Tucked away on the quiet backroads of Fayetteville, Truett’s Luau has been offering the classic Chick-fil-A restaurant with a Hawaiian twist since 2013, when famed company founder S. Truett Cathy wanted a ‘last hoorah’ before leaving his position as CEO. It’s everything you’d expect from the Georgia fast-food chain, from the polite employees to the winding drive-thru line, but with new additions, like the tropical decor and pineapple flavored, well, everything.
Driving up to the spot, you’ll notice that all Chick-fil-A emblems, including the logo, are completely nixed from the exterior of the restaurant. Instead, you’ll find an enormous brick building with an even bigger waterfall feature fixed to the patio. (By the way … in case you didn’t know it was a waterfall, the word is written in two-foot tall letters right under the attribute. It’s inexplicably southern.) To the untrained eye, it would seem more like the themed restaurants of the late 90s and early 2000s, ala Rainforest Cafe, than a fast food joint.
Parking is easy, thanks to the large lot in the back. If you choose to go through the drive-thru, you may be stuck there for a little while. Just like all other Chick-Fil-A’s, the line is incredibly long. It’s best to go ahead and park. Besides, you’ll get the full experience within the restaurant.
Once you enter the building, you’re greeted with a pleasant pineapple scent and a spread of Hawaiian-themed decor. More waterfalls, countless ukuleles, and an unexplained cargo bike filled with more tropical chachkies. A sign on the wall reads: “Welcome to Truett’s Luau, where we celebrate as family with laughter, fun times and good food.’ The typical “Live, Laugh, Love” sign must not have been on-theme enough, so they slapped a hibiscus flower in the corner. I’ve never been to Hawaii, but something is telling me that this place isn’t the most culturally accurate experience.
Shirts are available for sale, in case you want to commemorate your trip as if you really traveled across the Pacific ocean. There are also souvenir photo frames and postcards with an in-house mailbox.
Moving on to food, the menu is definitely one of the most interesting things about the experience. Of course, there’s the typical Chick-Fil-A fare like sandwiches, nuggets and lemonade, but there’s also a collection of signature items, including a grilled mahi sandwich, pineapple chicken tacos and the island chicken salad sandwich. There’s also a wide variety of drinks, with the most popular options being bubble tea, pineapple macadamia nut milkshake and frosted Hawaiian drink. If you still have room, finish off your meal with the famed lava cake or white chocolate macadamia nut cookie.
(FYI for any vegan vacationers: I asked the cashier if they had any vegan options, and she frankly said “I don’t know what that is.” I appreciate the honesty, but I did have to get a little creative with my order of a salad and fries.)
Out of the orders in my travel party, some of the standout items included the sweet potato waffle fries, the Truett’s Luau Burger (which is, in fact, a true beef burger!) and the tropical Chick-fil-A nuggets, which, according to my boyfriend, was like “a worse Panda Express,” with the typical menu item drenched in sweet Polynesian sauce.
The resounding favorites were the milkshakes. There are several eccentric flavors, so there were several to pick and choose from. Of course, there are the typical flavors like chocolate and vanilla, but why not get tropical with a frosted pineapple? When in Rome! I mean … when in Hawaii!
Overall, it’s definitely a fun experience. It’s a little bit of a drive from Midtown Atlanta, but it’s something different for a low price tag. It’s probably more expensive to drive out there than to order a meal. An authentic Hawaiian experience? No, not at all. But a quick day trip with yummy Chick-Fil-A eats? Absolutely. It’s a good way to spend a few bucks while feeling like you almost had a vacation.
