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Demand is already surging, and the drinks will stay on the menu through January 3, 2026, giving fans a long runway to get their seasonal fix.
As soon as the news hit social media, the excitement was instant and loud. One fan celebrated, “My favorite! Can’t wait to get it on my birthday!” Another added, “I’m so excited!”
A Holiday Menu Arrives As Chick-fil-A Continues Its Reign
The peppermint rollout didn’t come in a vacuum. It dropped at the exact moment Chick-fil-A cemented its position as America’s most beloved fast-food chain for the 11th straight year, earning an unmatched 83 out of 100 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
If this were any other company, it might look like a lucky streak. But Chick-fil-A’s numbers show something else entirely.
The company pulled in a staggering $22 billion last year — with only 3,109 locations. By comparison, McDonald’s has more than four times as many U.S. stores and still can’t touch those per-unit numbers. Chick-fil-A’s average freestanding drive-thru now brings in an unbelievable $9.3 million per location, the highest among all major quick-service brands.
Chick-fil-A Bets Big on Holiday Gatherings
Knowing Americans are gearing up for family events, parties, and year-end chaos, Chick-fil-A is leaning into group-friendly meals. The company is pushing its 30-count Nugget Trays and the fan-favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup as go-to options for cold-weather get-togethers.
The company made its mission clear. “At Chick-fil-A, we want to help guests slow down, come together and enjoy great food with even more ways to connect amid the holiday hustle,” said Khalilah Cooper, vice president of brand strategy, advertising and media at Chick-fil-A.
While other chains are still trying to figure out how to stop bleeding customers, Chick-fil-A continues widening the gap. KFC saw its customer satisfaction collapse by five points this year, dropping to a 77 after U.S. sales fell 5.2 percent. McDonald’s, meanwhile, is trapped at the bottom with a score of 70.
Expanding, Innovating, and Leaving Rivals Behind
Chick-fil-A isn’t just riding a wave. It’s building one.
The chain is rolling out holiday merchandise, releasing season two of its animated “Legends of Evergreen Hills” series on the Chick-fil-A Play app, and charging into international markets with confidence. The company opened its first UK location this year and already plans five more. Singapore is next, marking Chick-fil-A’s debut in Asia.
It’s growth most fast-food brands can only dream about.
The Secret Ingredient No One Else Can Copy
Competitors have tried to reverse-engineer Chick-fil-A’s success for years. They copy the menu items. They copy the drive-thru tactics. They copy the marketing. None of it works.
Because the real secret isn’t the food — it’s the culture.
This is a brand built on hospitality as a non-negotiable. Employees aren’t just trained to make chicken. They’re trained to create an environment people want to come back to again and again. That’s why Chick-fil-A workers walk the drive-thru lanes with tablets during peak hours. That’s why customers consistently report faster, friendlier, more accurate service.
And that’s exactly why a seasonal peppermint milkshake becomes a nationwide celebration every November instead of just another holiday gimmick.
Other chains can imitate the menu. They cannot manufacture genuine hospitality. You either have it built into your DNA or you don’t.
Chick-fil-A figured it out long before the others even realized what was happening — and the results speak for themselves.
That 11-year winning streak isn’t ending anytime soon.
