Atlanta has gone crazy. The time has come. Chick-fil-A has released its hidden gem: the new mac and cheese. Although this mac and cheese already existed in the first few Chick-fil-A’s in southern Georgia, this cheesy phenomenon just hit the metro Atlanta streets. This new side dish has cars lined up and down surrounding streets as well as long lines throughout the restaurants’ hours. Many North Atlanta students bring it to school for lunch, or pick it up after a long day of classes for an after-school snack.

This new side is creating a cheddary amount of income for this already legendary chain of restaurants. Many people are eager to try this new dish. The mac and cheese rollout came at just the right time for Chick-fil-A. The chicken juggernaut recently took a bit of a PR hit when one of its competitors — Popeye’s — rolled out a new chicken sandwich and gained massive publicity in the process.

So mac and cheese has been a nice counter to all the Popeye’s hoopla. And it’s been an immediate hit among some North students. “They do an amazing job of combining creamy cheese with perfectly cooked noodles,” said junior Julia Naphin. “It never fails to amaze me.”

On the other hand, some students do not think this new side option is all that it’s cracked up to be. Instead of eating mac and cheese, they prefer to eat more chicken. Even some Chick-fil-A employees believe it doesn’t fit well among the rest of the items on the menu. “Adding mac and cheese to the menu was a stupid decision because it competes with the number one selling item which are waffle fries,” said junior Jack Brecher, who works at the Chick-fil-A on Roswell Road.

No matter the opinion on the taste, this extra-sharp side option could be a gateway to a future of a lot more side options on the Chick-fil-A menu. For now, North Atlanta students seem to be content with all of the options the fast-food chain has to offer. So, there you have it, Chick-fil-A. An article from my hand about your much discussed addition to your menu. No big deal. “My pleasure.”