Chic-Fil-Gay day.

[Shjade]

It seems to me that protesting this kind of thing in any way that involves bringing bodies to the restaurants is going to end up bringing them more money rather than less. More bodies = draws attention = inevitable customer increase.

Granted, my thought process is biased due to having heard from an employee at one of these places telling me that is exactly what was happening at hers: lots of people showing up in a "what's going on?" capacity and buying lunch while they're there.

[Torch]

It seems to me that protesting this kind of thing in any way that involves bringing bodies to the restaurants is going to end up bringing them more money rather than less. More bodies = draws attention = inevitable customer increase.

Granted, my thought process is biased due to having hear from an employee at one of these places telling me that is exactly what was happening at hers: lots of people showing up in a "what's going on?" capacity and buying lunch while they're there.

Yup. This will be a banner week of profits for CFA. Between Wednesday and today, their accountants must be grinning from ear to ear.

[Beguile's Mistress]

Right, and the people that do voluntarily close on Sunday do it because of religious reasons, just like shops in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods are closed on Saturdays to observe the Sabbath (something that I had never seen until I moved to NYC).

I'm just marveling at all the folks who happily ate their chicken sandwiches last month while never once considering if perhaps the store they are patronizing is closed on Sundays because of the owner's religious views.

I know if I went to a restaurant that was closed on Sundays (traditionally a heavy profit day in the food service industry), the first thing I would think of would be "Damn, they must be hard core Jesus freaks".

*shrugs*  That's you and probably some others and that's fine. 

If that were me I'd be wondering why people weren't talking about that and then try to spread the word.  People who knew didn't say anything so the word didn't get out until someone who thought like you took up the cause.  Now people do know and instead of worrying about why I didn't know sooner I think about what I can do now.  I don't even worry about why the concerned people who knew for years never made a noise.  None of that will add anything positive to the here and now. 

We have a job to do, to get everyone educated about this situation.  When knowledge like this comes to light in the future we need to be the someones who make sure the everyones hear about it.

[Shjade]

Indeed. In the above mentioned conversation someone slammed the CEO for not listening to his PR team, but considering the likely results, I dunno about that.

[Oniya]

Right, and the people that do voluntarily close on Sunday do it because of religious reasons, just like shops in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods are closed on Saturdays to observe the Sabbath (something that I had never seen until I moved to NYC).

I'm just marveling at all the folks who happily ate their chicken sandwiches last month while never once considering if perhaps the store they are patronizing is closed on Sundays because of the owner's religious views.

I know if I went to a restaurant that was closed on Sundays (traditionally a heavy profit day in the food service industry), the first thing I would think of would be "Damn, they must be hard core Jesus freaks".

One can be Christian without being hateful.

[Torch]

If that were me I'd be wondering why people weren't talking about that and then try to spread the word.  People who knew didn't say anything so the word didn't get out until someone who thought like you took up the cause.  Now people do know and instead of worrying about why I didn't know sooner I think about what I can do now.  I don't even worry about why the concerned people who knew for years never made a noise.  None of that will add anything positive to the here and now. 

We have a job to do, to get everyone educated about this situation.  When knowledge like this comes to light in the future we need to be the someones who make sure the everyones hear about it.

Where does it end, though?

Do all the folks out there making Toll House cookies know about the Nestle boycott that began in the late 70's?  Nope, I doubt if most people have ever heard of it.

Do all the folks out there ordering Domino's Pizza know that the former owner of Domino's Pizza, Tom Monaghan, was a prolific contributor to anti-abortion organizations such as Operation Rescue? Nope, probably not.

If I spent my entire day informing the public of the state of corporate welfare, I'd never have time to do anything else.  ::)

[RubySlippers]

It's a demonstration of support for same-sex marriage but it's like poking a hornets nest with a stick.  You might get stung but so would everyone around you.  The store is a family type restaurant and is it worth showing a group of children that grown ups can act like two-year-olds?  Hand out flyers or picket near the store but demonstrations of public affection as a protest turn me off.

Personally, I stopped patronizing the place once I learned about their politics and anti-gay stance even though I thing their waffle fries could beat McDonalds hands down.

My S.O. and I would do this, I don't care about little Johnny or Jenny seeing us make out for a bit in a restaurant if it pisses people off that is what a protest is supposed to be sometimes.

As for the money part we plan to get one small soda, share it then make out then we are customers and not making them much. :P  And with luck customers will walk out in disgust and they will lose some money.

And alternative picket outside and have same sex couples kissing all day that could be fun and drive away customers in a legal fashion.

I for one consider a counter protest fine that is the American way.

[Silverfyre]

I'm just disturbed by the fact Oniya doesn't know everything.  That's a lie right there. 

[Shjade]

I'm just disturbed by the fact Oniya doesn't know everything.  That's a lie right there.

Wait, what? Which part?

[Silverfyre]

That Oniya doesn't know everything.  She's the warehouse of knowledge.

[Valerian]

Where does it end, though?

Do all the folks out there making Toll House cookies know about the Nestle boycott that began in the late 70's?  Nope, I doubt if most people have ever heard of it.

Do all the folks out there ordering Domino's Pizza know that the former owner of Domino's Pizza, Tom Monaghan, was a prolific contributor to anti-abortion organizations such as Operation Rescue? Nope, probably not.

If I spent my entire day informing the public of the state of corporate welfare, I'd never have time to do anything else.  ::)

Just to clarify, I'd never heard of the place or its owner before all this fuss started -- we don't have any in this area and the first time I heard the name of the place I thought it was a joke.   ::)

Many times, it's impossible to boycott anything effectively because there's so much interconnection among the various companies and corporations.... but despite this, I admit to participating in the various boycotts against the companies that supported Scott Walker here in Wisconsin.  Probably most of the companies haven't really noticed, though I've heard that Johnsonville, at least, isn't doing so well.  (Of course, that may equally be due to Walker's terrible fiscal policies, but I digress.)

As Beguile's pointed out, it's entirely possible to be for the idea that marriage is only for one man and one woman without actively trying to stomp out efforts to change that.  I'd never assume that a business closed on Sundays must therefore be owned by a Christian; or, if I happened to know that said owner was Christian, I wouldn't then automatically leap to the conclusion that they must donate to anti-gay marriage groups.  Some businesses in my state aren't allowed to be open on Sundays, while other places, especially smaller mom-and-pop places, just choose not to open.

Really, if you traced back every major company to its roots to make sure said company was clear of anything you found offensive, no one would be able to buy anything from any of them, I think.

As for Chick-Fil-A -- and I still can't help but wonder why anyone would choose a name like that -- I think all that will happen today is that a lot of their restaurants will start exercising their right to refuse service to anyone.  Based on the news so far, it looks like there's very little turnout for this, and I think that's because a lot of people realize that this sort of counter-protest just isn't what's needed.

[Torch]

Really, if you traced back every major company to its roots to make sure said company was clear of anything you found offensive, no one would be able to buy anything from any of them, I think.

Yes. Thank you.

[Oniya]

That Oniya doesn't know everything.  She's the warehouse of knowledge.

No, no - I'm the Store House of Useless Trivia.  I specialize.  ;D

[Silverfyre]

Use is so subjective. I've found your trivia rather... intriguing and useful at times.

[Beguile's Mistress]

Proof that Google data mines.

I'm getting ads for Chick-Fil-A in my gmail. Yoiks!

Chick-Fil-A = Chicken fillet ~~ I mentioned the boycott at work and our mail person was passing through.  He's gay and as he was leaving the department called out:  "You know all their hens are lesbians, don't you?"

[Serephino]

There isn't one in my area, so kinda not an issue for me.  If there was one I wouldn't eat there knowing this, and I won't eat there if I go to the two places where I have seen their restaurants.  That is not a policy I can support.  The Christian thing, however, doesn't bother me.  My local Wendys was bought by a Christian.  I know this because when I go there they have a Christian radio station playing over the speakers.  It's annoying to me as a Pagan, sure, but most of the time I get my food and get out.  Hey, at least the guy fired the people that were spitting in the food...

[Silverfyre]

It shouldn't matter what religion the dude behind the counter giving me my food is.  It shouldn't even be a factor.  This is food service, not a church.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Whoever runs that chain is laughing his ass off.  You know he just did it for the publicity.  Anything for the bottom line.  He'd probably BE a bottom if it would boost that bottom line.

[Serephino]

I don't know about all that.  Yeah, sure some people might stop by to see what's going on and buy lunch, but that doesn't mean their business is increased.  They could have 15 people come in that way, but 30 who used to eat there regularly who don't anymore.  It'll cushion the blow, but bad press is rarely good for a business. 

[kylie]

     The company's big in Georgia, at least for some neighborhoods.  I have no idea beyond that.  Some natural avoidance here about fast-food chicken.  Or maybe it's just unsliced chicken generally?  It's that one kind of bone I never enjoyed picking over.

The store is a family type restaurant and is it worth showing a group of children that grown ups can act like two-year-olds?  Hand out flyers or picket near the store but demonstrations of public affection as a protest turn me off.

To me, this would be like criticizing union members for wearing their hard hats to a picket line over job conditions.  Doesn't it  make sense to have a display of orientation, when the protest is about an attack on a specific orientation?  Also, why exactly must "family" (who defines that?) and witnessing a kiss (or twenty kisses/10 min. on a random day) be considered contradictory themes?   

     That such a vague argument often flies, makes me think...  Social conservatives are betting that people will either fall into internalized homophobia or just internalized sex-negative ideology.  I am not saying you personally are(or aren't) any of those things on this issue-- that's really not my concern here.  I am saying that a vague claim, "'the flag of family' contradicts public kissing" works very well from a social conservative point of view at least partly because it activates odd social taboos that are not often defined or debated.  They may not even be the same exact taboos from one supporter to another.  But there's this mystique to taboo where people refuse to analyze the reasoning behind their chosen slogan.  It's about family, damn you, so shut up and do or don't do whatever I say.   

    As for me, I may not be super persuaded by a mass, endless display of kissing, but I wouldn't call it childish.  A major point of all this to me is that one side wants an orientation to have status, and the other doesn't.  Perhaps conservatives are primarily concerned with LGB as "demanding rights" generally (and I guess some liberals are too -- think, marriage at the expense of so many other platforms).  In contrast, I think the kissing is simply gays saying to each other and to the community, "Um hello, we're here and we're real no matter what Chick wants for us.  [Ergo: You can't make us go away.  You might as well be realistic and start dealing on status.]"  As an in-group thing too though: I see it more as an act of solidarity and resistance than a would-be silver bullet aimed at Chick per se.  It's kind of odd to argue that a group should restrain itself from displaying some of its most characteristic behaviors, when that group feels that it's basically being wished away by someone else. 

    (adds) Well.... Perhaps it's a disagreement about whether one can obtain status while denying their own membership a potentially very important mode of affirmation and support.  Did the Christian right gain political prominence by never showing a cross until the conservative right courted them as a voting bloc?  Or was it more the other way around?

[Oniya]

Whoever runs that chain is laughing his ass off.  You know he just did it for the publicity.  Anything for the bottom line.  He'd probably BE a bottom if it would boost that bottom line.

This 'bottom line' - I do not think it means what he thinks it means.

http://research.yougov.com/news/2012/07/27/chck-fil-takes-perception-dive-fast-food-eaters/

On July 16th, the day the Baptist Press published its Dan Cathy interview, Chick-Fil-A's Index score was 65, a very substantial 19 points above the Top National QSR Sector average score that day of 46.

Four days later, Chick-Fil-A had fallen to 47 score, three points below the Top National QSR Sector average score of 50. This past Wednesday, Chick-Fil-A had a 39 score compared to the Top National QSR Sector average score of 43.

YouGov BrandIndex respondents in the South took Chick-Fil-A from an Index score of 80 on July 16th to its current 44. Chick-Fil-A's biggest drop took place in the Northeast, where it went from 76 to 35, a difference of 41 points.

Fast food eaters in the Midwest was the only part of the country which drove Chick-Fil-A's perception higher, moving from a 45 score on July 16th to a 70 two days later, staying elevated, and the dropping back to where it was before the interview was published.

[Will]

They've been slammed busy ever since the whole mess started.  Around here, at any rate.  The boycotts and protests might be effective in other parts of the country, but a vast majority of people in this area agree with Dan Cathy, one hundred percent.  So their business is booming.

This isn't the first time Chik-Fil-A's conservative sympathies have come to light.  I actually swore off eating there a long time ago, and I'm glad more people are finding out and choosing the same. 

I know it's not going to hurt their business, but that's not what it's about for me.  It's an issue of conscience.  Whatever money they give to close-minded, bigoted causes, it won't be mine.

And I know that there are a ton of other companies out there that donate to the same or similar causes.  Unfortunately, I don't have the time in my day to go and research every last business I patronize.  That doesn't mean, though, that I should just ignore the facts when they're handed right to me.  That doesn't even make sense.

[Apple of Eris]

I knew about the closed Sundays because the owner was christian. That isn't going to make me boycott a company, because I would have an incredibly difficult time caring less about an individuals religious views.

Once I found out they were contributing to anti-gay marriage groups I endorsed and joined the boycott. While my tummy may occasionally cry out for waffle fries and chicken sandwiches (for fast food, they're actually tasty), my pocketbook will remain firmly shut.

The CEO has the right to spend his money and his company's money how he chooses, and I have that same right with my own money.

[ambrosial]

Perhaps your stomach rules where you eat but my wallet rules mine.  I refuse to give money to a company that advocates a message of intolerance under the guise of "religious freedom" and "free speech".  It disgusts me that these people would call themselves Christians and act in such a manner.

Agreed.

I just want to shake them and say, "It's people like you who give Christians like me a bad name." (Sorry, Justified on the brain. :P)

But in all seriousness, it makes me quite disappointed as a member of a religion that is all about love and forgiveness that others claiming to follow it would be so hypocritical, intolerant, and hateful. And the libertarian in me refuses to understand why religion has to play any role in business anyway, but *sigh*.

[Scott]

I use to eat there, it was good. I don't like how they are treating my friends so the heck with them.