Chick-fil-A sells wings through a spinoff restaurant called Little Blue Menu. I tried them and liked them a lot better than CFA's signature chicken sandwich.

Alex BitterJan 14, 2024, 15:25 IST

Little Blue Menu is Chick-fil-A's attempt to break into two new menu items: chicken wings and burgers. Alex Bitter/Insider

Chick-fil-A opened the first physical location of Little Blue Menu, a new restaurant, in Maryland.
Little Blue Menu serves many Chick-fil-A items, as well as chicken wings and burgers.

Chick-fil-A attracts crowds for its fried chicken sandwiches. But the company is trying to prove that it can do other things well through a new restaurant.

The company opened its first permanent location of Little Blue Menu in College Park, Maryland, this September. The restaurant sits just down the street from the University of Maryland — and thousands of hungry college students.

Little Blue Menu serves up two things you won't find at standard Chick-fil-A restaurants: Chicken wings and burgers. You can also order regular Chick-fil-A menu items, including a fried chicken sandwich.

The restaurant chain has been trying to get into chicken wings over the last couple of years. Little Blue Menu started serving food in Nashville and Atlanta through ghost kitchens, which prepare food for delivery or pick-up but don't have dining rooms. Both of those operations appear to have ended.

Chick-fil-A also trademarked the name "Outfox Wings" in 2021.

To find out if Chick-fil-A's wings are any good, I went to Little Blue Menu in College Park.

I arrived at Little Blue Menu just after noon on a Tuesday.

Little Blue Menu's College Park restaurant is situated near the University of Maryland campus.Alex Bitter/Insider

Right away, it was clear that Little Blue Menu is leaning into delivery and pick-up orders.

A sign in front of Little Blue Menu directs visitors to one of three areas depending on whether they're ordering, picking up an online order, or delivering food through a third-party app.Alex Bitter/Insider

There was a dedicated pick-up point for gig workers grabbing orders for third-party delivery apps.

Gig workers for apps like DoorDash have to ring a bell to pick up orders.Alex Bitter/Insider

There was also a separate pick-up point for customers who had ordered from Little Blue Menu via app or online.

This pick-up point for online and app orders was the only indoor area that customers are allowed in at Little Blue Menu.Alex Bitter/Insider

Eventually, I made my way to this line, where walk-up customers could place orders.

If you don't order online or through a delivery service, you can still get food at Little Blue Menu through this outdoor line.Alex Bitter/Insider

The menu included the standard Chick-fil-A offerings, including the chain's chicken sandwich.

The menu at Little Blue Menu was extensive, with both Chick-fil-A staples and new items.Alex Bitter/Insider

Lower down, I found what I was looking for: Little Blue Menu's selection of chicken wings.

Chicken wings and burgers are both prompted prominently at Little Blue Menu.Alex Bitter/Insider

While I waited for my order, I noticed this Little Blue Menu-branded delivery car.

There were three company-branded delivery vehicles in the parking lot when I visited Little Blue Menu.Alex Bitter/Insider

It took about 10 minutes for an employee to bring my order out to me.

All the food at Little Blue Menu is packaged to-go.Alex Bitter/Insider

Though there wasn't indoor seating, there were about a dozen outdoor tables with chairs.

All the outdoor furniture was, not surprisingly, blue.Alex Bitter/Insider

I made my way to one of the tables and started unpacking my meal.

My order came in a mix of Chick-fil-A and Little Blue Menu packaging.Alex Bitter/Insider

First up was the classic chicken sandwich for comparison purposes.

I ordered my chicken sandwich without cheese.Alex Bitter/Insider

The sandwich looked much like I remembered it.

The sandwich, after being freed from its packaging.Alex Bitter/Insider

It tasted just like a regular Chick-fil-A sandwich, too.

My chicken sandwich, sans one bite.Alex Bitter/Insider

Next up were the wings.

I ordered the eight-piece meal of traditional wings with a side of red pepper garlic sauce.Alex Bitter/Insider

I was pleasantly surprised by how good they were.

The wings were the star of my visit to Little Blue Menu.Alex Bitter/Insider

In fact, I didn't hesitate to pick up another one (and then another after that).

The author, holding a second wing.Alex Bitter/Insider

As I finished my meal, I noticed this QR code next to the seating area.

The text below the code told me to "scan and share" a picture from my dining experience on Snapchat. Alex Bitter/Insider

Scanning the code took me to a Snapchat filter that allowed me to select my favorite menu items.

The Snapchat filter Alex Bitter/Insider

Overall, I was impressed by the chicken wings at Little Blue Menu.

The signage on the front of Little Blue Menu, including a shoutout to the restaurant's parent company.Alex Bitter/Insider

That said, I'll probably order for delivery or pickup next time I want them.

A screen in front of the walk-up ordering line, complete with customized artwork for this location.Alex Bitter/Insider

And although the name and branding are different, Little Blue Menu relies on the Chick-fil-A name.

There was a steady stream of cars going in and out of the parking lot as I visited on a Tuesday during lunchtime.Alex Bitter/Insider

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