Sundays may not be the only time customers aren't able to get their fix of Chick-fil-A sauce, as the fast food chain is rationing thei...
Sundays may not be the only time customers aren't able to get their fix of Chick-fil-A sauce, as the fast food chain is rationing their sauces due to 'industry-wide shortages.'
Some customers recently received an email from the chain, which reads, 'Due to industry-wide shortages, we are currently limiting the number of sauces provided.'
The email, which was obtained by WTRF, states that customers will be limited to one sauce per entrée, two sauces per meal, and three sauces for a 30-count of nuggets.
A statement further explains that there are 'supply chain disruptions' affecting the entire industry.
'Due to industry-wide supply chain disruptions, some Chick-fil-A restaurants are experiencing a shortage of select items, like sauces,' a spokesperson for the company told The Hill.
It's not clear how long the new limits will be in place, though Chick-fil-A hopes that the sauce shortage will be fixed as quickly as possible.
'We are actively working to make adjustments to solve this issue quickly and apologize to our Guests for any inconvenience.'
Chick-fil-A is frustrating customers by limiting the amount of sauces they give out
Chick-fil-A is limiting their customers to one sauce per entrée, at least temporarily
Chick-fil-A distributes a number of sauces: Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Sauce, Barbeque Sauce, Zesty Buffalo Sauce, Garden Herb Ranch Sauce, Honey Mustard Sauce, Polynesian Sauce, and fan-favorite Chick-fil-A sauce.
The new rules about sauce distribution will likely apply to all of the company's sauces.
There is also a banner on the company's website about 'Industrywide Supply Chain Shortages,' which has been live for a week.
'Due to industrywide supply chain shortages, some items, like sauces, may be unavailable. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience,' the statement reads.
The issue is not related to another shortage, the gas shortage, which came about due to a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline last week.
Instead, the issue likely has more to do with the labor shortages that have gripped the industry.
Issues persist across the supply chain, increasing prices and decreasing output at all levels.
In August, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union painted a dire view of the 1.3 million grocery, meatpacking, and food processing workers it represents.
'Frontline workers across the food supply chain have been putting themselves in harm’s way to help put food on the plates of all Americans every day of this pandemic,' UFCW International President Marc Perrone said in a statement.
Perrone also stated that the food supply chain could be endangered by the COVID-19 virus and politicians' reactions to it.
The fast food industry was already contending with a ketchup shortage
'Every day, more of our country’s frontline food workers are getting sick and dying from this terrible virus. Our elected leaders must act to protect these workers and keep our food supply chain secure. We cannot wait any longer.'
The sauce was still available on shelves at retail stores where it's sold, according to PennLive.
People on Twitter were not happy about the news, although many also took the time to crack jokes about the shortage.
'I dip my chick-fil-a in gasoline so I'm doubly screwed today,' Noam Blum tweeted.
'Joe Biden also canceled the Chick-fil-A sauce pipeline?' Matt Schlapp asked.
Many users also decided to try making a quick buck, offering to sell packets of Chick-fil-A sauce at an exorbitant rate.
The fast food industry was already contending with a ketchup shortage created by demand for the product during the pandemic.
CNN Business reports that Heinz had to kick up production on the condiment by 25 percent to meet demand after supply shortages.
There is also a chicken shortage affecting some fast food restaurants, though Chick-fil-A has not been impacted by that to this point.
It's a continuation of a trend kicked off in 2019 when Popeye's debuted a new chicken sandwich and set of a social media-fueled stampede for the cluckers - and eventually a game of catch-up among its competitors.
People cooped up inside on lockdown are helping drive the demand, industry-watchers said, as they seek comfort food or a quick meal. Meanwhile, the big winter storm that caused power outages in Texas earlier this year took some chicken producers offline for a while, denting supply.
Since the Popeye's release, more than 40 chains have introduced their own versions of the chicken sandwich, including KFC, McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and even Taco Bell and Cinnabon.
Chick-fil-A announced that sales soared 13 per cent last year, and McDonald's officials saying the demand for their crispy chicken sandwich is higher than they expected.
As some companies struggle to fill out their workforce, the restaurant industry has been put under a harsh spotlight.
Workers claim that poor labor practices are driving potential employees away from working for restaurants.
'It's stressful working for a billion-dollar company when they're not caring for the workers,' McDonald's employee Leshia Townsend told ABC News.
Fast food restaurants across the nation have been forced to reduce hours or close as more and more workers have turned away from the industry, faced with long hours and questionable conditions during a deadly pandemic.
There are more than 2,600 Chick-fil-A locations currently operating within the United States.
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