California Chick-fil-A Store Could Be Declared A Public Nuisance

A California city may declare its local Chick-fil-A drive-thru a public nuisance because people seem to like it too much. Over the last several years, FOX5 reports that Santa Barbara has received many complaints about cars in the restaurant's drive-thru line backed up onto nearby streets.

The long lines have caused traffic problems, including collisions and cyclist safety issues. "State Street is one of the City’s most important streets for moving people and goods,” city transportation engineer Derrick Bailey told the Santa Barbara Press News earlier this month. “It was never intended to operate with significant blockage.”

The City's Public Works Department conducted a report that found on weekdays, cars lined for the Chick-fil-A drive-thru can block one of the lanes on State Street for up to 91 minutes and 155 minutes on weekends.

However, the city council has postponed the nuisance designation and have given Chick-fil-A til June 7 to present solutions to their problem. "On behalf of myself, Chick-fil-A and the many team members, we sincerely regret that this traffic situation has come to this point and heartily wish to work in good faith with the City to resolve this matter once and for all,” Santa Barbara Chick-fil-A owner-operator Travis Collins told the S.B. Press-News.