Is Chick-Fil-A Chickening Out?
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. The ethics of chowing down at Chick-Fil-A have been a hot button topic for the past few years. There have been cries of outrage at the chain’s questionable donations to programs and charities that actively harm the LGBTQ+ community. The chain vowed to stand strong in their Christian beliefs, but after intense boycotts, the company seems to have changed its tune. In November, the company released a statement saying that they have severed partnerships with numerous organizations, notably ones with a history of causing harm to the LGBTQ+ community. You might think that this would be the solution to the issue, but it seems Chick-Fil-A can’t win. The groups that boycotted the company seem to see this move as a marketing stunt, but that’s not their only enemy. The conservative supporters of the companies “stand firm in our beliefs” policy are now boycotting the chain, saying that they “bent to the liberal agenda.” So much controversy over such good chicken.
Now we are all faced with the dilemma: Can we chow down at Chick-Fil-A in good consciousness?
My relationship with Chick-Fil-A runs deep. I am from the home of Chick-Fil-A in Atlanta, Georgia, and I grew up in the same town as Truett Cathy, founder of the chain, and his family, just a few minutes from Truett Cathy Highway and the first Chick-Fil-A. Now that I live in New York City, I can confirm that the Chick-Fil-A here is wack. The chicken is gimpy, the bread is too firm, and y’all don’t even have the cool Chick-Fil-As. Did you even know that Chick-Fil-A has spin-off restaurants like a Hawaiian restaurant, pizza cafe, and a specialty grill? Well, it does, and you are truly missing out. In my high school days, I would go to Chick-Fil-A 4 to 5 times a week, so being told by Twitter that I need to give up my delicious chicken sandwich in favor of ethics caught me off guard.
Chick-Fil-A has always had a strong Christian affiliation. They’ve never tried to hide it, and they pride themselves on being closed on Sundays out of respect for Christian faith practices. I want to be clear that they have every right to do this. They are a private company and always will be according to the contract that the family signed in 2014. Considering how politically and culturally divided the country is right now, it is no surprise that their religious values have come to conflict with some of the public’s interest. The main controversy started in 2012 when CEO Dan Cathy publicly opposed same-sex marriage. The Cathy’s donations to “anti-LGBT” organizations also came into the public eye, and LGBTQ activists started calling for boycotts of the restaurant chain. These boycotts had a small effect on business. The companies sales rose 12% following the controversy, but in 2014, the company did announce that they would stop funding the controversial organizations. This quelled the boycotters’ anger, but the upsets were reignited in 2017 when the companies’s tax filing showed that they had added on more organizations that were seen as “anti-LGBTQ”.
What makes these organizations so bad that they are deemed “anti-LGBT?” A key organization that Chick-Fil-A was criticized for supporting was The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, or more popularly known as FCA. The FCA is a non-profit sports ministry that has a worldwide presence in schools and recreation centers. I went to high school with an FCA, and while I was very aware of their religious presence, I never knew them to be a LGBT-hating organization. After some research, I can see why FCA was deemed “Anti-LGBT.” The company writes on its employee applications that “Any homosexual act constitutes an alternative lifestyle unacceptable to God,” and it states on its website that “marriage is exclusively the union of one man and one woman.” Definitely not a company you would see at your local pride parade. Another organization the company came under fire for supporting was The Family Research Council or the FRC. According to the FRC’s official website, “Family Research Council believes that homosexual conduct is harmful to the persons who engage in it and to society at large, and can never be affirmed. It is by definition unnatural, and as such is associated with negative physical and psychological health effects. While the origins of same-sex attractions may be complex, there is no convincing evidence that a homosexual identity is ever something genetic or inborn. We oppose the vigorous efforts of homosexual activists to demand that homosexuality be accepted as equivalent to heterosexuality in law, in the media, and in schools. Attempts to join two men or two women in "marriage" constitute a radical redefinition and falsification of the institution, and FRC supports state and federal constitutional amendments to prevent such redefinition by courts or legislatures.” Definitely an organization that won’t be winning any GLAAD awards. Chick-Fil-A supporting these companies was a cause for concern, but now that they stopped their support, should all sins be forgiven?
On November 18th, 2019, Chick-Fil-A announced that it will no longer support the FCA or The Salvation Army. These were the last two companies they supported that earned them opposition. There was no reaction at all by the public, and everything was fine! … just kidding. The internet exploded with opinions and commentary. Pro-LGBTQ activists praised the companies’ move and hoped it would serve as an example to other major corporations with problematic ties. It might have seemed that Chick-Fil-A made everyone happy, but they were then slapped by another round of boycotts. This time, the boycotts came from right-wing and religious clients, accusing the company of bending to the liberal agenda. Facebook posts were ablaze with disappointed customers vowing to never eat at the chain again.
Alas, Chick-Fil-A is back in hot water. But does it really matter?
Chick-Fil-A’s sales and expansions are through the roof. The company grew its revenue by 16.7% in 2018 and made nearly 10.5 Billion dollars in sales alone. The company is now the third-largest fast food chain with 2,363 locations worldwide. It seems that the boycotts from both sides had no effect on the pocketbooks of the company, but perhaps their public image was what was more at stake. Will LGBTQ+ patrons forgive the company for their past wrongdoings? Or are those bridges burnt beyond repair? On the flip side, has Chick-Fil-A angered their conservative patrons by flopping on their “steadfast” beliefs? Only time can tell. If in ten years from now the company is still going strong, then this controversy is just a blip on their timeline. If in ten years the company is still fighting controversy and working to please the public, then maybe these boycotts are the start of a new precedent—one that says that the people’s opinion carries more power than money and that companies must pay attention to the demands of their customers. For now, it seems that the southern fried chicken on a golden bun trumps the anger of protesters.
So how should you proceed when you crave those delicious waffle fries and that famous chicken sandwich? I can’t give you an answer. There is some fault to be found in any large company, so it's up to your personal moral compass to decide if the sins of a company are bad enough for you to take your business elsewhere. Either way that you proceed you will be making someone angry. Chick-Fil-A will serve as an interesting case study when it comes to the relationship between companies and ethics. The recent introduction of a certain competing Popeyes sandwich seems to give customers another option besides the original chicken sandwich. Will people switch chains in response to the Chick-Fil-A controversy? Only time will tell.
So should you really Eat Mor Chikin? It’s really your decision.
Cover image courtesy Business Insider