Chick-fil-A Lawsuit: The $4.4 Million Delivery-Price Settlement

The Claims

A class-action lawsuit accused Chick-fil-A of a bait-and-switch on delivery pricing during the pandemic. The chain advertised low flat delivery fees through its app and website, but the suit alleged that it quietly inflated the menu prices shown on delivery orders — by as much as about 30% — so customers effectively paid a hidden delivery markup baked into the food prices. The theory was that a “$3.99 delivery fee” was misleading if the sandwiches and drinks themselves cost more on delivery than in the restaurant, without a clear disclosure.

It is a common gripe with app-based ordering: the advertised fee is only part of what delivery actually costs.

The Settlement

Chick-fil-A agreed to a $4.4 million settlement without admitting wrongdoing. Eligible customers — those who placed a delivery order through Chick-fil-A’s app or website during a defined period (roughly late 2019 to spring 2021) in the states covered by the case, including California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey and New York — could claim a payment of about $29 in cash or a gift card. Chick-fil-A also agreed to add a disclosure making clear that menu prices may be higher on delivery orders.

The disclosure requirement is the lasting fix: customers can now see that delivery pricing differs.

What Consumers Should Know

When ordering delivery from any restaurant app, remember that the “delivery fee” is rarely the whole story — menu prices, service fees, small-order fees and tips can push the true cost well above the in-store price. If you want to avoid markups, compare the item prices in the app against the restaurant’s posted menu, or order for pickup. The all-in total, not the headline fee, is what matters.