Chick-fil-A Traffic

dont go near this area today! with the construction they have limited the lane to 1, and its merge is RIGHT AT CHIK-FIL-A. the backup was rediculous at noon. Still tons of people sitting in the street waiting for chik fil a, literally parked right under those new signs. with EMPLOYEES sitting in the parking lot, not saying a damn thing.

Guess this is what success looks like during a mandated pandemic shutdown.

Letters to the mayor and members of City Council can actually go a long way. Chiming in on Edhat and other forums is great for validation, but if you want to make anything happen, you MUST email the council. Takes just a couple of minutes.

I had to go to Rusty's next door one day to drop something off and I had no idea of this traffic issue until I found myself in it. WT!
I was in the middle lane on State and when getting closer to Rusty's tried to go in the right lane and the lane was so tight - no one let me in. Of course the Rusty's driveway was blocked and I was unable to enter the Rusty's lot. (How do their drivers get in and out?) I had to go around the block (because I did not want to be an a$#hole blocking the middle lane with lots of cars behind me and wait for someone to let me through. I went around the block and got in the "ChickFilet" line. It took me a good 7 minutes after that to get to my destined drive way (wait through a few lights). I think that this is SO wrong and surprised it's allowed to happen (as it obviously affects other businesses. Also saw Chick Filet customers park at Rusty's and walk over.... hmmmmm....)

Sometimes the employees stand in the street taking orders from backed up traffic. This was before the pandemic.

Different traffic conflicts but the Starbucks at Turnpike is a nightmare as well, at many times during the day; saw a bicyclist narrowly avoid getting hit since the bike lane is blocked by the drive through line. Insanity.

This will get better once people can eat inside restaurants again.

Chik Filet again guys? man you people sure do love your fatty fried unhealthy food....and it's illegal to impede traffic and block public access/sidewalks. that's simple. will the city do anything? nope...not until someone is injured or worse. that's the way this place (SB city) operates. Also, since it's not "downtown" the city officials may not care as much since it doesn't impact tourism...just us.

This is also an issue at the drive thru Starbucks at Turnpike/Calle Real.

Just a few days ago, it took me 8 seconds to put on my blinker, look in my side mirror and change into the center lane. What a huge inconvenience!!!! I was late for somewhere I didn't have to be. I flipped off the entire line of cars to boot. How dare these people inconvenience me just to get there spoiled kids chicken nuggets.

Can someone legitimately explain to me why it's so popular? I ate there once to see what the hype was. The food tastes like every other fast food place. The same crappy quality and high price. It's no different than Jack in the box, McDonalds, etc. I just don't get it. I get the religious/conservative element, but that can't surely be why so many people go there right?

Are they legitimate signs installed by SB City? If not, maybe that is why there is no enforcement by the police.

I've lived in this neighborhood for more than 30 years. The city 'continues' to approve big developments in this already very congested area where there are "no alternative access streets !" in the same block that Jack-In- Box and the car wash also have drive-thrus. There are frequent street repairs, tree maintenance and delivery trucks that park in the street (w/their diesel engine fumes running :-( ) while they unload. At the other end of Hitchcock large semis park in the middle of the street to unload vehicles. Chik-fil-A is the straw that breaks the back of this traffic problem and turns it into a log jam nightmare. You are wise to avoid using this part of town if you don't "have to" like I do :-(

These signs have been there for quite a while now.

There is the same problem on Haley in the driveway into the 99cent store parking lot. Signs clearly say to not stop in street or block sidewalk... no workie, people continue to block both. The really annoying issue is right across the street is the city parking lot. If people weren't soooo freakin lazy they could park there and walk the short block to the store. Lazy arses...

um, l live nearby. That sign is not new.

Until Santa Barbara decides to enforce the messages on these signs, these are useless. No smoking signs around town. No enforcement. People don't abide. No riding bikes in shoreline park. No enforcement. People do it every day. Wear your mask. No enforcement. Cases skyrocketing. This is the fault of the City of Santa Barbara. Solely on them

I think it is the problem of the owners...
Nothing against the food chain but they should have known they would have had an In and Out type of following. They have the space, and are organized...
Also, I have heard for a long time now that the Old Outback, and the closed Dennys, on Calle Real have had trouble leasing to a big name...Applebee's, TGIF, Cracker Barrel, etc...
They send teams out...and not enough parking in both locations...don't know if that's true...but it makes sense to scope out traffic flow, parking, etc...

I've been stuck behind that line, and with traffic in the other lane, kept me from moving over. The first time I got stuck, I didn't know what was going on, stayed in that lane, till I got closer...... NOW, I avoid that lane when I'm driving in that area,.

It must be pretty tasty food for people to line up for it like that!

All politics and public safety aside, they make a damn fine chicken sandwich.

@D8
The first car blocking the sidewalk and the car behind that blocking the traffic lane get cited.
The cars behind are then free to continue on their way.
If the next choose to block traffic and wait in the lane a cite is issued, and so on.
Simple enough, stop on the sidewalk or in the traffic lane get a citation or keep moving.
soon enough

OR Imagine this, get out of your car and get your order, then be on your way......

People are dumb and you can't fix it. Avoid that area during lunch hour.

And, what about the drivers that get stuck in that line, even though they are NOT getting any food there?? They might get a ticket also, unless there's a stipulation with the law.... Then, the rest of them that are actually waiting in line to get food, could just say they got stuck in the line and are not getting food... !!!!

A massive COVID outbreak and they close for two and a half weeks. On day one/two everyone craving the food again or hoping the employees have immunity and won’t serve infected food.

Can't we all just get along! Rodney King.

Oh weird...after a year of Covid, it's so surprising that people don't follow rules unless they are enforced.