Chick-fil-A opens bizarre-looking elevated drive-in restaurant

Chick-fil-A consistently ranks among the top fast-food chains in the United States, and its latest innovation will take meeting customers where they are to a whole new level—literally.

On August 22, the iconic institution opened its first-ever elevated drive-in restaurant. Located in the Atlanta suburb of Stockbridge, the drive-in location is vehicle-only, so forget about stopping on foot. The drive-in-only restaurant concept isn’t new, as Chick-fil-A opened its first in 1993, but this novel design is new territory for the popular chicken restaurant. It was done, the company said, to better serve customers on the go.

“Our guests lead busy lives, and we strive to design our restaurants to best meet their needs,” Jonathan Reed, Chick-fil-A’s executive director of design, said in a statement. “With the new elevated drive-thru design, which includes our first four-lane drive-thru, we aim to deliver quality food and authentic hospitality in a way that’s uniquely Chick-fil-A and give our guests time back in their day.”

Drivers will remain on the ground throughout the experience while employees prepare their meals in the larger-than-normal elevated kitchen. Once the food is ready, it goes through “a unique meal transport system” that allows employees to receive a ready meal every six seconds.

Brett Lewis, owner and operator of the new facility, is looking forward to returning to his hometown.

“I have been fortunate to work with Chick-fil-A for a long time. I am excited to return to Stockbridge and honored to open this new concept, which is four miles from my childhood home,” Lewis said. “As a local business owner, I look forward to learning how to best serve the community I grew up in and working alongside my team members to create a one-of-a-kind drive-thru experience for our customers.”

This isn’t the first restaurant to implement this design, though. In 2022, Taco Bell opened a drive-thru restaurant in Minnesota that also features a raised kitchen.

If you are in the area and have a car, try this unique experience.