeyes or Zaxby's (not that there's one of those near me!).

 

[GreatLakes]

There are a couple Dunkin Doughnut locations here that have their lines back up into roads. I have no idea how the police haven't stopped that yet. One in perticular is just after a bend that could make it hard to see a line of stopped cars in a travel lane that is 35.

 

[Planogirl]

They have long lines here too but they are so fast that we still get through quickly.

 

[bcla]

They have long lines here too but they are so fast that we still get through quickly.

Perhaps that might help the people waiting to order, but the primary concern is that it's create an unsafe condition on the road where there have been collisions. I get really angry when there are unsafe conditions with a single double parker who won't move even when there's parking.

I remember going to an In-N-Out when all locations closed their dining rooms, even for takeout. There was one in a island in a strip mall where they coned a route for drive-thru customers to take. But that's not practical when there's a standalone location with only room for about 8-9 cars before it starts backing into a street that doesn't have street parking.

 

[wowsmom]

Are there no other nearby In-N-Outs in that region that folks could drive to, to avoid swarming one location?

Pretty much all In n Out locations have this problem - I've experienced long lines at locations in SF, Stockton, somewhere between San Jose & Stockton (no idea what city it was), Bakersfield, Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, Ventura, Camarillo, Westlake/Thousand Oaks, Torrance, Orange. I think the only location I've ever been to that wasn't busy was in San Pedro.

 

[bcla]

Pretty much all In n Out locations have this problem - I've experienced long lines at locations in SF, Stockton, somewhere between San Jose & Stockton (no idea what city it was), Bakersfield, Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, Ventura, Camarillo, Westlake/Thousand Oaks, Torrance, Orange. I think the only location I've ever been to that wasn't busy was in San Pedro.

I've stopped at a location in the Central Valley along I-5 and it wasn't too bad. However, I almost never use the drive-thru. I can't figure out why people won't take available parking spots where they'll be out within 15 minutes with 5 parties in pine, while they'll wait 30-45 miles in a line that snakes around a parking lot and/or street.

 

[StageTek]

Are there no other nearby In-N-Outs in that region that folks could drive to, to avoid swarming one location?

Two nearby. Both crazy busy, too.

What I don't quite understand is a drive-through Starbucks about a mile away from the In-N-Out that has the same issue - long lines of cars (often 20 or more) blocking a right turn lane onto a main street because the entrance is about 50ft from the corner. People get into the "line" who actually want to make a right turn.

 

[_19disnA]

Always found their food mediocre and nothing special. I just don't get their popularity. Many other fast food places I would choose instead.

 

[bcla]

The issue isn't even not allowing customers to park and eat (doesn't help but isn't actually the main problem). Funny how in the OP it was mentioned "State Street is one of the city’s most important streets for moving people and goods" and yet they allowed commercial businesses including fast food locations where people drive up to a place and wait in line, to be located right on this street. Sounds like poor planning on the city's part and now they are crying foul. Typically government entities though

Not sure it's necessarily that bad planning, as they have a dining room and ample parking. The problem is that there are customers who simply won't get out of their cars and insist on using a drive-thru. I took a screenshot.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Not sure it's necessarily that bad planning, as they have a dining room and ample parking. The problem is that there are customers who simply won't get out of their cars and insist on using a drive-thru. I took a screenshot.

View attachment 653576

Actually that google aerial view perfectly encapsulates my point.

If this road is so important to moving people and goods why would you as a city allow a business to be located right off it? With an entrance right off the road? That means you're always going to have people slowing down to turn and you'll have people who turn into the business quickly after another entrance

It's not the customer's fault. You only have that city to blame sorry

And just to give an example from my area where I'd blame the city too this is a McDonald's (which is why I will insist this isn't a Chick-fil-A issue):



This is an aerial and street view of a McDonald's on a busy street in my city. If traffic were to back up so badly it would be on the city for allowing business to be 1) On the busy street 2) have no zoning rules on clearance for traffic with businesses.

Fast food in particular will have lines as a by-product of it. Plan for it. So in your story it sounds like the city of Santa Barbara needs to redesign and update the street for business instead of whining that it's Chick-fil-A. Another fast food joint can create the same issues. All they are doing is making a scapegoat.

 

[Skippy918]

Several of the chick fil A’s around here got torn down and rebuilt. Most of them have 3 drive thru lanes. One of them is in a strip mall with other businesses and the drive thru causes a traffic jam in the business plaza. At least the chick fil A and in n out have efficient drive thrus. McDonald’s could have a lot less cars and take just as long.