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Tag: Chick-Fil-A

  • Chick-fil-A: Email is Our Biggest Driver of Keeping Somebody Engaged

    Chick-fil-A: Email is Our Biggest Driver of Keeping Somebody Engaged

    About a year and a half ago Chick-fil-A decided to go back to their roots of being a people first business in their use of email marketing. They scrapped multiple email databases and multiple email templates and most importantly focused on answering real customer needs through personalization generated from many customer touch points.

    This has led to a five times increase in membership to Chick-fil-A One and a 20 percent increase in conversions.  “Email is certainly not the only driver of that but we have seen email being the biggest driver of keeping somebody engaged or re-engaging them,” says Emily Randall who runs interactive digital media at Chick-fil-A.

    Emily Randall, Interactive Digital Media, Chick-fil-A, recently gave a talk at MediaPost’s Email Insider Summit on how they successfully transformed their use of email marketing to not only match their founders people first philosophy, but to also more effectively engage with their customers:

    We’re Not in the Chicken Business, We’re in the People Business

    The founder of Chick-fil-A, Truett Cathy,  often said we’re not in the chicken business, we’re in the people business. So we think a lot about hospitality. We think about going the second mile for our customers and hopefully, you’ve experienced that if you’ve been to a Chick-fil-A.

    Today we have about 2,300 locations across the country so it gets a little bit harder to know all of our customers by name like Truett did when he opened the first restaurant but what we have rallied around stems from what Truitt said.

    Changed From Batch and Blast Emails to Personalization

    When you know someone’s story you can care for them personally. The team really thinks about what are all of our marketing touch points and how are we caring for people personally through the each of those touch points? We think about each of those touch points and ask is is this a deposit on the customer relationship or is this a withdrawal?

    We took a look at our email program about a year and a half ago and we said, hey, this is actually a little bit more of a withdrawal. We’re doing this batch and blast approach with our email program, it was pretty messy, and so we decided that we needed to fix it in order to start adding value to that relationship with our customers. This is really about becoming modern marketers.

    We decided to partner with MessageGears which has allowed us to personalize some of our emails. So today, it’s about a year and a half later and we looked at how do we actually do this and what does this look like? One, we have about three times the email database that we had about a year and a half ago so we have definitely seen growth. A big part of that is because of Chick-fil-A One our membership program.

    Balancing Scale and Personalization

    Then we think a lot about balancing scale and personalization. One of our differentiators is the local ownership and so we want to be able to take stories that are happening personally and then highlight those in email at scale. We also want to be able to take stories that are at scale, like our national campaigns, and then personalize those. That’s a tough balance that we’re still trying to figure out.

    We also are balancing local email where we let our operators email directly, they email their customers. These are people who transact with their restaurants, so they don’t have access to everybody in our membership program, but anybody who transacts with their restaurant they can email.

    We on the brand side give them templates and we give them the tools to be able to send out those emails. We share best practices and then each template is just one single message. They can load in their picture, you can actually see their face, they can add their signature, and they can tweak the copy. Sometimes it’s about a limited time offer like our peppermint chocolate chip milkshake or it could be information about closing for a renovation. They can also send really personal emails to even just one person if they want to.

    Pulling From Multiple Data Source to Personalize Emails

    We also balance that from an air cover standpoint from the brand with two emails a month. We have all kinds of different messages flowing into into this one. What’s nice is that we can see the people that they have emailed. Where our biggest opportunity on the brand side is thinking about the entire audience that doesn’t fall into one of their local CRM systems. What does win-back look like? What does re-engagement look like? That’s where we can uniquely help on the brand side that the operators don’t have access to.

    With our email wireframe we’re pulling in multiple different data sources including customer profile data, transaction data, and then location. We have a lot of other sources as well so we’ll tweak the message or the creative based on where somebody is in their journey with Chick-fil-A.  For example, for a particular spot in our email we had different options that we could plug in based on if somebody had never mobile ordered, if they’ve scanned and not mobile ordered, or if they mobile order all the time. We would tweak that depending on where they were while taking a mobile order action.

    Email is Our Biggest Driver of Keeping Somebody Engaged

    We start out with at least 32 base segments per email. We also have at least 500 different versions. We have seen about a five times increase in overall memberships since we started this personalization. Email is certainly not the only driver of that but we have seen email being the biggest driver of keeping somebody engaged or re-engaging them. We’ve also seen about over 20 percent increase from a conversion standpoint for people who receive the email versus a control group.

    From an attribution standpoint, we are able to measure that. It’s incredible how you can tie action in email to actual sales. I come from a background of social media marketing and we can’t tell those types of stories in social. It’s really incredible that we are able to start to share these stories of success and actually measure attribution in this email marketing channel.

    Focus on What’s Important to the Customer

    What’s next for us is going back to the basics and just seeing people as people. You can’t think of them as an email address which is way easier said than done. We want to continue thinking about what’s important to our customers and continue with research to understand what is it that they really want from us?

    This means not jumping on technology just to jump on new technology. It’s really easy to get caught up in the new bright shiny thing and for us, it feels like we’re still learning. I think there’s a lot of opportunity for us out there but I think going back to the basics of just who are these people and how do we organize our program in the right way has been a huge step in the right direction for us.

  • Chick-fil-A Beats KFC For Top Chicken Choice

    America’s 2013 Chicken Champion has been named folks, and it turns out Chick-fil-A is King of the Coop with annual sales of $5.1 billion, surpassing KFC’s poultry, ah, paltry, $4.2 billion.

    This comes as no surprise to anyone who consumes food, as the superiority of Chick-fil-A’s product is enough for the average carnivore to ignore their pecking conscience long enough to glory in the golden perfection of crispy breading. Though for every spicy chicken sandwich with extra cheese and Chick-fil-A sauce consumed (THE ONLY WAY TO EAT CHICK-FIL-A IS THE WAY I EAT CHICK-FIL-A), a gay person loses their wings, the God-fearing and gay-married alike have agreed on the only thing they will likely ever agree on: KFC is greasy, and it doesn’t come with waffle fries.

    Chick-fil-A isn’t the only bad habit that had a great 2013. The proclivities of Midwestern college freshman who just HAVE to find a quiet place to study seem to have spread rapidly throughout the various regions of the United States and what is now called the “coffee café” category of limited service (I’ll say) restaurants are among those with the highest sales growth, with Starbucks and Panera showing 10.6 and 11.8 percent growth in 2013, respectively. But before deeming Americans totally unsophisticated, palette-wise, please note our level of comfort with international cuisine skyrocketed as Panda Express clocked an impressive 10.7 percent sales growth for the year.

    But the dominance of Chick-fil-A over KFC is the most notable area of change in the American fast-food landscape, and perhaps says the most about us as a people, for we are willing to abandon the wave of good-will recently shown towards the LGBT community if it means a decent meat slab with a savory sauce. Ah, Chick-fil-A, where bigots and bisexuals can sit down together and argue vehemently but make zero progress because their throats are coated with honey mustard and everything comes out a muted, sticky, glorious garble. Take that, KFC.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Chick-Fil-A is Outselling KFC With Fewer Restaurants

    Despite being closed on Sundays and fueling an gay marriage controversy in the summer of 2012, Chick-Fil-A is now the leading fast food chicken chain. While it’s hard to imagine any other chicken chain surpassing KFC, Chick-Fil-A did just that with $5 billion in sales last year.

    Chick-Fil-A has more than 1,700 restaurants in the United States, compared to KFC’s 4000-plus restaurants in the U.S. Despite having less than half of the restaurants as their competitor, Chick-Fil-A had more than $5 billion in sales, compared to the $4.22 billion in sales at KFC’s U.S. locations.

    Here is a graph of Chick-Fil-A’s sales versus KFC’s. As you’ll notice, each Chick-Fil-A location brings in about three times as much in sales on average compared to a KFC location, a figure that has been on the rise over the past decade.

    Not only is Chick-Fil-A closed one day per week and has less than half as many locations, there is also the matter of Chick-Fil-A being more of a regional chain. True, Chick-Fil-A has locations in most states, but after you venture outside of the South and Texas, there are a lot of miles to travel between the other locations. For example, the chicken chain has only one location in New York and just a handful of stores in several other states. Compare this to KFC, a worldwide chain that has a strong presence in all 50 states, and it’s easy to see why Chick-Fil-A being crowned the new fast food chicken champ is a bit of a surprise.

    According to Bloomberg Businessweek, part of the key to Chick-Fil-A’s success is offering a breakfast menu.

    With sales from Chick-Fil-A’s breakfast menu steadily growing, this helps offset sales lost on the day the chain is closed. Even though KFC has great biscuits (arguably better than Chick-Fil-A’s) and gravy to boot, the chain hasn’t yet started offering breakfast nationwide. Maybe KFC will take a note from Taco Bell and get on the fast food breakfast bandwagon soon.

    Another important point to consider is the cost of a menu item on Chick-Fil-A’s menu versus KFC’s. Unlike Chick-Fil-A, KFC makes it very easy for a person to walk out spending less than $5. You can purchase a value meal or individual items off KFC’s value menu and get a meal for about the cost of a basic Chick-Fil-A sandwich. Even though consumers are thriftier these days, since fast casual dining is on the rise (a category Chck-Fil-A falls more into since the atmosphere is much nicer and many locations offer table service), it makes sense that people don’t have an issue with paying more at Chick-Fil-A.

    As Chick-Fil-A’s saying goes, they didn’t invent chicken, but they are sure selling the heck out of it.

    Image via Twitter

  • Chick-Fil-A Makes Big Announcement

    Chick-Fil-A announced this week that they will be making the move to antibiotic-free chicken for all 1,800 restaurants within the next five years, a big move that will require quite a bit of strategic planning.

    The Atlanta-based company says the main concern will be an adequate supply, which has been an issue for companies like Chipotle after they made the switch to what they call “responsibly raised” meat. Chick-Fil-A has asked their suppliers to have all poultry inspected by the FDA to ensure it is free of antibiotics.

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

    The use of antibiotics in animals groomed for consumption has grown over the years as farmers not only use them to prevent illness, but to increase growth. However, the FDA has warned against it, saying it eventually causes a resistance in the animals. In fact, they have already begun a plan to phase out the use of the drugs in animals.

    “Because all uses of antimicrobial drugs, in both humans and animals, contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance, it is important to use these drugs only when medically necessary. Governments around the world consider antimicrobial-resistant bacteria a major threat to public health. Illnesses caused by drug-resistant strains of bacteria are more likely to be potentially fatal when the medicines used to treat them are rendered less effective,” reads a statement on the FDA website.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Chick-Fil-A: Gay Marriage Debacle Didn’t Affect Growth

    When Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy made remarks last summer regarding his beliefs on marriage, he sparked outrage across the country as gay rights activists and members of the LGBT community fired back, calling him out for the statements.

    Cathy said that he and his company–which is rooted firmly in Christian values and keeps all stores closed on Sundays–are “very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives”, adding “we’re inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.”

    His words led to immediate backlash and even created protests staged at some of the restaurants, where there were also “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation” and “National Same-Sex Kiss” days set up in response.

    But despite the chain of events that Cathy set off with his remarks, the company hasn’t suffered, according to sales data. In fact, they actually saw a spike in sales, pulling in a whopping $4.6 billion in 2012, compared to $4.1. billion the year before. And while the company has laid fairly low after the incident–only stepping forward a few times to comment on Cathy’s remarks or thank their customers through social media–some think they handled it just the right way. And despite the backlash, the ever-growing company offers up dozens of new jobs every time they expand, which is always welcome in communities.

    “I think the flap last summer will not have any effect at all long term,” said Georgeia State University professor Ken Bernhardt. “When they open stores, they hire 50 or 60 people and that is good for the community. That means jobs.”

    Image: Chick-Fil-A

  • D.C. Shooting Suspect was Carrying Chick-fil-A Sandwiches

    In a bizarre twist to the story of the attempted shooting at the headquarters of a conservative religious lobbying group in Washington D.C. yesterday, the shooter was apparently carrying Chick-fil-A sandwiches in his backpack. According to an FBI affidavit, the man, Floyd Lee Corkins, was carrying 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches in the same backpack from which he pulled a handgun before shooting a security guard.

    Chick-fil-A has been at the center of the U.S. fight over gay rights in recent weeks after the Jim Henson company cut its marketing ties with the restaurant when Chick-fil-A’s president, Dan Cathy, made public comments opposed to same-sex marriage. Since then, the restaurant has seen a conservative Christian-backed appreciation day and a “kiss-in” day by gay rights supporters. All of this attention has made Chick-fil-A one of the fastest growing brands on Facebook.

    The shooting occurred on Wednesday when Corkins entered the lobby of the Family Research Council (FRC) offices. The FBI affidavit states he said “something to the effect of, ‘I don’t like your politics,’” to security guard Leo Johnson, then pulled the handgun from his backpack and shot Johnson in the arm. Johnson was able to wrestle Corkins to the ground and disarm him. The gunshot wound was not life-threatening and an FRC spokesman has said that Johnson is expected to make a full recovery.

    According to an AP report, Corkins is 28 years old and lived with his parents at the time of the shooting. He had recently volunteered at an LGBT community center in the D.C. area. Corker has been charged with assault with intent to kill and carrying firearms across state lines.

  • Drag Queens Sing Their Support for Chick-Fil-A Food

    When the Henson Company dumped Chick-Fil-A in support of gay marriage, it turned up the heat on the debate over gay rights in America. Culture war lines were drawn around chicken sandwiches while gay kiss-ins, Christian Chick-Fil-A appreciation days, and horrible public relations drew huge attention.

    Not all Americans are taking sides for or against Chick-Fil-A, though. For some, the food is just too good to bring politics into it. To wit, three drag queens have created the musical montage seen below in support of Chick-Fil-A’s chicken sandwiches and waffle fries.

    Of course, the video was uploaded well before the current Chick-Fil-A controversy blew up, so the opinions of the singers may have changed since the company’s official stance was taken. Even so, enjoy this cross-dressing trio’s parody of Wilson Phillips’ “Hold On.”

  • Controversy Makes Chick-fil-A One Of The Fastest Growing Brands On Facebook

    Controversy Makes Chick-fil-A One Of The Fastest Growing Brands On Facebook

    I probably don’t have to tell you that Chick-fil-A is at the center of a great deal of controversy these days, concerning its open views on gay marriage. These views have led to a seemingly endless debate among Chick-fil-A supporters, opponents, and those who just want to eat some chicken and go on about their business.

    One thing is for certain. The whole thing has given the restaurant chain a whole lot of press, and over the past month, the company’s social brand has been on the rise.

    Was stating its views on the matter of same-sex marriage a smart decision on Chick-fil-A’s part? Tell us what you think.

    Social media ad platform Optimal has released a list of the top performing brands on its Optimal Index for July. As a spokesperson for the firm explains, “The Optimal Index is an independent valuation tool to help determine the relative value of a brand’s current audience on Facebook by combining fan counts, engagement statistics and global fan valuation.”

    “Interestingly, amid recent controversial comments made by members of its executive team, Chick-fil-A added 524,238 new fans in July, and more than 550,000 people discussed, liked or commented on the brand in the past week,” the spokesperson said.

    Here’s the list. As you can see, Chick-fil-A cracked the top ten:

    Chick-Fil-A cracks top ten in social brand growth

    Chick-fil-A’s Facebook page currently has over 6 million fans. That’s about a tenth of what rapper Marshall Mathers (the most popular guy on Facebook) has.

    These graphs from PageData tell the story pretty well.

    PageData stats on Chick-fil-A

    The comments from Chick-fil-A took place in the mid-July, and you can see how the Page’s popularity has steadily risen since then, as the discussion continues around the web. Imagine what the monthly numbers would look like if the controversy began at the beginning of the month.

    Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy was quoted as saying that he and the company as a whole are “very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives.”

    The company later issued the following statement via its Facebook Page:

    The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.

    Chick-fil-A is a family-owned and family-led company serving the communities in which it operates. From the day Truett Cathy started the company, he began applying biblically-based principles to managing his business. For example, we believe that closing on Sundays, operating debt-free and devoting a percentage of our profits back to our communities are what make us a stronger company and Chick-fil-A family.

    Our mission is simple: to serve great food, provide genuine hospitality and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.

    Wednesday became known as Chick-fil-A appreciation day, which turned out to be a pretty big hit for the company, with the company claiming a record-setting day. Millions of people turned out to support the restaurant chain, and their beliefs.

    Of course, the controversy also led to National Same-Sex Kiss Day At Chick-fil-A on Friday, which in addition to the turn out for beliefs on the opposite side of the equation, has still served to draw more attention to the brand.

    There’s no question that Chick-fil-A has alienated a large amount of customers, but even still, the company appears to have put together a pretty loyal audience, and thousands of people (and climbing) they can push their messages (and offers) to on a daily basis, through Facebook alone, not to mention the additional brand awareness the company has managed to spread.

    Some analysts have advised against businesses publicizing any political views, as to avoid alienating customers. It’s hard to say what kind of long-term effects this whole thing will have on Chick-fil-A’s brand, and how much it will ultimately affect the company’s bottom line. In the short-term, however, no matter how many people it has turned against it, the whole thing has clearly gotten people more interested in Chick-fil-A, and they’re selling a whole lot of Chicken. From my understanding, that’s their main goal.

    Do you think businesses should publicize controversial views and risk alienating customers? Was Chick-fil-A smart to do so? Has the whole thing affected whether or not you will eat at the restaurant? Let us know in the comments.

  • Black Lips Swap Spit and Chicken For Chick-fil-A “Kiss-In” Day

    If you walked by your local Chick-fil-A today and saw various same-sex couple making out in front of the building, you’re not alone.

    Today, around the country, gay rights supporters have been participating in “kiss day” at Chick-fil-As. The “protest” is an obvious response to President Dan Cathy’s now-infamous remarks in opposition of gay marriage. The “kiss in” takes place just two days after Chick-fil-A supporters took to stores for Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.

    Culture wars be damned, this is just funny. Cole Alexander and Jared Swilley of Atlanta-based garage rock band Black Lips just posted this photo to their band page on Facebook – without comment. As you can see, there’s little doubt as to which side of the debate they fall:

    Black Lips Kiss Chick-fil-A protest

    The only thing that’s a bit confusing about this image is that they still seem to have bought the chicken. Maybe they’re making a new statement altogether: Supporters of gay rights and Chick-fil-A.

    Today’s “kiss in” has a bit of work to do to match the turnout of Chick-fil-A appreciation day. The scene on Wednesday was pretty hectic in many stores around the country, with some reporting chicken outages. By some accounts, the company broke sales records.

    [h/t Buzzfeed]

  • Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day Was A Hit, To Say The Least

    Oblivious chicken sandwich lovers just wanting to grab a bite on their way home from work yesterday were probably shocked to find long lines and crowded parking lots at their local Chick-fil-A restaurants.

    That’s because millions of people across the country chose to show their support for Chick-fil-A by buying a sandwich or some nuggets during Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. As you may recall, the food chain has been under fire lately for comments made by their President Dan Cathy regarding the company’s views against gay marriage.

    From eyewitness reports on Twitter, and photos of long lines posted on Facebook and Instagram, we know that there were a lot of Chick-fil-A supporters that turned out.

    And if you trust celebrity pastor and author Rick Warren, Chick-fil-A broke records yesterday:

    We’re not exactly sure what records Chick-fil-A broke, as the company hasn’t publicly announced any figures from Appreciation Day 2012.

    Tomorrow, a “National Same-Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A” will take place around the country. I’d be surprised to see Rick Warren tweeting about that turnout.

    I’m sure everyone’s tired of hearing about this. How about we just put it to rest with some comedy from both sides of the issue, one professional and one amateur:

    [h/t Business Insider]
    [Image via Mad_African, Flickr]

  • Colonel Sanders May Prefer The White Meat, But He Loves The Gays

    Although we’re not entirely sure of Mike Huckabee’s true intentions for scheduling a national “shove your face with Chick-fil-A” day, it’s happening today, all the same. Around the country, millions of people are lining up to buy a spicy chicken sandwich and some waffle fries to show their support during Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.

    Why would Chick-fil-A need their own impromptu appreciation day? Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock you’re probably aware of the pounding the company has taken lately because of their President’s outspoken criticism of gay marriage. Those comments (although rather unsurprising to most) prompted a strong backlash from marriage equality supporters, some of which called for boycotts.

    Honestly, I’m sure that most of the population would just as soon advocate that everyone shuts the hell up as they would pick a position either way.

    But both sides of the controversy are fired up. The Chick-fil-A haters are simply standing up for what they feel is a universal social injustice and a company that perpetuates it. Or perhaps they’re just showing that they can be as intolerant toward others’ beliefs as the intolerance that they rail against.

    The Chick-fil-A supporters have held their ground against those who would attempt to chastise a company for promoting good Christian values. Or maybe it’s the company’s right to free speech in the form of donations that draws their support. Perhaps they are just close minded bigots falling rather ungracefully on the wrong side of history.

    Whatever the case, the Colonel doesn’t give a sh*t. KFC loves the gays, or maybe they just love your money. Either way, they want to take Chick-fil-A’s business.

    Check out this Funny or Die sketch featuring John Goodman in the role he was born to play – Colonel Sanders:

  • Chick-Fil-A Controversy Through Colonel Sanders’ Eyes

    Chick-Fil-A has undoubtedly seen record business today as they were descended upon by thousands of supporters during “Support Chick-Fil-A Day”, which was touted by former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee on Facebook. Friday has been declared “National Same-Sex Kiss Day” by LGBT supporters, and is expected to draw a huge amount of press attention. But while one can’t scroll through a Facebook or Twitter feed without seeing an opinion on the matter, one voice has been suspiciously absent: that of Colonel Sanders.

    Well, okay, not the real Colonel, obviously, but one played by John Goodman. He claims to be very, very supportive of the gay community, and, while they may not have service that equals Chick-Fil-A’s, they do have those bowls. (NSFW language, but it’s mild)

  • Chick-Fil-A: Huckabee Gets 600,000 To Attend “Appreciation Day”

    Chick-Fil-A is all over the news lately after president Dan Cathy made remarks about the company’s stance on marriage which incensed the gay and lesbian community. It seems everyone has taken a side on the matter; one can’t scroll through a Facebook or Twitter feed without seeing something about it. And this week marks two very big events involving the company which are sure to turn up the fire under the story even more.

    Today, thousands of Chick-Fil-A supporters are scheduled to show up at restaurants all over the country in appreciation of the company and their values, and it’s all thanks to former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. Huckabee started an event on Facebook called “Support Chick-Fil-A” about a week ago, and since then it’s garnered almost 600,000 RSVPs as well as the support of Rick Santorum, Sarah Palin, and the Reverend Billy Graham. Huckabee has posted several photos from this morning as attendees spoke to reporters about their mission, and was very clear on his Facebook page that this was not organized as a “protest”, but rather as an event to support a company’s right to free speech.

    A little over a week ago, I simply urged people to go and eat at Chick Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1. I mentioned it on my TV show and have been discussing it on my daily radio show. The media has called it a “protest.” It is most certainly not. No one is protesting anything. This is not a stand against a person, a group of people, or even someone else’s belief. This is a simple act of having a meal at a place that sells chicken, not politics. It’s to affirm to a Christian brother, Dan Cathy, that he has not been disenfranchised from his citizenship nor his right of free speech as a taxpaying American. It is about taking a stand for businesses to be free of economic bullying and hate speech. It is an opportunity to have a decent meal at a decent place that was founded and continues to be run by decent people who believe in treating their customers and employees with kindness and to say “thank you” to them. The only protest that I know of is coming from the chickens, who will give their lives in large numbers to accommodate what hopefully will be a big day at Chick Fil-A.

    Chick Fil-A neither proposed this nor has promoted it. It was a simple idea I had and shared with a few friends, posted the online and asked them to share with their friends. I don’t have that many friends, but my friends seem to. Since then, over 21 million have viewed my Facebook event page. We are north of half a million people who have said they will eat at Chick Fil-A on Wednesday and still adding more. Millions more are aware of it and might show up in one of the 1600 Chick Fil-A stores.

    The attacks on Christians are disturbing, especially by “wanna be tyrants, like the mayors of Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, D. C. who have vowed to either keep Chick Fil-A out of their communities or have openly said this business is not welcome because they (the mayors) don’t agree with the personal views of the Chick Fil- A CEO. Not only is such a position by the mayors illegal and unconstitutional, but it’s disturbing to think that anyone elected to public office would publicly exhibit their bigotry toward Christians, their hypocrisy in singling out only Christians, but not others including Muslims who have even stronger beliefs about same sex marriage, and their contempt of the law regarding censorship and free speech.

    On Wednesday, the lines might be long, but your presence and your purchase is a statement. America doesn’t need more protesters-we’ll leave that to the Occupy crowd. America needs more protectors of freedom, family, and faith. And in this case, chicken nuggets!

    (image)

    (image)

    To counter the support day, supporters of the LGBT community have rallied to form an event on Friday which they’ve called “National Same-Sex Kiss Day” and will take place at Chick-Fil-A restaurants everywhere. Participants are encouraged to take photos and can join the event on the official Facebook page, where pictures and stories can be uploaded. WebProNews will cover that news on Friday as it develops.

  • Chick-fil-A Finds A Friend In Sarah Palin

    Chick-fil-A Finds A Friend In Sarah Palin

    Chick-Fil-A’s current controversy over its president’s stance on gay marriage has not died down in the least since it first erupted a few weeks ago. There have been countless people battling back and forth over the issue, with no end in sight. Former Alaska Governor made her allegiance clear on Facebook this past weekend.

    In a picture dating Friday on Palin’s Facebook account, you see Palin and her husband in a Chick-Fil-A holding two bags while flashing a thumbs-up. The picture makes no mention of the debate on homosexuality. It just says, “Stopped by Chick-Fil-A in The Woodlands to support a great business.” While we can’t really say whether or not Palin was making a political statement, the comments on the photo definitely made it one.

    As for now, the photo has garnered 261,125 likes and 23,131 comments. As usual, the majority of the comments are made by about 10 people arguing back and forth over LGBT rights. The responses on Twitter were much more direct with Tweets like this:

    Like I said, it’s hard to say whether or not Palin was making a political statement with this post. Judging by her political views, it would be easy to assume that she is. It’s a little unfair, however, to attack her when she hasn’t explicitly stated that she goes to Chick-Fil-A to support its president’s, not the restaurant’s, view on gay marriage.

  • Chick-fil-A Spokesman Don Perry Passes Amidst Gay Marriage Controversy

    As Chick-fil-A continues to generate controversy over statements company President Dan Cathy made regarding same-sex marriage, they have suffered the loss of their lead spokesman Don Perry.

    Perry was Chick-fil-A’s Vice President of Corporate Public Relations, having been with the company for almost 29 years.

    Chick-fil-A said that Perry died “suddenly,” this morning. ABC News is reporting that Perry suffered a heart attack.

    Last week, Chick-fil-A found themselves in the middle of a PR controversy when President Dan Cathy said he was “guilty as charged” in his opposition to same-sex marriage. Chick-fil-a has made no attempts to hide the fact that they are a Christian-based company, but to hear this statement the carried such certitude set off many marriage equality supporters.

    Later, Chick-fil-A went into a little bit of damage control mode, as they walked back Cathy’s statements, saying,

    “The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”

    That statement was the work of Don Perry, who added that “leaving the policy debate” meant “not proactively being engaged in the dialogue.”

    Here’s what Chick-fil-A had to say about Perry’s death in a statement:

    We are saddened to report the news to you that our dear friend Don Perry, vice president of public relations, passed away suddenly this morning.

    Don was a member of our Chick-fil-A family for nearly 29 years. For many of you in the media, he was the spokesperson for Chick-fil-A. He was a well-respected and well-liked media executive in the Atlanta and University of Georgia communities, and we will all miss him.

    Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

    As of now, Chick-fil-A continues to try to clear the air surrounding the controversy, taking to Facebook to clarify their version of recent events:

    (image)

    Chick-fil-A5 hours ago

    Hey Fans. Another rumor related to Chick-fil-A that is currently in the media is related to the Jim Henson Kid’s Meal prizes. We want to set the facts straight. Chick-fil-A made the choice to voluntarily withdraw the Jim Henson Kid’s Meal puppets for potential safety concerns for our customers on Thursday, July 19. On July 20, Chick-fil-A was notified of the Jim Henson Company’s decision to no longer partner with us on future endeavors. Powered by socialditto(image)  1,000+ likes ·  1,000+ comments
  • Chick-fil-A’s PR Team May Have Pulled This Laughably Transparent Fake Facebook Account Stunt

    Chick-fil-A’s PR Team May Have Pulled This Laughably Transparent Fake Facebook Account Stunt

    Apparently, someone on Chick-fil-A’s PR team really sucks at PR, as this evidence suggests that someone is creating fake Facebook accounts to bolster their position in the midst of the company’s worst public image crisis ever.

    As you probably remember, Chick-fil-A has been under fire recently for comments made by company president Dan Cathy, in which he said he was “guilty as charged” when it comes to opposing marriage equality. Although Chick-fil-A has been open with the fact that they are a Christian-based company (closed on Sundays, anyone?), and have also given money to anti-gay groups in the past, the latest certainty seems to have pushed some people over the edge.

    And couple of days ago, the Muppets said goodbye to Chick-fil-A as the Jim Henson Company posted this on their Facebook page:

    The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have notified Chick-Fil-A that we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors.

    But Chick-fil-A has proposed a different narrative for why the two companies have parted ways. This was spotted in a Chick-fil-A store, and subsequently went viral:

    Chick-fil-A has stood by this, telling The Atlantic “..it is true that Chick-fil-A voluntarily withdrew the Jim Henson kids meal toys nationwide because of a potential safety concern. This is unrelated to the Jim Henson announcement.”

    So, that brings us to this Facebook exchange:

    A redditor snagged this screenshot of the Facebook conversation, in which someone is busted for creating a fake account with two telling pieces of evidence: First, the account was only a few hours old when it began taking up Chick-fil-A’s cause. And second, someone happened to locate the origin of the young girl’s profile picture.

    And unless Abby Farle happens to be the actual model that took these stock images, I think I smell a rat:

    Sure, it’s possible that it was just someone who really really loves Spicy Chicken sandwiches who went to the trouble of creating this Facebook deception. But this isn’t the first instance of a Chick-fil-A employee creating social accounts to promote their story.

    UPDATE: Chick-fil-A has denied claims that they were the ones behind this. “Chick-Fil-A has not created a separate or a false Facebook account. We don’t know who created it,” said a spokesperson

    UPDATE 2: This Facebook post –

    Chick-fil-A7 minutes ago

    Hey Fans, thanks for being supportive. There is a lot of misinformation out there. The latest is we have been accused of impersonating a teenager with a fake Facebook profile. We want you to know we would never do anything like that and this claim is 100% false. Please share with this with your friends. Powered by socialditto  1,000+ likes ·  690 comments

  • Muppets Dump Chick-Fil-A in Support of Gay Marriage

    Muppets dump Chick-Fil-A in support of gay marriage? Apparently that’s the case. The Henson Company once supplied the controversial chicken slinging restaurant with toys for their children’s meals, items which featured numerous characters created by the late, great Jim Henson. However, following Dan Cathy’s admission that he only believes in marriage from a biblical perspective, the Muppets are apparently taking their beloved brand elsewhere. Given that the company openly supports the union between frog and pig, this makes perfect sense to me.

    “The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have notified Chick-Fil-A that we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors,” the company announced on their official Facebook page.

    Although Chick-Fil-A has yet to comment on the Muppets’ departure, the restaurant did release a statement following the vast amount of backlash it received from Cathy’s Baptist Press interview. And while they didn’t backtrack on their stance regarding gay marriage, they did say they intend to treat people the same regardless of who they are or what they believe.

    “The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender,” the statement read. “We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”

    If, like many people, you’ve decided to take your breaded chicken money elsewhere, why not try a knock-off recipe you can cook up at home. That way, you can still enjoy the same culinary delight without all of that pesky guilt. Check out the embedded video to learn how.

    (image)

  • Chick-Fil-A’s Anti-Gay Views Got You Feeling Guilty? Try A Homemade Chick-Fil-Gay

    Chick-Fil-A has never really tried to hide the fact that they are a “Christian organization.” If the fact that they are close on Sundays didn’t tip you off, the company has made it pretty clear that they support a “traditional” set of values when it comes to sex and relationships. Oh, and then there are the millions of dollars in donations to anti-gay groups.

    And earlier this week, company president Dan Cathy eliminated all doubt by pleading guilty as charged to supporting a “Biblical definition of the family unit.” Although his remarks were unsurprising, they created a bit of a ruckus among the internet community.

    “Well, guilty as charged. We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that…we know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles,” he said.

    As you can imagine, plenty of gay-rights supporters aren’t too thrilled about this and have spoken out against eating at the restaurant, despite the tastiness of their products.

    If you’re a supporter of marriage equality and still want to indulge in a great fried chicken sandwich without the guilt, Hilah Cooking has a solution for you:

    After the massive backlash, Chick-Fil-A has backpedaled a bit on their President’s comments.

    “The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender,” said the company in a Facebook post. “We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”

    [via reddit]

  • Chick-Fil-A Doesn’t Apologize, But Amends Gay Statement

    It was the news heard ’round the world earlier this week when Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy spoke about his personal beliefs regarding gay marriage, stating that he and the company as a whole are “very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives.” Now, it looks like the giant wave of backlash his comments have caused was enough to make him reconsider ever talking about it again.

    The company posted a statement on its Facebook page regarding their attitude towards customers, saying they will remain devoted to treating everyone fairly no matter what their conflicting views may be.

    The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.

    Chick-fil-A is a family-owned and family-led company serving the communities in which it operates. From the day Truett Cathy started the company, he began applying biblically-based principles to managing his business. For example, we believe that closing on Sundays, operating debt-free and devoting a percentage of our profits back to our communities are what make us a stronger company and Chick-fil-A family.

    Our mission is simple: to serve great food, provide genuine hospitality and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.

  • Chick-Fil-A Bullies Man Over Trademark Nonsense, Man Fights Back

    The idea of protecting one’s trademark has merit, provided the trademark in question is actually in danger of being diluted. It’s understandable that Nike would want to stop another shoe company from selling cheaper shoes with a Swoosh logo on it, but sometimes, companies overstep their boundaries and make fools of themselves, much like Chick-Fil-A is currently doing.

    What we here is the case of Bo, who sells “Eat More Kale” t-shirts from his home in Vermont. Apparently, the folks who manage Chick-Fil-A’s trademark, Bo’s t-shirts are threatening the sanctity of the company’s “Eat Mor Chikin” slogan, and so, Chick-Fil-A as demanded that Bo shut down his website. Not only that, but they’ve demanded that he turn it over to the company. Thankfully, Bo is standing his ground, and has even taken to Kickstarter to fund a documentary about his particular tale of woe, thanks to the meddling ways of Chick-Fil-A.

    In Bo’s own words:

    Cease and desist?? Like hell. I’ve decided to fight.

    Of course, I might not win — the odds are against me. All over the country ‘trademark bullies,’ large corporations that bully small businesses over alleged claims of trademark infringement, are legally harassing small businesses and wearing them down with repeated lawsuits and appeals. In the face of overwhelming legal bills, most small businesses just give up.

    This is more than just plain wrong: it’s un-American.

    By helping make this documentary I want to shine a light on this issue, my battle, and other trademark bullies, too. If I win, it’s a great story; if I lose, it’s a sad story. Either way, Jim and I think it’s a story worth telling.

    Trademark bullies is one of the more accurate descriptions, especially when you consider the abject lack of trademark dilution that’s actually going on. Does Chick-Fil-A actually believe people are going to confuse the two? Or is this another example of typical corporate arrogance?

    If the company is really that ate up when someone uses begins a slogan with “eat more,” why haven’t they gone after these trademark infringers?

    (image)

    This writer is not the only to use silliness in response to Chick-Fil-A’s position:


    On a more serious note, Bo also has a video up on Kickstarter, detailing his position:


    Agreed with everything Bo said.

    With that in mind, which side of the fence do you fall on? Is Chick-Fil-A overstepping their boundaries or is this the appropriate response from a multi-million dollar entity that won’t ever be confused for the vegetable kale?