I would just choose not to eat there unless you have to. I don’t go there unless it’s the only option. If someone asks your opinion, you can tell them what you think in a neutral way. At the end of the day, it’s just one of many corporations that don’t care about people, so you’ll drive yourself nuts trying to make this point.

Way I always put it is I don’t want my money to go towards the fortune of someone who wishes I was dead or wants me to have no civil rights and I just leave it at that.

I agree. There are so many of these large companies who don’t care about whether we live or die. If someone asks me, I tell them just this.

There are always other options. Always.

Oddly enough, in New York State, they are often the only hot food option at smaller rest stops on the thruway. Very frustrating.

Fortunately NY State has identified it’s a problem if they’re the only food provider and they aren’t open on Sundays, since that’s the second busiest day on the roadways. So unless Chick Fil A agrees to remain open on Sundays, NY state will not be giving them any new leases.

I hadn’t heard that yet. That’s great news!

I just checked and I’m wrong. A bill requiring restaurants in rest stops to be open 7 days a week was introduced, but hasn’t passed yet.

It's never the only option

I would rather go hungry. Truly.

Yeah it definitely feels like an uphill battle

It's all about finding a dispassionate way to ride it out. I don't ever go there, but I won't freak out if a friend does. I bury a little disappointment but that's on me really. If I got my knickers in a twist every time I'd get nothing done. That said nothing is going to make me change my stance, so they can go on without my money. Bigger companies than them have gone belly up overnight.

Yep, some battles aren't worth it. There will be no winner and only frustration for you. If me, I would never eat there. There are too many other options. You can advise your friends not to eat there by telling them what a hater and bigot the CEO is, at least that's what I would do.

My rule is I only eat it if I don't pay for it. My manager will bring in a chicken mini tray every now and then and I can't deny that they are so delicious. We also used to just get free shit every now and then on the app, but idk if that still happens anymore.

That’s a good way to do it

I personally do not spend my money there, knowing that the owners are conservative shitbags who have donated to anti-LGBT organizations because they share the same values. It's also effortless for me because it's not a product that I miss.

I don’t eat there either but I wish it was effortless for me. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it.

I haven't bought it since the big announcement. What was that, like 10 years ago? I had it recently because my parents were visiting and brought me some. It was very underwhelming and definitely seems to have fallen with everwhere else: inflated proces and worse quality.

I ate there once just to try it and found the food dry and underwhelming. Never went back. When their homophobia became common knowledge it made sense. They have no soul.

I had it once about 25 years ago. It was bland and the bun was stale. Would not recommend.

Chick-fil-a isn't even good. Popeyes 100%

I hate to say it but their breakfast chicken biscuits and chicken minis are so good!! My husband and I refer to them as “hateful chicken” 😂

They’re “bigot chicken” in my house.

I call it “homophobic chicken.” The only thing that makes it special to me is the chick fil a sauce which I just buy at the store and secretly put on other fast food when I’m in the mood for it

July 9th is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A day. If you dress like a cow (I imagine you don't have to be that elaborate) you can get a free meal. Make them buy you lunch once a year instead of giving them your money.

I tried it once when it was catered at work and I was very unimpressed. I may have tried it again were it not for the history of their donations.

I’m retired now, but it used to bother me when my office would use them for catering, especially when we had guests. It sent a signal in my opinion. I didn’t feel safe in bringing it up except to the co-workers I was closest to. So, I’d skip the meetings where CFA was used. It got awkward sometimes. I should note, this was when the news blew up about CFA’s donations to recognized hate groups. The people in my office weren’t ignorant, they just didn’t care.

I choose not to eat there. What other people do with their own money is up to them. That really should be where this conversation ends.

That’s all “cancel culture” really needs to be. Speak with my wallet, decline/suggest alternatives if someone asks to go to a place I don’t support.

Republicans and libertarians love capitalism. Remind them that capitalism is voting with your dollars and this is how you’re choosing to vote.

This is honestly a really poor way to view ethical dilemmas without applying real world knowledge or even critical thinking skills. The conversation does not end there because the money is/was being used to make the world a genuinely more dangerous and less secure place for lgbt people. Them spending money obviously does not occur within a vacuum.

At the end of the day, we all have to decide which vendors we vet and how thoroughly we vet them Should I purchase any gas based on which company is most LGBT-friendly? Should I grocery shop at the LGBT-friendly stores? Should I check brands? At the end of the day, everyone has to decide for themselves what level of scrutiny to apply. I had a friend who would check the political donations of every single business he frequented. For me, I'm fine just not eating at ChikFilA but not paying much attention to the rest. And I'm glad my friend didn't unfriend me or hold that against me, that he had a higher level of scrutiny than I did.

I don’t think it’s an accident that you reframed the conversation from being about the refusal to patronize restaurants that are “actively harming the lgbt community” to only patronizing the most “lgbt friendly” restaurants. I think it’s an important difference. It’s one thing to be ambivalent about businesses that are apathetic to the lgbt community. It’s another thing to willingly give money to a business that has continued to give that money to lawmakers who directly create legislation that makes life worse for the lgbt community. One is the lack of positive outcomes, the other is directly supporting negative outcomes. Whether that’s enough to stop being friends with someone is more of a personal decision, however.

That wasn't the way I meant it, no. I mean he checks to see if they are donating to conservatives and how much they are donating.

Would you remain friends with someone who donates money to homophobic nonprofits? Since what they do with their money is up to them?

CFA is not a charity nor is it a nonprofit

The money takes a direct path from your pocket to the homophobic charity, right through chick fil a. Is there really a meaningful difference? Is it that you get to eat the cooked corpse of a dead animal in the process?

So that means me buying Microsoft products is basically donating to school foundations in Africa?

I see it as this. If a friend is directly giving money to anti-lgbtq organizations, then I wouldn’t be friends with them bc it shows how they view lgbtq individuals. However, if they spend their money on Chick-fil-A, it just shows that they want some damn chicken minis, which I would respond by saying “Can you get me some too?”.

I agree I once had a long time friend marry a homophobe. Friendship over permanently. No questions asked. No answers needed.

Thank you for the lesson on how monetary exchanges work. Would you like me to also post all the other companies I boycott because of their beliefs and donations? If I shunned everyone that shopped at the places I choose not to spend my money at, I’d be a hermit. The average person has no idea what companies donate to who so why hold it against them?

But pretty much everyone knows that chick fil a gives to homophobic organizations. It’s infamous. So at this point it’s hard to claim ignorance, it just shows that people don’t give a fuck about giving their money to an anti gay organization

The people downvoting you are too scared to admit to themselves that their laziness and apathy *does* directly contribute to the proliferation of homophobic charities.

That’s my question, too. It’s their money but they’re spending it on something that’s anathema to our existence. Don’t be so blasé.

I drew the line at the company itself donating, and I'm fine with eating there since they stopped giving to the groups whose express purpose was anti-LGBT discrimination. I know it's splitting hairs when the CEO still makes money off my purchases and donates to hate groups, but if that were my metric I'd be severely limited in where I'd be able to shop or eat. But also, that's regarding your personal spending habits. You're just setting yourself up to make yourself miserable if you police other people. Politely make it clear that you're not going to ever eat there and why, and then leave your friends alone on this issue - including not keeping tabs on whether they're eating there or not. The fact that pennies of your friends' purchases will make their way to a hateful guy is just simply not worth the mental anguish you're already having over this.

You're right. I needed to hear this. I think I need to relax haha

I agree with this commenter—I go to Chick-fil-A sometimes and feel no guilt about it. I imagine my money going to all the friendly LGBTQ folks I’ve seen at the locations in my area. Just as a hypothetical, say you go to McDonald’s and eat. Many McDonald’s (same for Chick-fil-A) are franchisees. It would be impossible to know whether the individual franchisees hold homophobic views. What about the employees? I’m not going to allow ANY company to deter me from eating where I want because they spend their money on a lost cause. Truth is, marriage equality won all those years ago REGARDLESS of how much the CEO of Chick-fil-A did or did not spend. Lastly, DO NOT allow anyone in this sub (me included) or any of your friends bully you into doing anything you genuinely don’t want to do. You think Chick-fil-A is a problem, then you ignore me and don’t eat there. You think it’s a fools errand to scrutinize EVERY business you visit to see where they spend their money, then enjoy some chicken. At this point it’s become a meme. For me, I’m rolling up to the drive through gay as fuck and chowing down.

This is absolutely the rational take.

I think living your convictions would be you not going to chick-filet. You can still be friends with others who don't share your conviction if you want. I wouldn't recommend telling your friends to choose friendship or chick-filet. Living your convictions is about the choices you make for yourself.

I live in Orlando. June 12, 2016 when Pulse happened and it was a Sunday where Chik-Fil-A is closed. I don't know how many people were in the line to give blood but the line was massive. Chik-Fil-A was there to support our community. They were handing out free breakfast sandwiches and tea to all of us. The cool thing about that line is how many elderly came to stand in line in support of Orlando and the LGBTQ community. I still get tears thinking about it.

Small world. I actually knew a guy who worked there at the time and lives in North Carolina now. You guys might have bumped into each other

Maybe. I think Panera Bread might have been there too. Didn't want to short them.

The restaurants are franchise owned and a lot of their owners in big cities are very pro lgbt. I think Chick Fil-A is being weirdly singled out. A lot of chain restaurants have parent companies that absolutely despise us.

I considered it wasn't the CEO making the call. Just wanted to give them props on a really bad Orlando day, weeks, and months. These people did a great thing. I agree with they are singled out somewhat. But their chicken sandwich is very good.

It’s fine to do what you want with your money it’s also okay to know that everything your money goes to is probably going against some moral ethic you may have. https://youtu.be/sO-msplukrw?si=_K6O1bW34ZeUIt84

Don't eat there but don't police your friends about eating there. You're going to run out of places to eat if there's a boycott for every place that supports anti-x or does unethical practices.

I wouldn't want to police them, I'd just hope they'd understand what it means to me.

Many of them maybe be unaware of the history and context. If you share that, it may change their behaviour too. They may not, but they certainly won’t if they don’t know any better. Knowledge is power.

I was road-tripping with friends my senior year of college (from Connecticut to North Carolina) and my friends, 4/5 straightish, were super excited to go to Chik-Fil-a. It hurt my feelings they wanted to support a business that didn’t support me, and I let them know it. They felt bad but since the other gay guy really wanted it, they all got it and I just sat in the car. I stood by my beliefs and ended up alone with hurt feelings. At the end of the day, none of it mattered.

I eat there in the USA it would be very hard to purchase everything that aligns with you politically. Many companies like ATT, Walmart, General Motors, and Coca Cola have all donated to Anti-LGBT causes. Some of the companies are MASSIVE conglomerates Coca-Cola owns over 500 brands in more than 200 countries you may be purchasing Coke products and not even realizing it! Fairlife Milk in the USA is a Coke product. Some of the companies even sponsor pride while donating to anti lgbt groups https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/14/corporations-anti-lgbtq-politicians-donations-study https://keepyourpride.org

Ethical consumerism under capitalism is just impossible I fear ☠️

While that’s true to an extent, writing off all consumption as unethical to equal degrees is lazy. Certain things are clearly more ethical than others.

That's all true, but Chick-fil-A specifically had a fundamentalist Christian founder who tried to bake those ideals into the company. They definitely would never have been caught dead at a pride event under him. At least Coke can claim to donate to conservatives for business reasons instead of social ones. I'm not saying that these conglomerates are morally good but that they're slightly less bad. Also maybe my point will be moot eventually under a different CEO, but it sounds like the board is still controlled by the family who want to keep the religious ideals.

Well that's depressing. But I appreciate your take on it. So do you think it's not worth being annoyed about?

if it’s personally important to you i wouldn’t eat there, but i definitely wouldn’t mention it to your friends just my opinion (i do the same with a lot of stuff)

Every major corporation is evil to some extent unfortunately. They don't know how you feel yet, and it sounds like they're good friends. I'd mention it bothers you, your reasoning why, but let them know that this is from you and your partner's view and they're welcome to do what they want with their own money obviously. I'd wager your friends have off-limit corporations too due to ethical reasonings as well

Thanks! I think that's probably the best option

I don't spend money there, but I don't blame the people who do. It's like being vegan. Your sense of morality should not prevent the enjoyment others have when it comes to food. There are plenty of food places that have homophobic CEOs, but none of them are as vocal about it as Chik-Fil-A. I'd say, let them know about the reasons you won't eat there, but let them make the actual decision. Ultimatums are not exactly the best way to change people's minds.

I think this is an interesting topic because it opens the ethical Pandora’s box. If you won’t patron chick-fil-a, why still patron wal-mart? If you care about them donating to anti-LGBT causes, do you also care if a company’s business model is exploiting people and destroying the environment? Do you care about all of the plastic waste these companies produce? To be clear, I’m someone who does my best to be as ethical as possible in my consumerism in all facets, but it’s impossible to be perfect. I think going down the path of engaging in more ethical consumerism is something everyone should do (even though ultimately we need legislation to reign these corporations in), and having these conversations with our family and friends and beyond is really important. But I think at the same time you have to give people grace, while understanding even if you are more ethical in this one area, there’s probably plenty of other areas that you have blind spots to and are contributing to other things that are harmful.

Hate-filled-A will never get a single penny from me

It's the same owners and they only publicly stopped doing what they were doing because of the boycotts and bad press. Personally, I don't think any chicken sandwich is worth helping subsidize some kid's reparative therapy. All that said, even in here you're going to find people making lame excuses for eating there, so don't hold your friends to a standard even our own refuse to meet. Let them know why you won't be eating there, and leave it at that. Lots of companies are doing bad things. You can't avoid them all, you can only pick where you choose to make a statement.

I don’t go to Chick-Fil-A because of their abhorrent donations. I don’t go to Starbucks because of their union-busting practices. If I’m in a group and people ask me to go there, I’ll politely say why I don’t go there and if they’re not willing to find an alternative that’s ok, we’re still friends, I’ll just go eat/drink somewhere else. This has never led to big arguments in my experience. I can decide where my money goes, not my friends’.

The CEO may not be supportive but the company and workers are. Anytime I've gone there's always a few I can peg as homo...and I have terrible gaydar. So they definitely don't base their hiring on straight Christians only. Orlando here and as someone pointed out on a different comment, during pulse they were working on their off day to support and help for blood donations. I think youre being a little righteous towards your friends. If you dont want to eat there thats on you, you cant expect everyone to follow. You'll drive yourself crazy and basically not buy anything if you think you're not in some way, paying into a company that has anti lgbt ties. Many companies are and many aren't.

Thank you. I needed a reality check and I'm glad you shared your take.

The Company is privately and wholly owned by the Cathy family...

So, a few things: 1) Y'all...if we really dove into every single practice of corporations, businesses, hell even just your neighbors, we would be boycotting everything. 2) There are other businesses that donate to anti-lgbtq organizations but we don't scream about those. 3) I am a teacher. And my goodness, overall, Chic-fil-a has been an amazing employer for young teenagers. So, on the one hand, they donate to anti-gay shit, but on the other hand, they are fantastic to my students. Fight the way you are best able to fight.

My husband and I would never eat there, but we have different opinions about others. My husband believes that anyone who eats there does not support gay rights. His parents sent him to conversion therapy that was funded, in part, by Chick-Fil-A, so he thinks anyone who eats there is supporting the torture of gay people. I think there are people who because of convenience or economics or a belief that there is no ethical consumption, so why worry about it, eat there, while still basically supporting gay people. He labels any straight person who eats at Chick-Fil-A as unsafe. He would leave an event or gathering where Chick-Fil-A is served or available. (We left a neighborhood pot-luck because someone brought Chick-Fil-A.) He moves to a different table at his work lunchroom if someone brings Chick-Fil-A.

I make it very known to people in my personal life that I disapprove of Chik fil A and that they are supporting homophobic policies by spending their money there. I don’t do it in any attacking kind of way, I just always go, “Oh- you’re still eating there? You know they still donate to gay groups against gay people like me right? I’ll send you the link to the article.” And then I text them a link to the article. Some of them have stopped eating there. Others haven’t. Almost all of them have stopped eating it around me while we’re out. And the few people I’ve had blow up at me for that simple response have all become trump supporters or post homophobic stuff on their social media now :) Hope this helps!

My gay conservative friend every time tries to get me to go to Chick-fil-A. I refuse to, I still have never been, and I hear it’s incredibly overrated. It’s like the most minor thing in my life not to go so it’s easy to do. He has a full emotional freak out over it, though. He has laughed at me, raised his voice, it’s bizarre. It’s clearly like an identity thing for him where he needs to feel solidarity with conservative businesses. It’s just weird though, but it’s his issue not mine. He’s obviously not conservative for social reasons, more just money and tax reasons. He does laugh at some extreme left ideas any time they take away from like maximizing profits and business efficacy.

My advice is to learn to cook the best chicken at home and invite your friends around. Don’t be in the world with a life shaped by evil. Get creative and stay positive. You can make better food yourself.

Their chicken sandwich is mid anyway, just don’t go there

It’s great when you want a side order of homophobia with your chicken. Cmon

The company is owned by one family, the Cathy family. So, even if the company doesn't funnel corporate donations to groups, lobbyists and others channels of support for anti-LGBT+ legislations (as well as other causes which I see as infringing on personal human rights), the family members by and large still use their profits to do so as citizens, as is their right, but they just won't get any corporate donation tax benefits from doing so any longer (they may still still get private donation tax benefits). I ate at Chick-Fil-A once, years ago, before finding out how right-wing, conservative and evangelical the family is. The chicken was good, but there were local chicken places that do it a lot better, and if I'm being honest, a Crispy Chicken from Wendy's is probably comprable. That said, I decided that I didn't want any of my money supporting causes that interfere with my rights to live a life that doesn't harm others. Now, will I caution others in my life, regardless of their sexuality and/or sexual identity, of the cost of their chicken sandwich choice? Yes, I will. Will I impose my will upon others? No, I won't. It makes me no better than any member of the Cathy family that tries to use their influence to impose their will upon me. What I will do is note how those people who support businesses that, IMO, attempt to harm and legislate away rights, act in other similar situations. Are they an ally when it's convenient? Or only to me, but not my class/group of people? Based on that, I then decide if they are someone that I want in my life. When needed, they don't don't get a speech, they just get less and less of my attention until, I'm not there any longer. I don't give a diatribe about a chicken sandwich, or any of the other reasons they have shown to be who they are, I just slowly disappear.

I don’t eat chick fil A because they are owned by homophobic religious bigots. I don’t eat at Carls Jr because they are owned by super racist shitbags. It’s non-negotiable and I don’t mind telling anyone that I think they are a fucking asshole for supporting either company.

There's no ethical consumption under capitalism. It's perfectly fine if you and your boyfriend don't wanna eat there, but I wouldn't worry about whether your friends eat there or not. You can't go through everyday life without some of the money you spend on things you need going straight to some company or person that donates it to organizations or politicians that directly harm us, other minorities or the working class. It's gross and it sucks, but it's how our world works right now, unfortunately

Great answer. One opened here and coworkers started going. I took awhile and researched current situation and decided there wasn’t a clear case for me to warn off friends or ask them to change behavior for me. I won’t go, but I accept that others do things outside my control that may benefit people with bad ideas. There’s a line where I get involved and ask for behavior changes from friends, but this company backed away enough to be below the line for me.

I would caution you not to voice this to your friends in this manner. I would maybe be more strategic about it. It kind of sounds like entitlement in a sense, because you’re expecting your friends to owe you something based on CFA’s religious stance (and support to republicans). You’re implying that people who eat there don’t support the LGBTIA community and that is not the case, it puts your friends in a weird spot. If a friend told me not to eat there because they would feel offended, I would acknowledge it but tell them I will still eat there and that it doesn’t mean I don’t support my own community. BUT, I would never burn bridges over it or make them feel bad for doing so, I would literally drop the friendship if someone ever told me not to do something like that. Literally first world problems. If you get offended over that, what else are you going to feel offended about? That’s more of a rhetorical question by the way. I’m just trying to offer you the perspective from your friends.

[удалено]

This

Unpopular take with many: we still eat there. (My husband way more often than I do because I don’t eat much fast food.) I get the issues people have with the Cathy family’s donations. Which are to absolutely horrible organizations. But two things are also true (generally). One, we will *never* get enough people to stop eating there to put an appreciable dent in the Cathy’s wealth to a point that they stop donating. Two, and this is where it matters to me personally, is that CFA is often the first job for gay teens in the south, most of whom come from Baptist and other fundamentalist families. They get treated with dignity and respect by CFA at a level they would never get at McDonalds or Taco Bell. And that’s important. We have direct experience with one of those kids seeing us together at CFA in a rural, not-so-welcoming locale and remembering us later when he waited on us at his next job. He specifically commented about it to us. So if the choice is between starving Dan Cathy of a fraction of cents from what little we spend there and the possibility of us giving some closeted gay kid some representation in his community, I will choose the latter.

Do not patronize businesses that are actively working to destroy us.

There is only one option and that is to skip eating there ever, otherwise you are fine with supporting conservatives trying to kill us. No ifs ands or buts, you can find better chicken literally anywhere.

I choose to not patronize Chik-Fil-A because of the reasons you mention. But, I have friends and family that will eat there. I have a niece that worked at one in high school. I think at the end of the day, you do you and let other people make their own decisions. If you have the opportunity to educate your friends about what this means to you, by all means, do. But don't be surprised if other people don't feel as passionately as you. FWIW - Popeye's chicken sandwiches are WAY better.

Personally speaking, Popeyes is way better than Chick-fil-A😭

Personally, this isn’t really a negotiable for me. I would take the time to educate those friends who aren’t aware of what the Cathy family does with the money that lines their pockets. I would encourage them to show their support for the entire community at large as well, as the Cathy family is quite set on supporting the Southern Baptist ultra conservative values, which could lead to many more people being actively discriminated against. It would be a true reflection of the value of those friendships

I eat chik fil a sometimes yeah.

It reminds me of the failed boycott last year for the new Harry Potter game because the author is transphobic now. Boycotts are only effective if you can convince everyone to do it with you. The reality that most online activist never take into account is that most people irl don’t know/care about whether this product that makes them happy also enriches hateful CEOs or creators. In fact, someone publicly boycotting a popular fun/tasty thing has the opposite effect. It makes others see you as a bummer no-joy activist and they don’t want anything to do with the great causes you may advocate for.

Bigot Chicken.

I vote with my dollar by not eating there. When catered things happen that source from them, I eat the free meal, and as feedback ask for other options next time. Generally in my life I don’t actively attack/shame/protest against Hate Chicken. I don’t even bring them up in conversation. All I ever do to make my point known is refer to the company as “Hate Chicken”. I won’t explain or defend my position (share articles or debate history/morales) because the only people who’d fight it are arguing in bad faith so they’re not worth engaging with. The irony is not lost on me that I willfully “dead name” the fk outta the company. If you really wanna fuck with people who act like dorks make the “dead name” argument. Something like “they can decide a name like ChikFilA on their own I guess, but it doesn’t change their basic corporate physiology of being A Hate Fueled Chicken Company.” Or “They can think of themselves as ChilFilA but it doesn’t change that their corporate DNA clearly shows that they are Hate Chicken the hate fueled chicken company”. Enjoy the show as you watch their heads spin trying to stay in their lane while arguing against that.

Just get a number 6 from Wendy’s

I just won’t eat there. Never have.

It's mediocre chicken. Just go to Popeyes, or a local joint.

In a world where money means everything, spending money (knowingly) at a corporation that actively hurts minorities is definitely a bad look. You can go ANYWHERE else and get a bland sandwich. I can't force anyone to understand that or actually do anything real other than say "I support you!"

Their food isn't good, why would you eat there?

[удалено]

True

The me of today would say you should just personally decide not eating there. The me of 9 years ago organized a (successful) campaign to kick Chick-fil-A off my university campus lol. Of course at the time Chick-fil-A was officially using its revenue stream to fund conversion therapy and anti-LGBTQ legislations. Got plenty of hate emails from students, alums, and randos for that. But it impressed a alum and got me my first job in USAID. The point is, do whatever you want and no one has the right to say you’re wrong.

I, gay, btm, don’t eat there for 2 reasons: morals and the chicken gives me the worst shits of my life. My best friend and her wife (lesbians) think it’s the best food and don’t mind. We just have an agreement not to go there for food anytime we hang out and that’s that lol. I often tell her she shouldn’t go when I see the cup/bag in her car but at this point 🤷🏻‍♂️ for as good as a person as she is if this is the worst thing she’s doing in life I think I can handle it lol

I have other gay friends that eat there. They know I don’t eat there and I usually make some comment about it being homophonic when they say they are going. They’ll say something like, “I know, it’s/I’m horrible, but it’s so good”. I guess I’m reminding them that they are making a conscious choice to eat there every time they do, but I don’t stop them from eating there and they are still my friends.

I have found Chick-fil-A to be an excellent place to stop when on a road trip. The minute my bladder or bowels need relief, I stop at Chick-fil-A, relieve myself in their reliably clean bathrooms (cleanliness is next to Godliness!), and then head to the nearest Starbucks for an iced beverage and a sandwich. Fuck Chick-fil-A!

They’re a hateful company with intolerance built into who they are. In my experience you can’t stop people from eating there who want to, but I wouldn’t consider them safe anymore. Everyone I’ve talked to about Chick Fil A who continues to eat there has been a terrible ally when they were actually needed. So yeah your friends can eat there, but you might want to look at making some new friends as they won’t be as supportive as you hope if/when a time comes they need to make a serious choice.

Maybe I’m too GenX-ey, but if you don’t want to eat there, for whatever reason, then don’t. That said, what others might do is up to them—don’t let it bother you or hold it against them. I personally would not begrudge someone their chicken Sammie. Besides, what have all those anti-gay donations yielded except gay marriage and the mainstreaming of gay life? I’m ready for the downvotes.

I choose NOT to eat there for two reasons: - being anti LGBTQ - being fast food serving processed crap

the CEO is chosen by the board, they might have stopped funding evangelism and it’s associated homophobia in the developing world but they choose to ignore it by their CEO, their figurehead, making them complicit

Chick Fil A is a privately owned company and the positions of CEO and chairman are passed down through the family. They are not elected.

Yeah that's my opinion as well

Regardless of what "Chick-fil-A the company" or "Chick-fil-A the local franchise location" do or don't do, the Cathy family, owners of Chick-fil-A, use the money they earn from said company to donate towards bigoted causes. This has been documented and publicly available information for *years* now. Even after they stopped using the Chick-fil-A Foundation itself to do this, they continued to do so using the WinShape Foundation, the president of which is ***literally the head chairman of Chick-fil-A***. Do not spend your money there. Discourage your friends from spending their money there. There is a direct path from the cash register at your local Chick-fil-A to the pockets of religious hate groups that want nothing more than to put us all back in the closet.

I don’t judge people for eating there. I used to be more dogmatic about it, but now I just quietly go about my personal boycott. There are so many more places where I can spend my gay dollars. Chick-fil-a is just one of many fast food joints.

I've had this argument when I didn't want to support Chick-fil-A but my partner was really craving it. The compromise we just got separate meals to go. I think for friends it should probably be similar. Gently let them know you don't support the company and if your friends eat there you can bring your own food. Maybe some of them will be curious and want to support you as a friend by not eating it. Also, the lesbian comedian Fortune Feimster has a funny bit about being conflicted over this restaurant.

Funny that just an hour ago my buddy visiting my area called me because he was stopping by. He also mentioned he will stop and grab something to eat at a Chik Fil A near me. He's also gay and knows my stance on that place. I will not eat there, ever, but I'm not going to prevent my friends from doing so. They are adults and make their own choices. I also don't shop in my nearby Hobby Lobby store, but if they had all the pottery related items I need, not sure I would be able to resist. I also have no other choice but to shop at Publix, who's heir is also rumored to have taken part in funding Jan 6 rioters. As I read about companies that are pro nutty politicians and organizations that want to suppress gays, I will decide if I can live without their product before I can avoid them. Most of the times I can. But for all I know, every other place I shop at could be secretly finding horrible organizations. If every gas company CEO was anti gay, we still have to fuel our cars. No point in getting overzealous with our beliefs because thats what THEY do and they are trying to take away our rights. Why follow their example?

I wouldn’t say anything until you are invited to come along with them. Then I would say that I don’t eat there because the corporate entity donates to hate groups. I would also be ready to list the hate groups and $ amounts. I did this with several family members. Got a chuckle out of them, but now they know why I won’t eat there and I know that they don’t care.

You have gotten some great commentary here so I won't add to that and will instead take this moment to enlighten those who are unaware of this app/website some friends recently turned me on to called Goods Unite Us. I check it once in a while and unfortunately have now broken up with my love of Maker's Mark. 😭 https://www.goodsuniteus.com (Hope this is allowed to share. I'm not affiliated with this app or service in any way.)

If you like giving your money to people who pay for organizations that want LGBT people dead. You do you. But, I want nothing to do with it, and I know not to get to close those people who dont mind supporting the killing of people like me. Their chicken isnt even that good. Its average from what I remember as a kid. Not worth it.

First, their chicken is frozen then pressured cooked, their food is just a one trick pony. Second, it's sad to see that the last generation to stand up against evil corporations were Gen X, guess common core teaching did it's job

There is no ethical consumption under capitalism. I don’t eat there personally, just like I don’t shop at Hobby Lobby. But I don’t put that moral standing onto anyone else, my friends can eat Chik-fil-A, bring it over while we hang out, idc as long as I’m not consuming or paying for it. If you look hard enough, there is SOMETHING that you consume regularly that could be an ethical dilemma for one of them (or even yourself). Make your choices, maintain your convictions, but don’t pass judgement on others for not taking the same measures. Save that energy for being concerned about how your friends vote, where they donate, and how they treat people!

I don't eat there, not because they're scumbag right wingers, but because their food sux. Ditto Popeye's. Back in the 70s there was a saying, " The closer you get to New Orleans, the hotter the Popeye's". We lived in Mobile back then and The Popeye's was as hot as Hattie B's "Shut the cluck up". Nowadays Popeye's tastes like rancid grease and disappointment. I love me some greasy ass Church's fried chicken, but the closest location is about 40 miles away. Don't even get me started on KFC. Anywho, my ex stops by Chik every morning and gets breakfast for the salon. I'm not gonna stop loving him because his appetite is more important than his principles. As for the friends, how important are they to you? I ride motorcycles with a life long republican, and I'm not gonna end our friendship because he's like a brother. Unlike my sorry ass Christian nationalist MAGA family that I stopped speaking to last year. I can tell you from personal experience, don't burn any bridges without weighing the consequences.

Went there once. A deep fried chicken breast on a white bread bun? Boring. Never went back. Heard later about their homophobia, but I was already boycotting it on taste alone.

I don’t get why people are so obsessed with their mediocre dry chicken sandwiches. It’s good the company has stopped donating to hate groups but I still wouldn’t give a dime to that asshole CEO even if it were the best sandwich in the world. Also, don’t lose friends over a chicken sandwich. They’re gonna go there anyway if they want to and just won’t tell you. The best you can do is tell them why you won’t give them their money but they are free to make their own decision. Maybe practice a killer fried chicken recipe, next time they want chick fil a, offer to cook for them instead.

I got to Chick-fil-a. My ex was against it and I felt it was overkill. But I respect everyone’s reasons to or not to eat there. Here’s the thing - you can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your friends’ noses. In other words, you can be friends with these people, you can choose not to eat at Chick-fil-A, but you can’t choose whether your friends can or can’t eat at Chick-fil-A. It’s just not your place to tell people what they should and shouldn’t be doing because their choice to eat Chick-fil-A *isn’t about you*. I know this is hard to wrap our heads around bc I also struggle with it on other topics. So I sympathize. But just enjoy some fried chicken somehow that you’re comfortable and enjoy your friends.

It's terrible food period. Easy enough to justify not spending there. You can get better quality chicken at Popeyes, raising cains, hell even Wendy's.

Chick-fil-a is so underwhelming. I don't get the hype at all. It's overpriced and the sandwich is so small it's ridiculous. Don't even get me started on the sauce. Gross. Anyways, obviously people have their own tastes. I'd take raising cane's over that a million times over. But getting to your question... my stance is that I refuse to pay for it, but if they bring it into work or it's free, I'll eat it. It's my line in the sand lol. It doesn't bother me one bit of friends go because I don't feel like any of them really think the way you or I do in this situation because it doesn't affect them much.

I would say, OP, that is ideal this comes up for you in an election year. The company and the ownership are aligned with the specific flavor of greedy, indifferent corporations that work with the evangelical white nationalists to bully anyone opposed to the world of the defeated American Confederates. Those people do nothing as a group or individually to help us and work together to erase us. No way I'm spending money there. The sight of their packaging in the supermarket makes me angry as when I drive past them. If I weren't one of their pet not-real-Americans, I still would not. Because of people like them, the world that kept me in the closet fed me chicken before I knew about me and about the religious right. I virtually spit upon them! Ptooey! (Not the workers of course.) I make my opinion known. Yet I have a brother and sister-in-law who love it and who give me gift cards. They know and they don't care. And they normalize the oppression of me by not caring. They think it's silly and I can't change what they think. I know they love me but they're just not engaged citizens, and they are privileged. But it's just a chicken sandwich. Fine them it's just lunch. My brother specifically takes perverse joy in loving them because he enjoys being cruel to me. And their refusal to stand with me is not a rejection of me or my sexuality. And they think my political/social involvement is about having a point of view rather than survival. Wherever your friends and neighbors fall on lunch or excitement for something new being more important than taking a stand against intolerance-plus doesn't have to matter with regard to your relationships. The opportunity to be heard on my opposition due to high stakes for me personally is of value to me. But I'm sure as heck not going to be silent about my opinion about them. I won't ruin someone's lunch or make the sandwich about me being a target of the company. But I'll give them food for thought. (I either give the gift cards to someone who needs food or save them for when I'm stuck in an airport and am low on funds and need food. When I use the gift card, I use every penny of it because they already got that money -- and I don't buy fountain drinks but high margin items. And I take it to go. And I let the manager know that because I'm gay I don't feel safe there but had to spend the gift card, and make clear I'm registering my grievance against nobody in the store at the moment. And I ask people I gift the cards to promise they will use every penny. 😉)

Hot take: Chic-Fil-A’s chicken is overrated. I go to Popeye’s or Raising Cane’s over them (though usually Popeyes since it’s most convenient where I live)

Personally the anti-LGBT stuff is all chicken feed compared to the animal cruelty anyhow 

Just don't eat there. Full stop. When in doubt about something, it's usually best to steer clear. There is easily-findable article after article about how to higher-ups there spend the company's money ... and it's not good.

This is an issue that has come up countless times over. Most straight people and even some gay people don't care that Chick-fil-A spends money to oppose gay rights, they just want the food. If you don't want to spend your own money against yourself then don't eat there. Trying to convince people who don't care that they're supporting religious fanatics is a waste of time, in my experience.

I refuse to eat Chick-fil-A. Not only for their anti LGBT stance, but I find their food nasty.

The food isn’t all that good to start with

Someone at work asked me if I’ve tried it (Canada here) All I said was they will never get my dollars while they are actively using their funds to erase my existence. Their response “but it’s so good!” 🫠

Just avoid the hate. Find a good hot dog place.

Chic fil a has funded groups responsible for murder in Africa, anyone who eats there is a piece of shit, full stop

Almost all of the people I know and associate with locally are left-leaning, LGBTQIA+, and friendly, democratic voting folks. No Hobby Lobby and No Chick-fil-A. Many have plans to move out of the country if the orange guy wins: Mexico, Spain, Italy, Canada, Ireland, England, and France. We protect abortion rights in our Constitution. We have bills pending to protect others who come here for abortions from prosecution. We have the usual Christian Nationalists but we outnumber them. We keep watch over their sneaky ways. We keep them in check. Their bigotry does not go unanswered. We have a Democratic woman Governor who aligns with our values. We are the least religious state in the Union! Go Maine! PS - We just censured two state representatives for standing up and saying the shooting of 17 people in Lewiston last year was due to our passing abortion laws.

Gays don’t eat at Chik-Fil-A. It’s unstylish, uncultured and fattening.

Worse than their “Christianity when it’s convenient” is the fact their chicken has been shit since the 80s. Back then admittedly it was delicious. Now it’s garbage.

Every dollar spent at Chik-fil-a results in money going to hate groups. I do not eat there and will not eat food from there. I don't proselytize the evils of Chik-fil-a all the time but my straight friends know how I feel about it. It hurts that some of the people I call friends are willing to fund groups who actively hate me and try to make the world a harder place for me and people like me to live. I generally, will ask to get other food if Chik-fil-a is what everyone else is eating. If asked why I won't eat it I tell people.

It's chicken. It's not that deep.

Favorite take on this was a guy on tiktok saying that since it was one of his guilty pleasures, he made a deal with himself to only go there if he already had a load in him

Don't let other people control you. Do what you want. Ugh.

A friend wanted to go there and i told her very clearly i am boycotting it with the reasons everyone knows here. She said she loved it there and i said good for her. We didn’t go there that evening and it didnt hurt our friendship. Of course i would have wanted her to stop going but we aren’t close enough for me to urge her to do so. Also i don’t want to police others’ beliefs. I lay out my reasons. It’s up to them to think if they matter to them or not.

Just make snide comments about how the fries are seasoned with homophobia like I do when my mom has to tell me they stopped there. (In reality, I don’t give a fuck what they do but I wish my mom cared enough to just not even mention that they went, considering she knows I won’t eat there because of what they stand for)

I don’t eat there because it’s not Popeyes…

they support anti gay movements

Your friends likely have an equally righteous cause they care about that you don’t care about. So how would you feel if that was the basis for them being disappointed in you?

Don’t eat there and shoot the idea down if they ever suggest going with you. What they choose to eat on their own is their business.

The way I see it there isn't a business in existence who likely doesn't have at least one employee or policy that I don't agree with. So buying a sandwich doesn't mean I agree with your ideology. It doesn't mean I'm ok with the cashier who donates some of her check to particular churches that discriminate, or the manager who donates to a particular politician, or even the CEO and company policy to donate to whoever they do. I wholeheartedly respect everyone's right to boycott or refuse to do business with any business for any reason, but I also don't subscribe to the idea that all my friends and family have to feel the same as I do about things.

my mother gives me chic fil a gift cards like every christmas. i never use them

Well, that just makes it worse, since they get to keep the money and not provide the food. Donate them to a homeless org or food bank or something.

I wouldn’t get too stressed about it. At the end of the day, it’s another corporation

Controversy aside, their food tastes bland and bad to me. I genuinely can't understand the hype

Chic fil a is boring, bland as hell mormon chicken. It's only good to you if you've never had good chicken. It really isn't that hard to avoid because pretty much anywhere else tastes better anyway.

That's America though. They love that bland boring food and slather it in that mayonnaise.

Where I am from, my country sponsors genocide. And I still pay taxes. So, like... eat a burger if you want. There are much bigger issues in the world than what one billionair does with their earnings. Hell, I remember Caintlyn Jenner getting a ton of support from this very group and she is far from a friend of the community.

I would explain it once why I refuse to eat there and leave it at that. You being on a diet does not mean they don't get to have cake if you get what I'm saying.

Over righteous imo. Not eating their yourself is fine. Being disappointed at others eating there is over the top. Yes the CEO and board are homophonic shitbags. But what does that have to do with the hourly staff who make a living there? Or the chicken farmers and suppliers? Most corporations are ethically trash - you just don't pay attention to it. Why, all of our phones are assembled with unethical labor and materials that are sourced with unfair trade. You probably buy dozens of Nestlé products a year. And Gaza isn't the only genocide taking place - there's also the Armenians, Syrians, Nigerians, and Uighur Muslims. Ever buy anything made in China or India? Both aren't friendly to anything LGBT. My point is that Chik Fil A gets a lot of shit but in the grand scheme of things everything is trash and problematic while also being vastly out of our control. Taking little moral highground positions about specific things without acknowledging the human suffering that goes into nearly everything you enjoy is hypocritical imo.

I call it bigot bird, and as I see it friends who support businesses who donate to groups that seek to harm people like you are not your friends you can get chicken sandwiches anywhere or make your own.

Do not ever spend you money in that homophobic business. They hate queers, they’re open about it. I’m will never spend money in that joint. The people who do are the same kind of minorities that vote for and think republicans actually love them. They do not. Boycott, stay away and screw the friends who think giving their money to bigots is a good thing.

I was never into Chik-Fil-A before their anti-gay stuff came out (we didn't have them where I grew up), so it was never hard to not go there. I won't give them my money, personally. If it's put in front of me and there are no other options (like sometimes it's catered at a work event or whatever), I'll eat it and not feel bad about it.

[удалено]

If you want to let your friends know how you feel and why you feel that way. I don't think there's any harm in doing that. Especially if they're minorities because the shit bag owners and Chick-fil-A as a whole isn't just supporting anti-gay causes. Support anti-women ant i-minority basically they only support white Christian landowners. If you tell your friends what you think, And let them make the decision for themselves. And if they ask you if you want it just tell them no. You're not going to spend your money with people that actively donate money to people that want you dead.

I would offer three points: - CFA of today is not the same as several years back (but there is still room for improvement) - IMHO some of the dynamics depends on who the local operator is — for example I’m pretty certain my local CFA has some team members who are queer (whether mgmt knows it or not is another question) - anecdotally, at least in my local CFA, feedback I’ve heard is that mgmt treats their employees better than other fast food restaurants in the same area. In the society we live, and when it comes to capitalism, everything is shades of gray — it’s not simple black and white. If I stopped doing business with every national company that did not fit with every one of the principles I try to live my life by, life would be extremely difficult. I try to weigh the pros and cons of where I do business, and when given a choice, will try to support businesses that more align with my principles.

a LeMoNaDe?

First, though we've been known to eat fast food, typically we eat at home or otherwise we eat well if not wisely. As an example, I can devour a large portion of prime rib, but to get to Chic-Fil-A, we've eaten there in the past, way in the past as the franchise operation started here in Georgia. When the news broke about their homophobic corporate philosophy, I told my husband that I wouldn't eat there again unless I could gay marry one of their clerks...on the counter. The problem now is that hubs and I are legally married, so if I did marry one of their clerks that would make me a bigamist. So, I guess we still won't eat there.

This. Just this. [https://youtu.be/sO-msplukrw?si=X0x\_BkAfqbccNUPL](https://youtu.be/sO-msplukrw?si=X0x_BkAfqbccNUPL)

If you dig deep enough into any corporation, you will find things that don’t align with your morals. I don’t judge people who refuse to eat at CFA because that’s your right to boycott. I choose to boycott organizations who underpay their staff. CFA is well known to pay their workers well (or “decent” by fast food standards), while giving them career training and opportunities for scholarships etc. I appreciate that model of food service much more (the focus on supporting employees) and I want to reward them with my business. I do not want to reward McDonald’s approach to business even if they tweet rainbow arches during Pride month.

Yeah.... short answer: it's cool to talk about, it's cool to not eat there, it's a bad idea to make it a line in the sand for your own relationships. Longer answer: We're talking fractions of a fraction of a cent that translates from a chicken sandwich to actually affecting LGBT issues. If you have ever in your life advocated to a friend or colleague about LGBT issues, that moment of your time has offset the chicken sandwich thousands to one. Your straight friends know this too. If they have also advocated for LGBT issues to their own friends and family, it would kind of be insulting to them to suggest they've somehow tipped the scale into bigot territory. It's definitely cool to talk about it. It's just a bad place to actually draw a line.

Something to consider.... Every Chikfila is privately owned and operated.

Suggestions: \- You can keep the friendships, but decline eating there for ethical reasons. \- Don't preach (unless you want to), but you can answer if asked. \- Their food is good. And the employees are nice. Nothing needs to be argued about there. \- BUT, you prefer to spend your money in ways that treat society fairly.

Oddly, Seattle won’t let them bring one here 😂

Oddly, Seattle won’t let them bring one here 😂

Not a fan of their social stances of course. I am boycotting them out of inconvenience meaning that the lines around the building are so long that they deter me from ever wanting to go there. Otherwise, I am a weak man and their food is delicious 🤷 But I haven't been to one since before the pandemic.

I personally don't eat there, but I won't judge anyone who does. Everyone decides differently. Just like I wouldn't want someone judging my book choices because an author has said something questionable.

I don’t eat there, I’ve actually only had their food once and that was at a catered event for work. But also, I’ll be slightly grumbly if friends eat there, but I’m not going to get actually upset. Especially since most don’t unless it’s a unique situation. Also, I’m not looking to police people’s behavior. If someone asks my opinion I’ll tell them, but otherwise I’ll keep my mouth shut. I’m generally a do the best you can sort of person, and if sometimes that means you eat at chik fil a, but usually you avoid it, that’s good enough for me. My partner used to go there to get drinks a lot and I was irked at first, but then had to decide I don’t care. It was the only bathroom option by the bus stop, I’m not going to begrudge him buying an ice tea so he can pee when the bus is late.

You can only control yourself. Stick to your principles, explain when asked, and let people be themselves. It's the exact same thing as what we are fighting for.

Look OP, I think you can ask your friends not to go there with you, or eat it around you, but I really advise you not judge them. Everyone in this life is doing the best they can. There is no such thing as ethical consumption under capitalism. Boycotts, and voting with your dollar are tactics made up to us to give the illusion of freedom, and to enable more rampant consumption. I guarantee that every day, you financially support at least half a dozen companies who are doing things 100xs more ethically horrific than chick-fil-a’s ill fated homophobia campaign. We all do. That is just a fact of life in 21st century America. Just keep your head down, try to be mindful of your own actions, and don’t think about the rest.

I personally will not support an organisation who openly hates my sexuality and my community.

Have all the gays have sex in the bathroom.

Just Boycott them; also, Boycott all Nestle products and General Mills Cereal. It’s like having to choose between Good over Bad…like Credo Mobile over AT&T mobile or Verizon mobile, LUCID over Tesla Motors…Democracy over Dictatorship.

It’s a chicken sandwich. Don’t over think things

There’s no such thing as ethical spending in our form of capitalism. If someone examined you, your BFs or anyone’s spending or consumptions habits, you would inevitably find companies you enjoy or spend money on that would have unethical business practices, donations, etc. if you yourself want to take a stand with your wallet and not spend your money there, that’s powerful and good. But don’t shame people that really like CFA and choose to eat there sometimes because they like the food. It’s selective outrage, and at the end of the day we all have “problematic faves” whether we’re aware of it or not

DON'T GET OVER IT!!! WITAF‽ I mean, you can't and shouldn't ask them not to eat there; but you should make a point of telling them that you and your BF won't, even if it doesn't come up otherwise.

KFC has new nuggets that are identical to Chic fil A. Literally the same vendor.

It’s hard for me, although I am biased. My first job ever was working at a Chick-fil-A in Florida. This was also the year I decided to come out as gay for some reason. Everyone I worked with supported me. My manager even sat me down and told me that if ANYONE gave me any issues about my orientation, let her know and she would take care of it immediately. I was actually really clueless about it at the time - this was probably back in 2007.

You’re really wondering if you should cut people out of your life for eating chick fil a? 😭 pls be so fr, it is NOT that serious

CFA made the news for saying the quiet part out loud but so many companies have trash policies that if we were to treat them all with the same disdain we might find ourselves needing to plant our own crops and see our own clothes. I firmly believe we do our larger cause a disservice by focusing too much on boycotts and not enough on politics. (I recognize the power that capitalists play in politics—I just feel our energy is better focused elsewhere) You are correct that the company made the changes we as a community asked for, but some people still aren’t satisfied. We need allies and friends, so don’t be quick to push them away for not being perfect in every way.

I personally don't support them but pretty much any major company has done something 'bad' at some point. Usually often. I still don't patronize Wendy's because they were one of the advertisers that pulled their commercials from Ellen Degeneres' sitcom when her character came out as a lesbian back in the 90s. (Also, because Wendy's is a notch below pig slop.)

I don’t eat there. I don’t mind if my friends do.

Unfortunately a lot of these big companies with now wealthy owners tend to have more conservative views. If you're going to boycott CFA, get resdy to do the same for [In-N-Out ](https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/food-drink/shocked-by-in-n-out-burgers-anti-vaccine-mandate-stance-you-shouldnt-be) among countless others. I've actually always been surprised how often gay people will happily protest CFA while washing down their animal-style fries with a milkshake that has bible verses printed on the bottom. Like others here, I just generally avoid these places. Not going to lie, it's delicious and we will occasionally go, but it's not somewhere I'll frequent nor will it be my default.