Chick-Fil-A's Festive Seasonal Menu Returns Ahead of Christmas Holiday

Chick-fil-A brought back its two seasonal menu items earlier this month, giving fans of the fast-food chain another chance to try the Peppermint Chip Milkshake and Chicken Tortilla Soup. The two offerings will only be available for a short time at participating restaurants. Some locations will also be selling limited-edition Chick-fil-A holiday merchandise.

The Peppermint Chip Milkshake was introduced in 2008 and has become a fan-favorite ever since. The milkshake is hand-spun, combining the Chick-fil-A Icedream with peppermint back chips, whipped cream, and a cherry. The Chicken Tortilla Soup was added to menus for the first time in 2012. The soup includes shredded chicken, navy and black beans, a white creamy base, and a blend of vegetables and spices.

"Every family has its own set of holiday traditions, and the Peppermint Chip Milkshake and Chicken Tortilla Soup have become annual traditions for our Chick-fil-A guests," Leslie Neslage, director of menu and packaging at Chick-fil-A, Inc, said in a statement on Nov. 17. "During a year when the way we celebrate may feel a bit different, we hope these two seasonal favorites will help bring a touch of familiarity." Chick-fil-A also released a 2020 holiday gift guide outlining all the special holiday gifts fans can get at some restaurants. On Nov. 17, Chick-fil-A also started the annual Gift of Hope holiday campaign to encourage viewers to share messages of hope with loved ones.

One Chick-fil-A restaurant in Athens, Georgia decided adding two holiday items to the menu was not enough. The location at 3637 Atlanta Highway was decorated with almost half a million lights as part of its #LightOfAthens initiative. Alex Clark told WFLA he created the display to "spread hope and create family traditions." Due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions though, customers can only pick up food at the drive-thru or to carry-out.

Chick-fil-A also came under the spotlight this week after a TikTok video showing how their chicken nuggets are made went viral. The TikTok user, dxxdxx7, shared other behind-the-scenes looks at how Chick-fil-A food is prepared, with many surprised to see the restaurant using fresh chicken instead of frozen, pre-prepared food. "Honestly I was scared to watch this because these nuggets are life!! But I am so relieved they are actually made from scratch," one person wrote.

Although Chick-fil-A's food is popular, the chain remains one of the most controversial in the country. The company has long been criticized for donating to anti-LGBTQ groups. In 2019, Chick-fil-A president Tim Tassopoulos said the company would stop donating to charities with anti-LGBTQ positions and would instead support charities supporting education and fighting hunger and homelessness. Its past support for the controversial groups continues to follow the company, as many brought the controversy up when Chick-fil-A announced plans to support Black-led nonprofits in the wake of the protests against sstemic racism.