Chick-Fil-A and the Pennsylvania Family Institute
January 7, 2011 4:02 PM   Subscribe

 
Is this the multiple-wives, lots-of-concubines, sleep-with-your-brother's-wife-if-he-dies kind, or what?
posted by restless_nomad at 4:04 PM on January 7, 2011 [69 favorites]


Whoo hoo! Jacob-style getting-it-on with the ugly and then the beautiful sister!
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:06 PM on January 7, 2011 [5 favorites]


My favorite line from the Art of Marriage:

20. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
posted by lumensimus at 4:08 PM on January 7, 2011 [17 favorites]


My wife loves her new menstruation hut! Thanks, Chik-Fil-A!
posted by boo_radley at 4:08 PM on January 7, 2011 [62 favorites]


Everyone get your dad drunk and seduce him to re-populate the earth!
posted by The Whelk at 4:08 PM on January 7, 2011 [15 favorites]


Maybe it's the "divorce is strictly prohibited" kind (or at least no remarriage after divorce).
posted by jedicus at 4:09 PM on January 7, 2011


I didn't link to the actual website for The Art Of Marriage, because I didn't want to boost their traffic. Although having it go down due to the MeFi Effect might be amusing.
posted by hippybear at 4:09 PM on January 7, 2011 [3 favorites]


I thought they had dropped their sponsorship of this event? I really don't need extra guilt with my fried chickencrack sandwich.
posted by mmmbacon at 4:09 PM on January 7, 2011


Nobody who wants to go back to how things were done in the Bible has read the Bible.
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:10 PM on January 7, 2011 [49 favorites]


"the biblical definition of marriage"

It's at the back, in the Holy Glossary of Terms
posted by Hoopo at 4:11 PM on January 7, 2011 [15 favorites]


Or maybe it's the "kill adulterers" kind.
posted by jedicus at 4:12 PM on January 7, 2011


It looks like they've tried to do some damage control, but not pulled out or anything.
posted by restless_nomad at 4:13 PM on January 7, 2011


Chick-Fil-A is delicious though.
posted by xowie at 4:13 PM on January 7, 2011 [4 favorites]


Not only do I disagree with their politics, but their new "spicy" chicken sandwich is an abomination in the eyes of God.

(But the original sandwich? Christ-o-licious.)
posted by BitterOldPunk at 4:13 PM on January 7, 2011 [5 favorites]


Why would I want to blow up the Chick-Fil-A? It's fucking delicious!
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:14 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


From Chick-Fil-A's Facebook page (don't judge! this was posted on a friend's wall):

"To our Facebook community: First and foremost, thanks for your patience as we made sure we gathered the facts in regards to recent postings. We have determined that one of our independent Restaurant Operators in Pennsylvania was asked to provide sandwiches to two Art of Marriage video seminars. As our fans, you know we do our best to serve our local communities, and one of the ways we do that is by providing food to schools, colleges, civic groups, businesses, places of worship, not-for-profit groups, etc. At his discretion, the local Operator agreed to simply provide a limited amount of food. Our Chick-fil-A Operators and their employees try very hard every day to go the extra mile in serving ALL of our customers with honor, dignity and respect."

Sounds a bit weaselly and they clearly know they messed up. Still, I wonder how much independence each franchise has. It's no secret they're a Christian organization - would be too bad if the company as a policy (and not just as a one-off in Pennsylvania) were supporting this group.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 4:14 PM on January 7, 2011


Well, CFA just lost a bunch of customers here. Ones that have money to spend, too. Be a Christian as you want, but don't shove it at me.
posted by Old'n'Busted at 4:16 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


It looks like they've tried to do some damage control, but not pulled out or anything.

Of course they haven't pulled out...
posted by jedicus at 4:16 PM on January 7, 2011 [28 favorites]


Chick-Fil-A would also like to announce that they are renaming them selves Jack Chicks-Fil-A and introducing the Tony Perkins combo pack: mouthwatering fried chicken between two buttery biscuits with a side of faggot fries which are lovingly tormented in the hell fire of a fryer until golden brown.
posted by munchingzombie at 4:17 PM on January 7, 2011 [5 favorites]


The Whelk: Everyone get your dad drunk and seduce him to re-populate the earth!

Everyone? even the guys?
posted by Bonzai at 4:18 PM on January 7, 2011 [3 favorites]


eat mor cock, chick-fil-a.
posted by the aloha at 4:18 PM on January 7, 2011 [7 favorites]


Oh man, every time I try to ignore my loathing for Chick-Fil-A's ideologies and just have a damn tasty sandwich they do something even worse.
posted by elsietheeel at 4:18 PM on January 7, 2011 [3 favorites]


Christ! It was one of my (last) fast-food restaurants that I went to. Crossing them off the list...
posted by 6:1 at 4:20 PM on January 7, 2011 [2 favorites]


Everyone? even the guys?

(straight) guys can take the "Cain's wife" approach. Totally Biblical.
posted by jedicus at 4:20 PM on January 7, 2011


On Top Magazine includes a statement from Chick-fil-A's facebook page (as copied above by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates), which claims the association was limited to a local chain, not a company-wide decision, despite a prior association with Focus on the Family. Metro Weekly has more information, including some revisions to PFI's website that listed CFA as a sponsor.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:21 PM on January 7, 2011


Chick-Fil-A is delicious though.

So are shit sandwiches. It's all in the framing.

As Jeremy Hooper points out (via Andy Towle), Chick-Fil-A has connections with the National Organization for Marriage in other ways than just the Pennsylvania thing.
posted by blucevalo at 4:21 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


So, you can't Fil-A-Chick before marriage?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:21 PM on January 7, 2011 [17 favorites]


but are they giving sheets with a hole with a side of fries?
posted by liza at 4:21 PM on January 7, 2011 [4 favorites]


I like to think this is part of the conservative "shorten the life spans of the right wing, lengthen the life span of the left wing" philosophy.

To whit, by driving liberals away from fast food consumption, they are extending their lives.

By encouraging conservatives to eat more fast food, they are shortening their lives.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:26 PM on January 7, 2011 [4 favorites]


we didn't invent sanctimony, just sanctimonious fast food.
posted by the aloha at 4:26 PM on January 7, 2011 [3 favorites]


I think they mean the kind of marriage where you rape a girl and then pay her dad. Then she's your wife.

Deuteronomy 22:28-29
posted by fontor at 4:27 PM on January 7, 2011 [6 favorites]


Wait. I can't discover my father's skirt?
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:31 PM on January 7, 2011 [2 favorites]


See also: Religious CEOs: Chick-fil-A Founder, S. Truett Cathy
S. Truett Cathy puts his money where his faith is....

To Cathy it's much more than a business. Prospective employees are screened on loyalty, wholesome values, and willingness to buy into the Christian credo. People who apply for an operator license are asked to disclose marital status, number of dependents, and involvement in community, civic, social, church, and/or professional organizations.That article cites a Forbes article, which includes the following:
Company meetings and retreats include prayers, and the company encourages franchisees to market their restaurants through church groups. Howe Rice, a franchisee in Glen Allen, Va., hosts a Bible study group in one of his two Chick-fil-A restaurants every Tuesday. He offers a free breakfast to all who attend. "You don't have to be a Christian to work at Chick-fil-A, but we ask you to base your business on biblical principles because they work," says Cathy.
The article also notes that Chick-fil-A funds the WinShape Foundation, which includes a series of Christian marriage retreats. No word on if they are open to including same-sex couples, but their three "example couples" are happy heterosexuals.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:33 PM on January 7, 2011


Wait, is this the part of the thread where we link to funny Bible verses?
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 4:34 PM on January 7, 2011 [21 favorites]


Return to? Did PA legalize gay marriage while I wasn't paying attention?
posted by furiousxgeorge at 4:36 PM on January 7, 2011


Ugh. No more Chick-fil-A for me. I always knew they were in deep with the fundies, but I ignored it.

What about In-N-Out, BTW? I know they print Bible verses on their wrappers, but are they actively homophobic? There's one opening here soon and I'd been looking forward to trying it.
posted by kmz at 4:37 PM on January 7, 2011


Wait. I can't discover my father's skirt?

You can, but it won't repopulate the earth.
posted by steambadger at 4:39 PM on January 7, 2011


What about In-N-Out, BTW? I know they print Bible verses on their wrappers, but are they actively homophobic?

They don't print the verses as such, only references. In any event, they're pretty tame. I don't know anything about the political activities of the company, though.
posted by jedicus at 4:39 PM on January 7, 2011


Christ! It was one of my (last) fast-food restaurants that I went to.

As it were....
posted by norm at 4:39 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Sorry corporate America your apologies donut cut is anymore. You are either with us or against us. Partner benefits, birth control as part of employee health benefits, women and minority representation on your board of directors and within senior management. Clear nondiscrimination training for each employee that recognizes gender, GLBT and racial discrimination. No more half measures.
posted by humanfont at 4:50 PM on January 7, 2011 [12 favorites]


Ugh. No more Chick-fil-A for me. I always knew they were in deep with the fundies

I did not know this but something about Chick-fil-A still always felt repellent to me. I'm pretty sure I've never eaten there and now I know why. If I want to eat a low-rent chicken sandwich I'll go to Wendy's or McDonalds. Nonetheless, they're probably going to be doing booming business during the build up to the apocalypse in 2012.
posted by fuse theorem at 4:59 PM on January 7, 2011


Aw, dammit. I was just there two days ago. Their menu features some really tasty, low-calorie stuff, too.

Does anyone have an updated list of what businesses I should be boycotting? Is Red Lobster still firing gay waiters?

It's tough keeping up with the homophobes.
posted by MrVisible at 5:02 PM on January 7, 2011 [2 favorites]


Sorry corporate America your apologies donut cut is anymore.

My brain cannot help reading this in the "instain mother" voice.
posted by Navelgazer at 5:06 PM on January 7, 2011 [14 favorites]


fried chicken between two buttery biscuits with a side of faggot fries which are lovingly tormented in the hell fire of a fryer until golden brown

Is it bad that I drooled a little at that? And then had flashbacks to Scotland, PA? And then still found it appetizing?
posted by NoraReed at 5:07 PM on January 7, 2011


They don't have Chick Fil A in my part of the world. I have never eatten at those places. Some local place had Bible verse on their wrappers. So I called them and asked them if they were aware that burger wrappers wind up in the trash and that they were therefore desecrsting the Bible.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 5:13 PM on January 7, 2011 [6 favorites]


Shit sandwiches are not delicious.
They are made from poops.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 5:14 PM on January 7, 2011 [2 favorites]


Segregation is coming back. Only instead of "white" and "negro" signs over the drinking fountains, they say "conservative" and "liberal."
posted by dw at 5:15 PM on January 7, 2011


Segregation is coming back. Only instead of "white" and "negro" signs over the drinking fountains, they say "conservative" and "liberal."

Oh my God, really? Where is this happening? I haven't read about this anywhere.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 5:17 PM on January 7, 2011 [2 favorites]


Yeah, this is hardly surprising. CFA has always been super-Christian (in the religious right, political, etc sense). I mean, a fast food place that closes on Sunday???
posted by wildcrdj at 5:18 PM on January 7, 2011 [2 favorites]


I like that at least they are being upfront and finally saying "Biblical definition of marriage" instead of the bullshit term "traditional definition of marriage".
posted by Midnight Rambler at 5:19 PM on January 7, 2011 [5 favorites]


Perhaps they were thinking of the marriage in terms of Hosea 1-2 (NSFW).
posted by Ber at 5:24 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


When I read the post, my heart was filled with sadness. When I read the comments, my heart was filled with joy.

Thank you, MetaFilter.
posted by DU at 5:30 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Oh, and stay the hell away from Whataburger. One nation UNDER GOD, and all.

Yeesh.
posted by PROD_TPSL at 5:30 PM on January 7, 2011


Chick-Fil-A: Yummy, Yummy Dominionism (scroll down):

"Among other things, Chick-Fil-A is a major sponsor of National Bible Week--a dominionist-operated scheme to get state legislatures to pass resolutions declaring a week of Bible study and which was started by a proto-dominionist group in 1940 called the "National Coalition for Religious Recovery" (which felt the Great Depression occured because people "got away from the church"); is one of the largest corporate funders of Focus on the Family (and FotF has lauded him back in past--after all, he does drop those CDs encouraging the genocide of the entire pagan population into kid's meals); apparently publishes books on "Christian business" popular in the dominionist community; and operates a fairly extensive group of facilities targeting kids and adults. "
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:34 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Oh, and stay the hell away from Whataburger. One nation UNDER GOD, and all.

Crap, that's right, I just noticed that the other day. *sigh*

Well, at least I should have an easier time with some New Year's resolutions now...
posted by kmz at 5:43 PM on January 7, 2011


I look forward to a future with augmented reality. As I'm about to reach for the Rockstar I receive a warning not to buy it. Same walking into a Chick-Fil-A or Target.

I can imagine religious fundamentalists (specifically Dominionists) might make my blacklist their whitelist.

The fact that they attempt to publicly deny their support of bigotry shows that they know that publicly embracing their positions would hurt their business. As it should. Outing bigots is mighty satisfying.
posted by el io at 5:46 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Whataburger is just playing to their pickup-driving Bubba and Bubbette customer base. The same sort of gratuitous flag waving you get from Wal-Mart. Strictly marketing. But Chick-Fil-A and their crappy little over-priced sandwich have crossed the line...
posted by jim in austin at 5:53 PM on January 7, 2011




...he does drop those CDs encouraging the genocide of the entire pagan population into kid's meals...

I'd love a citation to this. Not because I doubt it but because it would provide a few minutes of enjoyable WTF.
posted by DU at 6:23 PM on January 7, 2011


It could come to light that CFA provided free sandwiches to Nazi birthday parties and I'd still give them my business. I have Polynesian sauce running through my veins and must regularly consume their chicken strips to survive, principles be damned.
posted by TheGoldenOne at 6:28 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Shitty fastfood chain has shitty right wing convictions. Boy, am I surprised.
posted by rain at 6:29 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Shitty fastfood chain has shitty right wing convictions. Boy, am I surprised.

Have you had Chick-Fil-A?
posted by nasreddin at 6:36 PM on January 7, 2011 [7 favorites]


Well, CFA just lost a bunch of customers here.

To them I say:

EAT MORE DICKIN
posted by Joe Beese at 6:37 PM on January 7, 2011


Damnit. First Target, then Chick-Fil-A?

DAMNIT.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:39 PM on January 7, 2011


Have you had Chick-Fil-A?

Have you tried real food?
posted by rain at 6:40 PM on January 7, 2011 [2 favorites]


My letter to Chick-fil-A. I still stand by the idea that the world would be a yummier place with a Duck-fil-A in it.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:45 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Joe Beese: EAT MORE DICKIN

How about more dickables?
posted by Joey Michaels at 6:58 PM on January 7, 2011 [2 favorites]


Chick-fil-a brings in platters of tasty, tasty food when I am working insane 16 hour days at the florist during Valentines and Mothers Day weeks. It's almost the only real food I get during that time. Real fruit salad, real chicken sandwiches, brownies, etc....and it tastes like real food which is more than I can say for any other fast food joint.

If I can still shop at Home Depot I think you can have a decent chicken sandwich in good conscience.


(if not, Waffle House chicken sandwiches are incredibly tasty.)
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 6:59 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


I'd love a citation to this. Not because I doubt it but because it would provide a few minutes of enjoyable WTF.

DU: 1999-SEP-18: Passages, an episode of "Adventures in Odyssey"

"Throughout the episode, the Adrians, who follow a Pagan religion, are portrayed as evil terrorists. They are portrayed as crude, barbaric, lawless, boorish, insensitive marauders and arsonists. They had invaded Merus, stolen farm animals, occupied the town and were trying to drive out the legitimate inhabitants. Meanwhile, the Theists are portrayed as gentle, honorable, soft-spoken, civilized, thoroughly decent, likeable individuals."

Linky.
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:03 PM on January 7, 2011


Well, I was picking more of a crudely-drawn tract image. Like a Jack-Chick-Fil-A.
posted by DU at 7:11 PM on January 7, 2011 [3 favorites]


This is the problem with running a Christian business that serves a secular market. At some point you're going to have to choose which principle supercedes in the event of a conflict, and your conscience isn't going to let you choose Mammon over God. Which means you'll eventually have to make choices that alienate either customers or good staff or both.

We've got a local software company that is so aggressively Christian that it actually brings up faith during the interview process (illegal) and has required employees to watch films like "How To Be a Christian with a Capital C During Christmas." Result? The only coders they can get and keep are people who don't have options. So, surprise: they're going broke.

Chik-Fil-A will survive this fine, though. They're huge, their food is the highest quality that fast food can aspire to, and conservative customers will be just as energized by this as I am, in the other direction.
posted by middleclasstool at 7:26 PM on January 7, 2011 [4 favorites]


Man, I'm glad I don't worry about the politics of the people who own the businesses I frequent. Seriously. You guys can all be all smug and Chik-Fil-A-less over there in that corner. I'm having me a chicken sandwich.
posted by Bookhouse at 7:29 PM on January 7, 2011


I tried to ignore the being closed on Sundays, because hey, off day. Then came the ten commandments on the wall, and I looked the other way. Now this, and this sucks.

I'm pretty sure I've never eaten there... If I want to eat a low-rent chicken sandwich I'll go to Wendy's or McDonalds. Nonetheless, they're probably going to be doing booming business during the build up to the apocalypse in 2012.
posted by fuse theorem at 6:59 PM


Chick-fil-a chicken sandwiches are delicious. If there was any comparison to the crap McDonalds or Wendy's puts out this wouldn't suck so much.
posted by justgary at 7:30 PM on January 7, 2011 [3 favorites]


Man, I'm glad I don't worry about the politics of the people who own the businesses I frequent.

It's one thing to do business with someone you disagree with politically. I do it all the time. It's another to realize that you're directly funding bigoted organizations through that business. I'm fine with Chick-Fil-A being run by Christian conservatives. I'm not fine with the company using the money I give it to keep rights away from my gay friends and relatives.
posted by middleclasstool at 7:35 PM on January 7, 2011 [16 favorites]


Chick-Fil-A original chicken sandwiches are the world's second best mustard delivery mechanism after corn dogs.
posted by NoraReed at 7:54 PM on January 7, 2011


Mustard on Chick-Fil-A? What are you, Mormon?
posted by middleclasstool at 7:54 PM on January 7, 2011 [7 favorites]


Wait. Whataburger? No one better diss my Whataburger. I even find it more delicious than In N Out.

Also Chick-Fil-A is also delicious and always will be.
posted by Night_owl at 8:02 PM on January 7, 2011


McDonald's southern-style chicken sandwich is just as good as Chick-Fil-A's.
posted by mullacc at 8:07 PM on January 7, 2011


If you have Lotaburger you don't need Whataburger.

But I'm still disappointed at how Lotaburger turned its face away from the One True Ketchup back in the '80s.
posted by Lazlo at 8:12 PM on January 7, 2011


Yeah, I have to agree with mullacc, even though I was a worshiper at the Chik-Fil-A chicken sandwich altar. Loved them. LOVE. But we don't have Chik-Fil-A in New York City, so I tried the southern-style chicken sandwich at McDonald's not too long ago, and it is pretty darn good. A very close match.

Just in the nick of time, it seems.
posted by Evangeline at 8:14 PM on January 7, 2011


Shitty fastfood chain has shitty right wing convictions. Boy, am I surprised.

Gristle chicken burgers. No surprise what type of people are running the show behind the curtains.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 8:15 PM on January 7, 2011


Gristle chicken burgers.

Have you had one? Seriously, their chicken sandwiches were the only fast food I'd eat.
posted by Evangeline at 8:16 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


when it comes to burgers, nobody beats IN AND OUT. not even shakeshack and goodburger here in NYC ....... mmmmmmmmmmmmm .... makes me want to be in downtown San Fran right about now *sigh*
posted by liza at 8:24 PM on January 7, 2011


If Chik-Fil-A is anti-gay, why do they put breath mints in the men's room?
posted by edheil at 8:25 PM on January 7, 2011 [5 favorites]


Anyone familiar with where chickens come from in this country has already overcome some cognitive dissonance in order to patronize the delicious Chick-Fil-A. I am one of these people. That is a tasty sandwich, you evil fucks.
posted by Bokononist at 8:26 PM on January 7, 2011 [4 favorites]


Man, I'm glad I don't worry about the politics of the people who own the businesses I frequent. Seriously. You guys can all be all smug and Chik-Fil-A-less over there in that corner. I'm having me a chicken sandwich.
Isn't this what Cypher tells Agent Smith in the Matrix as he agrees to betray the crew?
posted by norm at 8:41 PM on January 7, 2011 [6 favorites]


eat mor cock, chick-fil-a.

Chick-fil-atio is an oxymoron.
posted by twoleftfeet at 8:45 PM on January 7, 2011


the ten commandments on the wall

The whaaat? Sheesh, what I miss because I only go through the drive-thru.

As Evangeline said, the McDonald's Southern Style Chicken sandwich is a reasonable facsimile. And McDonald's fries are way better than CfA waffle fries. On the other hand, CfA has really good diet lemonade. What to do, what to do?
posted by Daily Alice at 8:52 PM on January 7, 2011


bad news, Lazlo.

Actually I've never understood the appeal of Lotaburger, but I've only eaten at the one next to Rudy's on Carlisle so maybe that's the worst one.
posted by luvcraft at 8:55 PM on January 7, 2011


As a non-beef-eater I never really hit Lotaburger. I also find their shakes sort of weirdly grainy.
posted by NoraReed at 8:57 PM on January 7, 2011


Waffle House chicken sandwiches are incredibly tasty

You don't see me ordering waffles from Chick-Fil-A, now, do you?
posted by one more dead town's last parade at 8:57 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Well... while I like Chick-fill-a a lot, I'd have to say that I will not be frequenting their establishment for at least 2 years, and then I'll re-evaluate. This isn't entirely hard, I don't live near one; however, my parents do. I used to consider it a treat to eat at Chick-fill-a when I visited my parents. They are entrenched in the south enough, that I doubt my lack of patronage will break them, but I cannot in good conscience support a group of people who seek to diminish the rights of others.
posted by Nanukthedog at 9:06 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


I LOVE waffle house but almost never ever order waffles there. Chicken sandwiches and patty melts, people!
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 9:14 PM on January 7, 2011


You guys can all be all smug and Chik-Fil-A-less over there in that corner. I'm having me a chicken sandwich.

Smug? Didn't realize it was pride that made me dislike those who are campaigning against my rights. There are actual people that are negatively impacted by this bigotry. I wont begrudge you a sandwich. But don't call me smug because I may want to get married some day.
posted by munchingzombie at 9:22 PM on January 7, 2011 [6 favorites]


From what I observed when a Chick-Fil-A moved in to my town, their fanaticism and bigotry is not really well known despite the fact that it's been going on for years. It's probably worth it to try to inform other people you know about it, if they would care enough to let it affect their patronage.
posted by Mitrovarr at 9:22 PM on January 7, 2011


I have a gay friend who eats at Chick-Fil-A all the damn time. It irritates me to no end that he willingly hands money to people who actively try to oppress him.

Ugh, look . . I agree with where you're coming from, but really... Have you never banked with a national bank, used gasoline or petroleum-based products or paid for privately-held utilities (say, cable or internet companies)? It can be argued those companies are actively trying to oppress you (and everyone except the class of folks that run/own them). Granted, those things are harder to abstain from than Chick-Fil-A (barely, those sandwiches are fucking goood), but neither is it impossible. Why hold your gay friend to standard you yourself likely do not meet? Let him enjoy his waffle fries!
posted by flamk at 9:50 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Hm, just realized my comment could apply to everyone who choses to boycott Chick-Fil-A over this (me included). It makes me wonder why we all chose to get outraged over some things and not others... Perhaps because they're easier/safer and give us a sense of doing something while everything else around us falls to pieces.
posted by flamk at 9:55 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Look, sometimes a sandwich is so good that it doesn't matter what it stands for.. just as long as it's perfectly moist and is accompanied by crispy waffle fries. A Chick-Fil-Awich could knock on my door and stab my mother, and I would still eat there.
posted by Mael Oui at 10:04 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


IN AND OUT burgers are all kinds of Christian (and tasty): Snopes
posted by Kloryne at 10:07 PM on January 7, 2011


I wonder (with no underlying evidence) if this type of philosophical leaning is what keeps Chick-Fil-A from opening a store anywhere in the SF Bay Area. They're in Los Angeles, San Diego and sprinkled all over Southern California and Northern California. Nothing closer to the Bay Area than Fairfield; this has been the case for more than 25 years.

You can always donate money to PFLAG or other counter-balancing groups after eating Chick-Fil-A.
posted by JDC8 at 10:47 PM on January 7, 2011


The sandwiches are delicious but it's the peach milkshakes they have in the summers that really make me go off the wagon and put money in the coffers of evil. It's easy when the company funding evil is Domino's and the product tastes like cardboard. Virtue in the face of Whataburger and Chick-Fil-A is much harder.
posted by immlass at 10:52 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


I have seriously never understood the appeal of Chik-Fil-A. I've been there a couple of times, and while the chicken sandwiches are OK, they're nothing special. Did I just happen to go to the locations that don't lace their food with heroin?
posted by dirigibleman at 11:31 PM on January 7, 2011


In-N-Out is Christian-owned, but they're a pretty far cry from Chick-Fil-A's corporate sponsored religious bigotry. Instead of pouring money toward anti-gay legislation, In-N-Out's charity donations pretty much all go to women and children's shelters and other emergency resources for child abuse victims. And instead of mandatory (and blatantly illegal) religious participation requirements for employees, they're pretty widely recognized as being an incredibly great company as far as worker appreciation goes. Even Eric Schlosser praises them in Fast Food Nation, and Eric Schlosser is not generally someone who's a fan of fast food. I'm about as far from Christianity as you can get, but In-N-Out does it right.
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:44 PM on January 7, 2011 [10 favorites]


bad news, Lazlo

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU—
posted by Lazlo at 12:55 AM on January 8, 2011


Damnit. First Target, then Chick-Fil-A?

DAMNIT.


I feel your pain. I've had to resign myself to shopping at Target in spite of its "issues" because the only comparable alternative around these parts seems to be Walmart. At least when I leave a Target store I don't feel like I need to go take a sanitization shower.

Michelle Obama is praying for all our fast food lovin' souls. (And I wouldn't be surprised if CFA isn't sending a few bucks Sarah Palin's way.)
posted by fuse theorem at 6:12 AM on January 8, 2011


This is a good place to tell my Chick-Fil-A story. Chick-Fil-A has always been this way. I don't know of they still do it, but back when I was in college (at Florida State University), they used to have a deal where if you brought in a Church bulletin on Monday, you could get a free sandwich.

Why Monday? Because obviously, they were closed on Sunday.

Now, I was (and am) an atheist. Of course they are a private company, blah, blah blah, and they can do what they like. That doesn't mean whatever they do it right, nor does it mean it can't annoy me. And BOY did the sandwich-for-church policy annoy me.

At the time, I was working at a church as a musician, so I could have easily just taken one of those bulletins in and gotten a free sandwich. But after some thought, I decided to see how far I could push this policy. I looked on the web for some strange church bulletins and didn't come up with anything. I thought of making a fake Buddhist bulletin, but that didn't really work. Finally, I decided to make a "Church of Satan" bulletin.

This was surprisingly fun to do. I put in some Satanic hymns, sprinkled it liberally with goat heads and pentagrams, along with some other random imagery. I added in announcements, like a Satanic potluck. Since Satanism is mostly emo kids and Randian individualists, you can pretty much roll your own Satanic stuff. I also used a lot of Papyrus.

I went to Kinko's and copied it into thick paper. When Monday came around, me, my girlfriend (now wife) and roommate went to Chick-Fil-A, armed with our Satanic bulletins. I went up first. I slid my bulletin over the counter to the cashier, and asked for the free sandwich.

I'll never forget the look on her face as she looked over the goat heads and pentagrams, wondering what to make of it. She looked at the bulletin for what seemed like forever, and then called her manager over. The manager looked over the bulletin carefully, and said, "Give him the sandwich." Mmmmm, free food in college is the sweetest success. I had, of course, brought my real church bulletin, in case they hadn't accepted my Satanic bulletin, but I didn't have to use it.

I put my master copy of the Satanic bulletin in a box somewhere and forgot about it. It turned up years later, when my parents were moving. Some movers were cleaning out desk drawers, and one of them came across the bulletin. He went to my mother, and asked about it (as if it was any of his business, right?). I had never told her the story, but she knew immediately it was mine. She told him, "That's my son's. You'd just have to know him to understand."
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 6:46 AM on January 8, 2011 [32 favorites]


Evangeline, I don't want to lead you into temptation, but I feel you should know that there is a Chick-Fil-A in an NYU dining hall right here in New York City. Accessible to the public.
posted by felix grundy at 7:39 AM on January 8, 2011


McDonald's southern-style chicken sandwich is just as good as Chick-Fil-A's.

No. You're wrong. It's science.
posted by Fleebnork at 7:54 AM on January 8, 2011 [3 favorites]


Please just tell me Five Guys is ok.
posted by misskaz at 8:34 AM on January 8, 2011 [2 favorites]


"You don't have to be a Christian to work at Chick-fil-A, but we ask you to base your business on biblical principles because they work,"

On every table, pillars of salt and pepper.
posted by jonmc at 9:15 AM on January 8, 2011 [3 favorites]


Also, I only ate chick-fil-a once. I wasn't impressed.
posted by jonmc at 9:17 AM on January 8, 2011


Hm, these chicken nuggets taste like a hidden agenda.
posted by ohohcyte at 9:20 AM on January 8, 2011


It's the pickles that make traditional marriages so delicious.
posted by Dr. Zira at 10:21 AM on January 8, 2011


If I ate fried chicken or fast food, I totally wouldn't eat there anymore, if I had before.

Except that they made by ban list around that shit where they fired a Muslim employee for not participating in pre-shift (or something) prayers.

Some employers are bad actors and get their shit together (Denny's, if I recall?). And some just keep on keeping on.
posted by Pax at 3:12 AM on January 9, 2011 [1 favorite]


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