The Wild Amount Of Money You Have To Spend To Earn Chick-Fil-A's Highest Member Ranking

Find yourself in the Chick-fil-A drive-thru fairly often? We don't blame you — its nuggets are the stuff that dreams are made of (believe it or not, they're also one of the healthiest nugget options out there). If you're already a member of the chain's free rewards program, Chick-fil-A One (when you sign up for the rewards app, you automatically get started as a member), you may have noticed that you're earning points toward certain membership tiers alongside your other rewards. 

You progress through membership ranks as you spend money at the chain, making your way to silver, red, and signature membership levels. To become a signature member, you need to spend about $900 over the course of a calendar year. While this may seem like a ton of cash, it breaks down to about $17 a week over the course of a year. This isn't a crazy amount if you stop by Chick-fil-A once or twice a week for waffle fries or a chicken sandwich, two of the chain's most-ordered items.

Each membership level comes with its own set of perks. As a signature member, each dollar you spend at Chick-fil-A adds 13 points to your rewards account (the highest per-dollar amount of all membership tiers). You can gift your rewards to your family and friends if you want (this perk starts at the silver membership tier). Here's what really sets the signature membership apart: You get to take a free Chick-fil-A backstage tour at the chain's home office, and you get the chance to snag Signature Surprises (such as special experiences and apparel. If you're a major Chick-fil-A fan and you'd love to tour the home office (it's located in Atlanta) and you're interested in seeing what Signature Surprises the chain might throw your way, it might be worth your while to achieve signature membership status.

Whether you're sticking with standard items or using Chick-fil-A ordering hacks, be sure to always use the app when ordering to make sure you're earning points and moving toward the next membership tier. An important note: since Chick-fil-A membership statuses reset on January 1, you need to get to work at re-earning your signature membership each year. While the rewards you earn with your signature status remain on your account, the status itself does not. This means you reset to the starting Chick-fil-A One membership level, and you progress through the ranks again as you spend.