Chick-fil-A (Glenstone FSU): Springfield, MO

We have loved Chick-fil-A for years and were very excited when we heard they were building one outside the mall! It has been open since January 2007 and is our favorite place to eat. They are located near Circuit City, at 3700 S. Glenstone Avenue.

The owner of this particular Chick-fil-A is Steve Lowery. We have seen him and his wife working there several times and they are both very friendly. The staff is friendly and helpful. On more than one occasion, they have helped me to my table (I have three girls under age 6). They offer to get our refills for us, help clean off the table and those working out in the dining room often stop to chat for a few minutes.

One of the big draws for us is the play area. My three- and five-year old daughters love it and my just turned two-year-old would be in there if I'd let her, but she's on the small side, so I worry about her getting hurt by another big kid who isn't as considerate as he or she should be. Many other parents I have spoken with, both at the restaurant and just in the course of everyday conversation, say the same thing. One mom said, "I love that they keep it so clean. It's easy to let my daughter play in there because they do that. Not all places do."

My favorite food item isn't one that is officially on the menu, but they are always very accommodating. The Chick-fil-A Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich comes on a honey wheat bun with lettuce and tomato. I prefer mine on a regular bun with no lettuce or tomato, but with American cheese (instead of the provolone they usually use on the Chargrilled Sandwich) and bacon. My girls love the kid's meals and the toys and prizes are generally more educational than you find many other places.

Other items that we enjoy include the chicken nuggets. They are made from whole chicken breast and not pressed chicken like many other places. The waffle fries are excellent (unless we let them get cold, they are best eaten right away). The brownie a la mode is my favorite dessert. We also enjoy the shakes they have added to the menu recently.

Breakfast at Chick-fil-A is not well known locally, but is another of our favorites. The Chick-n-minis are wonderful. These are chicken nuggets on a honey roll of some kind that are so yummy! They also serve the normal assortment of breakfast sandwiches like the bacon, egg and cheese biscuit that I also enjoy. The biscuits and gravy are served with excellent chicken gravy, rather than the more traditional sausage gravy.

We usually spend about $15 for lunch or dinner for the five of us. They are more expensive than most other fast food places, but the quality of the food and service is much higher than most of the other fast food places we eat occasionally. Because of this and our quest for debt freedom, we don't get to go as often as we'd like, but we do enjoy it very much when we get to go.