Within five years, patrons of Chester County’s four Chick-fil-A restaurants will be able to enjoy their chicken sandwiches made with chickens not raised on antibiotics.

The Atlanta-based company recently announced all Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide will serve antibiotic-free chicken within five years – a first among fast food restaurants. Here there are Chick-fil-A restaurants on Rosedale Avenue at West Chester University, at the Exton Square Mall, at Ashbridge Square in Downingtown, and on Eagleview Boulevard in Lionville.

“Since our family business began 67 years ago, we have focused on our customers. It’s why we insist upon using the highest quality ingredients,” Dan Cathy, president and chief executive officer of Chick-fil-A, said in a company news release. “We want to continue that heritage, and offering antibiotic-free chicken is the next step.”

Many foodies, concerned that use of antibiotics in farm animals may lead to the formation of super-bugs antibiotics can’t cure, are choosing antibiotic-free meat.

Chick-fil-A is partnering with national and regional poultry suppliers to build a necessary supply of chickens raised without antibiotics to match the chain’s sales volume. The company is asking suppliers to work with the USDA to verify that no antibiotics are administered at any point.

The company says it will update customers about its progress on its web site here.

This is not the first healthy menu change for Chick-fil-A. Last year the company removed yellow dye from its chicken soup. The company is also testing the removal of high fructose corn syrup from all of its dressings and sauces, artificial ingredients from its bun, and TBHQ (a chemical made from butane which finds its way into many foods) from its peanut oil.

Chick-fil-A also removed trans-fat from its menu items and condiments in 2008. The company says its chicken is 100 percent pure breast meat with no fillers, additives, hormones or steroids. No artificial or added hormones are used in the production of any poultry in the United States.

“Transparency in our food is important to our customers, and it’s important to us too,” said Cathy.

For more information on Chick-fil-A’s antibiotic-free chicken click here.

Chick-fil-A is a family owned and privately held company with 1,800 restaurants in 39 states and Washington D.C. S. Truett Cathy founded the company in 1967, and it reported sales of $5 billion in 2013.