Introducing Nic’s Organic Fast Food

Photo credit: Nic’s Organic Fast Food (used with permission)

*** Please note, we are sad to report that as of 05/16/19 we were made aware that Nic’s Organic Fast Food is closing its locations in the Chicago Loop, Rolling Meadows and the Woodfield Mall. Efforts to open new locations will now be focused on the West Coast, closer to where one of the owners resides. ***

I am beyond thrilled to tell you all about Nic’s Organic Fast Food, our nation’s first USDA Certified Organic fast food restaurant! EVERYTHING they serve is certified organic, right down to the soda! Just wow! Think about that… a restaurant that serves only certified organic ingredients. This is huge, friends!

Of course, I had to know more about this trailblazing chain, so I reached out to Nic’s. I was surprised when they offered a phone conversation with one the owners, Neal Zeavy. How’s that for customer service?! He was very enthusiastic about Nic’s menu, newest location and their big plans for the future.

Today, I am excited to share what I learned while talking with Mr. Zeavy. I’ll also briefly explain what exactly that USDA Certified Organic label means. But first… let’s take a look at Nic’s newest restaurant to see what all the buzz is about!

A huge thank you to Nic’s for offering to host us for our first dining experience with them in the Loop.

Nic’s Chicago Loop Location

Nic’s Organic Fast Food just opened its third location (180 N. Lasalle) in Chicago’s downtown Loop neighborhood in December, 2018. We couldn’t wait to check it out! Our family has dined several times at their Rolling Meadows and Woodfield Mall locations, so we were no strangers to how delicious Nic’s menu is. I might’ve planned a road trip just to visit them in the Loop… it’s so true (don’t judge)!

Nic’s Loop restaurant is located on the main floor of an office building, in an area alive with activity. The Loop gets its name from the elevated train, the Chicago “L”, that runs through its streets. The Loop offers plenty of unique adventures and is full of historic theatres and shopping boutiques. It is also home to Grant Park, Millennium Park and the nearby Willis Tower.

There is so much to see when visiting downtown Chicago, and Nic’s is minutes from it all!

Entering off the street through the revolving doors was, of course, something my kids enjoyed. Ok… I did too! The dining room was well lit, clean, and the ceilings were SO tall.

The soda fountain station is pretty impressive with towering pillars of greenery. Nic’s serves Tractor Beverage Co. soda, and it is incredible. My favorite flavor is Kola Cola, which has hints of vanilla and cinnamon. Amazingly, all of Tractor’s beverages are organic!

Nic’s has plenty of other drink options to choose from as well. They also serve Honest Tea juices and tea, Organic Valley milk, organic orange juice, organic lemonade, organic coffee (hot and iced!) and JUST Water.

Deciding what to eat can be difficult with so many appealing options. Nic’s menu offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert! Their burgers are made with 100% grass-fed beef. For all of the kombucha fans out there, this location offers NessAlla brand on tap.

The BigNic Bacon Double Cheeseburger is just as juicy and scrumptious as it looks! This is the kind of burger worthy of my road-trip. You’ve got to try it for yourself! 100% white meat chicken nuggets and French fries… yes please!

Don’t forget to save room for dessert! This time, we enjoyed the Double Decker Waffle Sundae and a Strawberry Milkshake with whipped cream. MMMMM!

We’ve also tried the soft-serve ice-cream cone (with organic sprinkles) and the hot fudge/caramel sundaes before. Yes, you read that right… organic soft-serve ice-cream cones and sundaes!!! I have no words.

You can imagine how hard it is for me to keep quiet about our nation’s first certified organic fast food restaurant. Seven years ago, when we switched our family’s food to strictly organic, I never dreamed I’d have the option to eat at a place like Nic’s. Who doesn’t love a burger and fries?!

Usually, when I tell people about eating at Nic’s I get the same three questions asked:

• What exactly is organic food?
• What is on Nic’s menu?
• How much does Nic’s cost?

I LOVE that people are asking questions and I’m always happy to answer, so here it goes…

What is USDA Certified Organic Food?

Most people I talk to about USDA Certified Organic food are under the impression that it simply means the foods are free of synthetic pesticides. While the absence of synthetic pesticides is a large part of the USDA Certified Organic label, there is so much more to it.

Foods that have been labeled USDA Certified Organic are not allowed to contain the following (in addition to dozens of other things) in the final product or at any point during their production:

• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), also referred to as Bioengineered (BE) or Genetically Engineered (GE).
• Synthetic pesticides or herbicides.
• Sewage sludge (used as a fertilizer on many conventional crops) or irradiation.
• Artificial colors or dyes.
• Artificial flavors or preservatives.
• Antibiotics or added growth hormones.

Nic’s is committed to serving food made using only the highest quality of ingredients. When you dine with Nic’s you can be sure that you (and those you love) are getting food that is free of GMOs, antibiotics, pesticides and other toxic chemicals.

What is on Nic’s Menu and How Much Does it Cost?

While at Nic’s Loop location, I decided it was time to get some menu photos to share. Everyone I’ve told about Nic’s is curious about what an organic fast food menu looks like and also how much a meal would cost.

You will definitely find plenty of familiar fast food favorites just waiting to be ordered! The pricing at Nic’s is comparable to what you would find at other “fast casual” restaurants… the difference is you are getting only high quality, organic ingredients.

(The menu photos shown below were taken in Jan. 2019. Obviously, pricing and items offered at Nic’s can change, at any time.)

Nic’s also offers online ordering and delivery! They are currently available on UberEats, Ritual and Postmates and have plans to begin Grubhub and Caviar in the future.

Are you drooling yet?! I know, I am! The only thing that has me drooling more than Nic’s menu is the thought of them opening in my neighborhood. Right now, their three restaurants are in Illinois and for me, that is a bit of a drive. Once my daydreaming had started, so did my questions!

I wanted to know if Nic’s had plans to expand in other states and if they were opening any further locations in the Chicago area. Plus, I really wanted to know how this whole organic fast food idea got started and what it took to get Nic’s to where it is today. I reached out and was fortunate to speak with one of the owners, Neal Zeavy, to help get my questions answered.

Tell Me More About Nic’s

The idea for Nic’s Organic Fast Food came from husband and wife owners, Benjamin and Nicolette Brittsan, who both have backgrounds in culinary education and owning a restaurant.

After becoming parents, the Brittsans found it difficult to find places to eat with their kids that fit their desire to feed their family organic food. Some restaurants offer items using one or two organic ingredients… the Brittsans wanted all ingredients to be organic and verified as such. Thus, came the idea for Nic’s Organic Fast Food, which is named after Nicolette.

According to Mr. Zeavy, when beginning to look into opening Nic’s, he and the Brittsans were finding there was no format for a becoming a restaurant that was USDA Certified Organic. The demand for such a restaurant was there, just not the framework needed for a chain to follow to get certified.

Much of the process of opening Nic’s involved setting up procedures to ensure that each step of the way, their ingredients were USDA Certified Organic. Everything from ketchup to cooking oils had to be verified. That is a ton of work considering the amount of ingredients and suppliers needed to run a restaurant. Finding staple items such as American Cheese and soda proved to be tricky.

Nic’s Organic Fast Food opened their first location in Rolling Meadows, IL in early 2017. Since its opening, Nic’s has successfully opened restaurants in Woodfield Mall (Schaumburg, IL) and the Chicago Loop. They are currently working on opening their fourth location in Evanston, IL.

Nic’s has BIG goals for the future. The chain is planning to expand nationwide, starting with major cities in New York, California, Massachusetts, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and Florida. I’ve already requested they come to my city… and you should too!

Mr. Zeavy is predicting Nic’s Organic Fast Food will have 25 locations open by the end of 2019 and 75 locations open by the end of 2020. WOW!

As you know, our family loves to travel so I just had to ask if Nic’s has considered opening restaurants in airports, museums, amusement parks or sporting venues. Mr. Zeavy said they are always looking for great locations to open and may have already considered some of those options.

One last question for the owner… what is his favorite menu item at Nic’s? Without hesitation he responded, “the cheeseburger!” He said he actually dreams about the cheeseburgers! That makes perfect sense to me… because once you try their food you’ll be dreaming about it too! I’m glad I’m not the only one.

Want the latest information about upcoming locations and menu items? Please be sure to show your support and follow Nic’s on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.