Ron DeSantis just publicly admitted he cannot control his kids at a Chick-fil-A drive-thru.
Now the nation's most beloved fast-food chain is doing something it has never done in its 80-year history.
What arrives in restaurants this month is the one thing Chick-fil-A loyalists never thought they'd actually see on the menu.
Chick-fil-A Chicken and Waffles Sandwich Arrives Nationwide on August 24
Starting August 24, Chick-fil-A is rolling out the Chicken & Waffles Sandwich nationwide for a limited time – and the build is exactly what fans have been dreaming about.
Two maple-flavored waffles replace the traditional bun, cradling a signature Chick-fil-A filet, three strips of applewood-smoked bacon, and honey butter spread, served warm with a side of classic syrup.
Customers can order it with an original, spicy, or grilled filet – any time of day.
Chick-fil-A built its breakfast reputation on buttery biscuits and morning-only hours. The new Chicken & Waffles Sandwich breaks that tradition entirely.
A smaller version hits the menu during standard breakfast hours, and a larger entrée version stays available from 10:30 a.m. through close.
The chain didn't rush this. Chick-fil-A tested the sandwich in Baltimore and San Antonio from December 2025 through January 2026.
Fan response was so overwhelming that one Instagram user wrote, "Testing?? Why does THIS need testing? Full send already!!"
Chick-fil-A obliged.
Chick-fil-A Fall Menu 2026 Adds Smores Milkshake and Frosted Coffee
This sandwich is part of the chain's yearlong "Newstalgia" campaign marking its 80th anniversary – and the lineup doesn't stop with chicken and waffles.
Two new s'mores-inspired treats round out the fall menu. The S'mores Milkshake builds on Chick-fil-A's signature Icedream base with chocolate shortbread, graham cracker crumbles, and marshmallow-flavored syrup. The S'mores Frosted Coffee brings the same campfire combination in cold-brew form.
All three items land on August 24 and run through November 14.
"In this year of Newstalgia-inspired celebrations, we wanted to bring something unique this fall by reimagining the comforting flavors our guests crave this time of year," said Allison Duncan, Chick-fil-A's Director of Menu and Packaging.
"Both Chicken & Waffles and S'mores are much-loved classics, and we challenged ourselves to bring those flavors to our menu in a playful and unexpected way."
The 80th anniversary campaign has been Chick-fil-A's most ambitious marketing push ever. Retro packaging, collectible cups, a sweepstakes where 3,000 lucky customers can win free Chick-fil-A for a year, and now a sandwich that fans have wanted for over a decade.
Ron DeSantis Reacts to Chick-fil-A Chicken and Waffles
The announcement hit social media hard – and pulled in at least one prominent American family man.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a self-described Chick-fil-A devotee, spotted the news and immediately did the math. "That's going to cost me — three kids who will want both chicken and waffles and a s'mores milkshake. Can I get through the drive thru in under $50?" he wrote.
Spoiler: probably not.
DeSantis has long made clear where his loyalties lie. "That's probably our kids' favorite thing," he said previously. "When you're going from a baseball game to this or that, to be able to do it's important."
The rest of social media wasn't far behind. "God loves us," wrote one user. "Finally, some news I actually give a s*** about," wrote another.
One commenter had a warning for anyone planning to show up on August 24: "If you thought those lines were long before, ohhhhh just you wait."
They're not wrong. Chick-fil-A operates more than 3,000 locations and consistently ranks at the top of American fast-food satisfaction surveys. This is a chain that generates lines around the block on a random Tuesday – and now it's dropping its most anticipated menu item in years.
America's favorite chicken restaurant just reminded everyone why it earned that title in the first place.
Sources:
- "All-Day Cravings, Answered: Chick-fil-A Debuts New Chicken & Waffles Sandwiches," Chick-fil-A Press Room, August 12, 2026.
- "Chick-fil-A Reveals Revamped Menu – And It Even Got Ron DeSantis Talking," Daily Wire, August 13, 2026.
- "Chick-fil-A Debuts Chicken and Waffles as Part of Its Fall Menu," TODAY, August 13, 2026.
- "As Chick-fil-A Turns 80, History, Perspective, and Innovation Fuel the Future," QSR Magazine, May 4, 2026.