Farewell, Chick Fil A

I’ve been a fan of Chick Fil A for a long time. Their food is always great, their service is impeccable (almost to the point of being a little creepy), and the restaurants are squeaky clean. It’s not every day that you can enjoy a fast food restaurant where you actually feel like you’re putting something reasonably good for you in your body.

Well, at least not as bad as some. But the point is, I have always liked them. And if I like them, my wife, Amy is practically a Chik Fil A disciple.

We’ve planned meals on the road around their locations. Sure, I’ve known they were a Christian-based organization with some values that leaned further right than mine, but I respected their business model and ethic. Plus, I’m used to having fellow Christians to my right.

And then I saw this video:

This makes me sad on two levels. For one, it always disappoints me when Christians come out in the public forum against an entire group of people. And though the LGBT community is the Christian right’s favorite social pinata, I had never read or heard anything in particular about Chick Fil A’s stance on traditional marriage. I had assumed – maybe because I wanted to – that they would know better than to put their personal theology and social values on display as a for-profit company.

But I was wrong.

The second sadness I have is more superficial and selfish, but I simply can’t bring myself to eat at a Chick Fil A again. At least until they take an equally public stance in favor of inclusion, equal rights and affirmation of the sanctity of love of all stripes.

I showed the video to Amy, and upon it’s conclusion, she slapped her hands together, as if wiping off a layer of dirt. “Well,” she said, “that’s that. No more Chick Fil A.”

I’ll miss your criss-cut fries most of all.

To read a follow-up piece see below:
Further Thoughts on Chick Fil A