In The End, Chik-Fil-A WILL Be Hurt By Their Anti-Gay Posture

[stopbush]

Because people who refuse to patronize businesses that discriminate against others have got the word on Chik-Fi-A, and they have taken their business elsewhere, permanently, while the people who lined up yesterday to support Mike Huckabee's "Hating Gays Is OK" show of support for Chik-Fil-A are not going to make a point of eating there on a more-regular basis just to support bigotry.

[hedgehog]

1. +1

[FBaggins]

2. Are you saying that you think THEY think it's bigotry?

If not, might they not continue to eat there to support whatever they think they are supporting?

And if that's the case, the "hurt" will have to wait until some of those hearts are changed.

[Bonhomme Richard]

3. I believe you are right. The last thing I would want is....

for my business to be in the middle of a partisan issue. The turnout yesterday was a sales "flash in the pan". That is all. Those people are not returning and frankly, they did it for themselves and for their warped cause more than they wanted to help a food chain.
The CEO made a serious mistake and I would bet that the majority of franchisees are furious. It is their investment that he is gambling with. Not his own.

[jimlup]

4. Yeah they lost at least 4 customers that I know of personally

... And I think the number is actually significantly higher.

[Odin2005]

5. I disagree.

Our society has become so polarized on social issues that a boycott cannot work, a boycott by one side will be countered by getting more customers from the other side.

[Odious justice]

13. I agree

[KurtNYC]

20. People with negative ideas and no convictions are defeated by those with passion

everytime.

Love beats hate.

[LynneSin]

6. 40 years from now they are going to look as stupid as these people

[TeamPooka]

19. When was the last time you went to a Woolworth's?

People move on when the business doesn't reflect the times and social mores.

[bullwinkle428]

7. Anyone recall the old "Sambo's" restaurant chain? If you can't, then my point is made.

Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Bueller?

"Sambo's is a restaurant, formerly an American restaurant chain, started in 1957 by Sam Battistone Sr and Newell Bohnett. Though the name was taken from portions of the names of its founders, the chain soon found itself associated with The Story of Little Black Sambo. Battistone Sr and Bohnett capitalized on the coincidence by decorating the walls of the restaurants with scenes from the book, including a dark-skinned boy, tigers, and a pale, magical unicycle-riding man called "The Treefriend." By the early 1960s, the illustrations depicted a light-skinned boy wearing a jeweled Indian-style turban with the tigers. A kids club, Sambo's Tiger Tamers (later called the Tiger Club), promoted the chain's family image."

"By 1979, Sambo's had 1,200 outlets in 47 American states. However, in the late 1970s, controversy over the chain's name drew protests and lawsuits in communities that viewed the term Sambo as pejorative towards African-Americans, particularly in the Northeastern states. Several of the restaurants were opened as or renamed to "The Jolly Tiger" in locations where the local community passed resolutions forbidding the use of the original name or refused to grant the chain permits." (...well, well, well...isn't THAT interesting!)

"In March 1981, in a further attempt to give the chain a new image the company again renamed some locations, this time to "No Place Like Sam's".[4] By November 1981, the company filed for bankruptcy.[5] Neither the name change nor bankruptcy protection reversed the downward trend, and in 1982 all but the original Sambo's at 216 West Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara, California, closed their doors.[6] By February 1983, 618 of the locations were renamed Season's Friendly Eating.[7] Several locations were sold to Denny's."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambo's

[uponit7771]

12. +1

[NightWatcher]

8. I disagree, it will be where bigots eat daily, proudly

I drove by one today and the cars were lined up around he block and people were out the door. The smug bloated "christians" were proud that they had stuck it to the gays.

[Bonhomme Richard]

9. I actually think the gay community ought to eat at

Chik-fil-a as much as they can stand it.
Two things would happen. The individual franchise owners would get to know that community much better and the right wing crazies wouldn't eat there anymore because the gays go there.

[bullwinkle428]

10. Unfortunately, they'd be enriching the coffers of that prick CEO who would

turn around and send that "gay money" to hate groups, in an effort to further empower that discrimination.

[Bonhomme Richard]

15. You are probably right. n/t

[quinnox]

11. well, they sure do seem to be making a ton of money out of it

lately.

[Odious justice]

14. The exposure just creates a niche market for nutjobs that like chicken.

People will go out of their way to support it, and eventually, it will be forgotten. The company isn't practicing discrimination or doing anything illegal- its owned by a skygod follower. If they start denying service to openly gay people then its proverbial goose will be cooked. Until then, I'm sure they are enjoying the publicity and built in market. Even before this they were marketed as a "christian" company. Not much is going to change.

[Bolo Boffin]

16. Is already being hurt.

http://www.brandindex.com/article/chick-fil-takes-hit-fast-food-eaters

YouGov BrandIndex measurement scores range from 100 to -100 and are compiled by subtracting negative feedback from positive. A zero score means equal positive and negative feedback.

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.

[lunatica]

22. Gay rights matter a lot in DU

Your friends will be OK because free speech is a Constitutional right. Equal rights is still equal rights no matter what you think.

[Fumesucker]

23. Welcome to DU!

Plenty of us here agree with you about Rahmbo..

I hope you enjoy your stay!

[spanone]

18. because everyone's not a hatemonger

[randome]

21. Public momentum is unstoppable now.

Conservatives can't stop it. The church can't stop it. It's too late, haters!