You wouldn’t be able to find many fast-food chains more popular in the United States than Chick-fil-A. Originating in 1946 in Atlanta, it gained wide popularity in the 60’s and 70’s, and nowadays, it is even bigger than KFC.
One reason for that may be that Chick-fil-A has huge portions. But while that’s obviously a good thing in every imaginable way, it is also the reason many people are wondering:
How long can a Chick-fil-A sandwich sit out? According to the USDA, a Chick-fil-A sandwich, shouldn’t sit out for more than two hours. That’s because after two hours without refrigeration, a Chick-fil-A sandwich might very likely be dangerous to eat.
But how can you tell that your Chick-fil-A sandwich is bad? And more importantly, what to do so that it’ll stay fresh? That’s precisely what we’re about to uncover in this article.
So without any further delay, let’s just get started!
Table of Contents
- How long can a Chick-fil-A sandwich last unrefrigerated?
- Can you eat a Chick-fil-A sandwich left out overnight?
- Can you save a Chick-fil-A sandwich for later?
- How do you keep a Chick-fil-A sandwich fresh?
- How can you tell if Chick-fil-A sandwich is bad?
- What happens when you eat a bad Chick-fil-A sandwich?
- Summary
- Resources
How long can a Chick-fil-A sandwich last unrefrigerated?
Just like any other perishable food, a Chick-fil-A sandwich can’t be left out of the fridge for too long. To be precise, a Chick-fil-A sandwich can last unrefrigerated for no more than two hours because it may be dangerous to eat after that time.
Well, at least according to the USDA – in their opinion, no perishable food is safe to eat when left out of the fridge for more than two hours. Hence, a Chick-fil-A sandwich may still be eatable even after three or four hours.
After that amount of time passes, though, you should throw the sandwich out as soon as possible without any doubts. And in order to be entirely sure that it’s safe to eat, you should rather stick to the two-hour stamp recommended by the USDA.
Can you eat a Chick-fil-A sandwich left out overnight?
No, you cannot eat a Chick-fil-A sandwich left out overnight because it’s most likely not safe to consume and may cause food poisoning.
The reason for that is that no Chick-Fil-A sandwich (and no other perishable food either) should sit out for any more than two hours. When it is left out for a longer time, eating it is dangerous and may result in health problems, according to the USDA.
Can you save a Chick-fil-A sandwich for later?
Yes, you can save a Chick-fil-A sandwich for later; however, you have to store it properly for that. If you simply leave your Chick-fil-A sandwich as it is on your kitchen board, it won’t last too long; in fact, no Chick-fil-A sandwich should ever sit out for more than two hours.
However, if you put it into the fridge, you can expect it to last for even as long as three days. With that being said, though, just putting it into the fridge is not going to be enough if you want it to stay in good shape.
So what is the best you can do? We’ll get to that in the following answer!
How do you keep a Chick-fil-A sandwich fresh?
In order to keep your Chick-fil-A sandwich as fresh as possible, you first have to pack it into airtight sealed containers. That is the crucial part because making sure no oxygen can get to it is precisely what will make the sandwich stay fresh.
So when that’s off the table, the challenge is nearly finished – after you have your Chick-fil-A sandwich airtight sealed, you just have to put it into the fridge. That way, it will stay in excellent shape for even five days in there!
How can you tell if Chick-fil-A sandwich is bad?
If you’re not entirely sure about how long you let your Chick-fil-A sandwich sit out, you first have to be certain that it’s safe to eat before you start doing so. Fortunately, telling if Chick-fil-A sandwich is bad is easy; you just have to take a good look and a good sniff.
If you notice any weird-looking stains on the sandwich or any weird, disgusting smell coming from it, you should definitely not eat it. Quite the contrary, it’s instead best to throw it out immediately.
If you don’t do that, you may very likely get sick, but more about that in the next answer!
What happens when you eat a bad Chick-fil-A sandwich?
Just like with any other spoiled food, when you eat a bad Chick-fil-A sandwich, there’s a high chance that you’ll get food poisoned. And that means it can make you feel pretty sick for a few days.
When you eat a bad Chick-fil-A sandwich, you might experience vomiting, diarrhea or stomach ache. You shouldn’t be having any severe problems, but if any of these symptoms start to get serious, contacting a doctor can’t do any harm.
Summary
Chick-fil-A is one of the most popular fast-food chains in the United States, and because of that, more than many people have come across some Chick-fil-A leftovers sometimes in their life.
Therefore, a lot of people wonder how long can a Chick-fil-A sandwich sit out. The answer isn’t surprising – a Chick-fil-A sandwich, just like any other perishable food, can’t stay good without refrigeration for more than two hours.
So what can you do to save your Chick-fil-A sandwich for later? The most important thing is obviously putting it into the fridge, but if you want to ensure it’ll stay in excellent shape, storing it in an airtight sealed container is necessary as well.
Related:
- How Long Can a Sandwich Sit Out Unrefrigerated?
- How Long Can Ham Deli Meat Be Left Out?
- How Long Can a Subway Sandwich Sit Out
- How Long Can Egg McMuffin Sit Out?
Resources
Image credits – Canva
