Crispy red and orange leaves twist through Aldrich Park, a brisk chill floats through the air and Peter the Anteater adorns an Acne Studios fluffy scarf and Skims pajama set as he completes his daily hot girl walk around campus.
Fall has arrived at UC Irvine, or at least Chick-fil-A seems to think so. And what better way to celebrate than with a chicken and waffle sandwich, s’mores latte and a milkshake?
Chick-fil-A dropped its new fall menu for a limited time, bringing together two flavors that do not always share the same plate — savory and sweet — on Aug. 24.
Fall menus are coveted in the fast food world, becoming a cherished and highly anticipated tradition for many regulars. Through careful marketing and an equally careful selection of which products to keep, discard and introduce, restaurants turn seasonal menus into events of their own. Chick-fil-A is no exception.
This year’s fall lineup includes two maple flavored waffles equipped with a honey butter spread, two strips of bacon, one chicken filet and a side of syrup. A spicy version is also available, along with a breakfast-sized portion of the sandwich.
For college students, finding a meal that is both affordable and comforting can be a challenge. UC Irvine’s University Center (UTC) offers students plenty of options, with restaurants representing a variety of cuisines and cultures. Yet when the craving is for something nostalgic and indulgent, a seasonal menu can be especially appealing.
This is where Chick-fil-A’s latest offering comes in.
The prices are pretty decent, especially when compared to surrounding restaurants. A Starbucks grande pumpkin spice latte will run you a crisp $6.65.
For those looking to turn their six-dollar splurge into a full meal, the Chicken & Waffle sandwich offers several options.
The original Chicken & Waffle Breakfast Sandwich costs $6.19 while the spicy version costs $6.39. The lunch version — a larger version of the breakfast sandwich — costs $9.49, with the spicy filet version coming in at $9.89. A grilled chicken version is also available for $10.19.
The sweetness of the honey butter and maple flavored waffles complements the original filet’s savory but relatively muted taste, while the bacon adds another layer of saltiness to an already rich sandwich.
Despite leaning heavily into the familiar comfort-food angle, the lunch sandwich has the potential to hit hard with its release but eventually die down in popularity once the novelty wears off. It is quite a heavy meal — one that might make you doze off during your after-lunch lecture. As a breakfast sandwich, however, the smaller portion might be the perfect balance between leaving the table energized and leaving it full.
The sweetness is customizable if you do choose to have it for lunch, since the syrup comes separately. If you choose not to include it, you may find your sandwich a little dry and needing something to wash it down; a strategy that Chick-fil-A may have used.
To complete the fall vibe and provide a thirst quencher, the restaurant also introduced a s’mores milkshake and latte.
The milkshake is the true star of the fall menu. It is exactly what you expect and accomplishes the fall feeling almost too well. Chick-fil-A’s s’mores milkshake is thick — but not so thick that you cannot get it through the straw — and of course, very sweet.
The latte may be the just-right option for those who love the s’mores flavor but are not looking for a cavity. It provides the same sweet, nostalgic taste while also offering the caffeine boost that a college student might need to survive the rest of the school day.
But while Chick-fil-A has given the classic combination a distinctly fast-food twist, chicken and waffles have a much longer history than their appearance on a seasonal menu.
Author Tori Avery details the history of chicken and waffles for PBS. Some of the earliest known versions of chicken and waffles can be traced back to 17th century Pennsylvania Dutch Country, where home cooks paired waffles with gravy and pulled chicken. The combination most people recognize today, however, has stronger ties to soul food and Harlem.
In the early 1930s, Richard “Dickie” Wells, a gifted tap-dancer, opened his supper club “Dickie Wells.” in Harlem. The restaurant became a regular destination for the rich and famous, like Clarke Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. Musicians, actors and even royalty viewed it as the night-life hot-spot. The restaurant created and served fried chicken and waffles to artists arriving too late for dinner but too early for breakfast.
From feeding famous musicians to becoming a comfort food enjoyed across the country, chicken and waffles have evolved far beyond their original roots. Today, the dish appears on menus ranging from soul food restaurants to fast-food chains.
Now, it is readily available to feed the students of UC Irvine, who — much like the chicken and waffles themselves — each have many different lives to lead, now fueled by Chick-fil-A’s new fall flavors.
The popularity of seasonal menus often comes from more than just the food itself. They create a sense of anticipation and give customers something familiar to look forward to while still offering something new. For college students balancing classes, work and everything in between, that little bit of seasonal indulgence can be enough to make an ordinary meal feel special.
Whether Chick-fil-A’s Chicken & Waffle sandwich becomes a fall staple or disappears with the season, its combination of sweet maple waffles, honey butter, bacon and fried chicken certainly makes for an interesting addition to the UTC food scene.
And if you’re not a fan of chicken and waffles, Cha is always open.
Jordan Salter is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the summer 2026 quarter. She can be reached at jasalter@uci.edu.
Edited by Corinna Chin and Riley Schnittger.
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