People like Chick-fil-A for many reasons. But one reason is now disappearing, and it’s angered quite a few once-loyal customers.
For as long as most of us can remember, the fast food chain has been one of a select few not to offer the traditional beef sandwiches Americans seem to love so much. Also, they ensure that the chicken they sell as an alternative is of the highest standard. In fact, for years now, they’ve promised to serve only chicken with No Antibiotics Ever or NAE.
However, it seems that promise is becoming harder to keep as supply chain issues increase.
And so the company has recently announced that instead of serving NOE chicken, it will now serve chicken with Noe Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine or NAIHM beginning in the spring of 2024.
As Chick-fil-A explained, this difference is pretty self-explanatory. Clearly NAE means no antibiotics were ever used in raising the chicken served in their eateries. In contrast, NAIHM means that while antibiotics may have been used, they weren’t any that are important to or commonly used to treat humans. In other words, only animal antibiotics can be used on their chickens.
Additionally, the company noted that those animal antibiotics can only be used if “the animal and those around it were to become sick.” So, in the case of real sickness only, not just standard procedure, animal antibiotics can be used.
Naturally, quite a few customers are concerned about the change, accusing the company of going back on their word, and some even promise never to eat there again.
Chick-fil-A going back on their no antibiotics ever commitment was not on my bingo card. Its been a good run. #Chickfila pic.twitter.com/WLacIqgVe5
— Gorgeous🥰 (@Gorgeousaiko_) March 23, 2024
Just wanted to let you know that chick-fil-a just walked back their NO ANTIBIOTICS EVER rule for their chicken.
You have got to stop eating there.
The overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, which means super bugs for human health. pic.twitter.com/NknpZmqx09
— Alex Clark (@yoalexrapz) March 22, 2024
However, according to the company, it’s had little choice in the matter.
For starters, one of Chick-fil-A’s major suppliers, Tyson Foods, made the same switch from NAE to NAIHM in July 2023. And other fast-food chains, such as Panera Bread, have followed in their footsteps.
People will complain about anything these days.
