The owner of a California Chick-fil-A surprised supporters at a marriage-equality rally by giving out dozens of free meal coupons.
Chick-Fil-A owner Dan Cathy has repeatedly voiced his opposition to gay marriage, and the chain has continued its donations to anti-gay organizations, but Corey Braun, the owner-operator of a Rancho Cucamonga Chick-fil-A, said that despite its fowl foul record with the LGBT community, the franchise “has never been about hate.”
“There were a lot of things said over the past year,” Braun told the Daily Bulletin. “I wanted to show that Chick-fil-A doesn’t discriminate against anybody. We serve everyone. We’re happy to serve the community and this was an opportunity to have this group come in and show them our hospitality regardless of their beliefs, sexual orientation, or whatever. ”
Braun conveyed his deep-fried message of love and acceptance via a microphone and speakers to the stunned activists.
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“The crowd was very accepting, of course,” said Eden Anderson, a board member with the local LGBT rights group Equality Inland Empire. “We got quiet and we were listening, and with some skepticism. But really, what I experienced with the community, is when people are open and apologetic and accepting, it’s touching to us. It feels like acceptance and we just want to be accepted and engaged in society, so when it’s confirmed, I think the overall reaction was, yes, certainly that Chick-fil-A in Rancho Cucamonga is welcoming to us. ”
Anderson, however, still remembers the hundreds of hungry bigots who showed up last year to the Rancho Cucamonga location for Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day after LGBT advocates called for nationwide boycotts.
Luckily, it seems, time — and a spicy chicken sandwich — heals all wounds.
speedbrds
Interesting. I wonder if they are just doing this to get more customers. I’m still a bit skeptical. Still, I wont personally buy food there (at least for now), but if someone else paid for me, then who am I to turn down food. Perhaps the outcome of this will spark some more franchisees to do the same, but I’m not holding my breath. Time will only tell. Oddly enough, said establishment is a couple miles from me.
ncman
“I wanted to show that Chick-fil-A doesn’t discriminate against anybody. We serve everyone
”
This is the same crap they have been saying all along. That they don’t discriminate against CUSTOMERS. Well of course they don’t. They want the money. But let’s discuss how they treat their employees. Do they have policies against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity? How are they stopping their payments to the corporate offices from being used to donate to anti-gay bigots through the WinShape Foundation? Answer these questions instead of talking about how you are willing to sell food to the LGBT community.
MikeE
Does any money from a franchise go to the parent company?
If so (which is generally the case with franchise operations), then no, I think LGBT people should stay away from Chick-fil-A as though it were the plague.
It’s all very well and nice that one single franchisee isn’t bigoted… but he still is part of a franchise that is run by supporters of vile, anti-LGBT hatred.
If a single penny of LGBT money goes to the head office, then that single penny is helping to fight AGAINST LGBT rights.
THAT, and only that, is the reason to not give our patronage to this restaurant chain.
marc sfe
Giving away the food is a very good thing to do. However, anyone who pays for food at any Chik Fil A is till feeding the money machine of Dan Cathy and his anti-gay bigotry. Thank you though Corey for your support. It’s too bad your franchise fees support Cathy and his hate.
RichieW
I think they should accept them and go and enjoy the sandwich. Of course while in line they should give their loved one a long big kiss on the lips. Do it especially during the time all the families are there. Tell them you will keep doing this until they stop giving money to hate groups.
Polaro
One step at a time. It was a positive gesture. I still won’t eat there, but I intend to live a long, long time and change does happen.
Cam
The problem is that Chik Fil Et DOES discriminate and the franchise fees this guy pays go to the main office which then funnels them into groups working against gay rights.
It is terrible for this owner, but he has a major case against the head gy of Chik Fil Et for harming his ability to do business by continually making anti-gay statements.
AxelDC
These franchise owners are being seriously harmed by the openly antigay actions of the corporate office. In the long run, they may have to rebrand, but in the short run they must put pressure on corporate to stop driving away their progressive customers.
ncman
These franchise owners knew, or should have known, that the company was anti-gay when they decided to buy into the operation in the first place. They obviously decided it wasn’t a big enough deal to stop them from buying a franchise. So, now they get to deal with the consequences.
Mediocrates
@ncman: Do they have policies against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity?
Let’s put it this way: about a year ago,a co-worker offered to take my boyfriend to lunch at Chick-Fil-A. Being free food from a colleague, he accepted. While there, there was a training or orientation session for new employees going on. My boyfriend overheard the trainer/manager saying something to the effect of: “You can’t be gay here. You’ll get fired. Gotta stop being gay if you work here.” I’m happy to say that my bf flipped and stormed out, yelling at the trainer and surprising his coworker.
Bottom line is, official or not, this company has a history of working against the best interests of our community. Giving away a few chicken sandwiches doesn’t undo that.
MuscleModelBlog.com
This is a tough situation because even though the parent company may be against equality, the franchise owners may not. It is similar to what happened after the BP oil spill: even though boycotting BP gas stations is a form of protest against the spill, the boycott would hurt a lot of gas station owners who had nothing to do with the spill. It’s a tough call…but I do admit that like Mediocrates explained, I am sure that a lot of employees / franchise owners share the parent company’s beliefs.
Sammy Schlipshit
Really? Protesters can be bought off by a fuckin’ chicken sandwich?
While that one franchise owner may be an equal rights supporter, the main cash goes to the company headquarters….and they ain’t no friend of ours.
We know what they believe and do. Those demonstrators should set their standards a lot higher.
Teleny
In the very near future haters like Chicken Filet will be completely irrelevant.
darkmoonman
What a surprise: more lies by omission & careful wording by Chick-Fil-A and its rabidly homophobic CEO.
Joel J
The best reason to avoid Chick-fil-A is your own health.
Dinodogstar
just bc somebody wons a franchise of a company, doesn’t obviously mean they agree with the unrelated social beliefs of the company…but this to me seems like a very good time to resurrect that rich guy/king tendency to have a food taster at my side, to be the one to take the first scary bite .
ArthurTreacher
I’d sooner eat cat vomit with a side of dog diarrhea.
Denouncer
With any luck, the “free food” is laced with poison. This would be a great way to get rid of all the faggots.
Saika
@Denouncer: What’s with the hate?
Anywho, everyone knows that the only reason the Chick-Fil-A-ers weren’t glitter-bombed within an inch of their lives is that rallies work up people’s appetite.
Saika
In addition, they were probably trying to save face because the case is likely to end in favor of equality.
Sammy Schlipshit
@Denouncer: So, denouncer, if you are so fearful and full of hate for any GLBTQ person, why come to our page other than to just be an ass. It’s people such as yourself we have to battle each and every day of our lives.
Guess what? We’re winning. Your type of homophobe and ignorant cretin are, thankfully, dying out.
Even with you saying such murderous things, I don’t hate you. You’re just too pitiful.
Get back on your meds and continue watching Faux Snooze.
1EqualityUSA
It’s a geeky company with a silly logo, dumb name, and bad food. Bigotry and hate is one of many problems. I would bet that the chickens they use for their product are inhumanely treated, before they are slain and served to bigots. They are their own worst enemy. The chickens likely say in the afterlife, I suffered and died and was served on white bread by a company that funded hate with the profits they made off of my flesh. Bad fate.