# Explain the love for Chick-Fil-A? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654 "2019-07-26T04:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/81 "2019-07-26T22:40:25Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Funny, about two months ago I found myself in the Houston area with a friend who is always telling me how great Whataburger is. As soon we came across one we had to try it. Meh. I have no idea what the fuss is about. Nothing terrible, but nothing great. IMO, of course. I think sometimes people are just really attached to places they grew up around. I recently had an In & Out burger for the first time a few years back and I genuinely thought it was a pretty good burger. For a fast food burger. It was better than Wendy’s but it wasn’t head and shoulders above Wendy’s. I grew up with Whataburger so it has a special place in my heart. I think they’re burgers are tasty but if I hadn’t grown up with them I don’t think I’d go out of my way for one. As it is there are only a handful in Arkansas and none of them in Little Rock. I think Chick-fil-A makes a pretty good chicken sandwich. For a fast food restaurant. If I had a choice between a Wendy’s chicken sandwich and Chick-fil-A I’ll pick the latter but I wouldn’t complain about the former either. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/82 "2019-07-26T22:42:01Z")
Moved to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/83 "2019-07-26T23:51:39Z")
they were very popular way before the whole LGBT stuff came out . I agree the food is good and the service is fast. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/84 "2019-07-27T00:14:30Z")
[CfA thread from March, 2017](http://https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=820585&highlight=Chick-fil-A), which references another, earlier thread. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/85 "2019-07-27T00:24:01Z")
It’s the sauce. Chick-fil-A sauce is a hybrid of mustard, honey, mayo, lemon juice and BBQ sauce. Apparently Walmart sells a [knock-off version](https://www.today.com/food/walmart-makes-knock-chick-fil-sauce-here-s-what-it-t144971?utm_medium=SocialFlow&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=FCFacebook) that is pretty darn close to the original. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/86 "2019-07-27T09:14:04Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > As pointed out, Chik-Fil-A stance isn’t “for” traditional marriage. Hell, _I’m_ for traditional marriage. I think people should be able to get as many traditional marriages as they want. (Which, I guess, is one, otherwise it’s not traditional anymore.) Chik-Fil-A wants there to be fewer marriages in the US. There are whole classes of people they think should not be married, and they want to legally bar those people from getting married. > > Chik-Fil-A is anti-marriage. And if they’re all so pro-traditional-marriage, they ought to be totally against divorce and remarriage, which breaks up actual traditional marriages after all, which gay marriage does not. Funny that we rarely if ever see the defenders of traditional marriage talking about that. It’s almost as if they were prejudiced or something. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![fedman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@fedman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/87 "2019-07-27T09:46:46Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I don’t get it either. I mean, it’s good when someone brings it home for me, but I wouldn’t ever choose to go there myself. Same with in n out. Way more hype than actual quality. Nevermind the religious crap both are burdened with. Which is maybe the draw that I’m missing? I may have missed it, but what “religious crap” was in n out involved with? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/88 "2019-07-27T11:08:15Z")
I’ve never eaten there, and I’d rather go hungry than start now. Until they change their politics, which isn’t likely to happen. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/89 "2019-07-27T11:34:00Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > And if they’re all so pro-traditional-marriage, they ought to be totally against divorce and remarriage, which breaks up actual traditional marriages after all, which gay marriage does not. > > Funny that we rarely if ever see the defenders of traditional marriage talking about that. It’s almost as if they were prejudiced or something. 😉 Not funny or hypocritical at all, basically your statement are 2 unrelated thing you wish were related. ‘Moses allowed divorce’ quote of Christ Jesus. Paul, presumably speaking on behalf of Jesus condemned homosexuality (which I acknowledge the second part of what Paul said but scripturally disagree with the first). Jesus also allowed working on the Sabbath, it’s funny how they pick and chose their words from the Master, but that’s their relationship with the Lord. Marriage is defined also by the words of Jesus, so a valid marriage must be created. That is the part you are at odds with. Homosexuals can have the same rights to divorce, I don’t think that anyone has issue with, and one can say that is one of the resons that Moses allowed divorce (your hearts were hard towards God and married the wrong person). ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/90 "2019-07-27T11:55:13Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I also am a fan of the fact that, regardless of the motivation for it, they’re closed one day a week. Getting a day off on a regular basis, not having to work too many days in a row, is important for the well-being of the workers. > > And you may snipe that they have to take that particular day off, that they don’t get to choose - but how does that compare with other fast food chains: does McDonalds guarantee that you’ll get your choice of days off each week? Do they guarantee that you’ll get _any_ day off each week? Chick-Fil-A workers aren’t going to get a call telling them they have to come in on their regular day off. I could be wrong but I’m assuming many of these workers are part-time and they get plenty of time off, perhaps wish they could get more hours so they could afford to feed themselves. The one day a week closed is also one less day worth of shifts (no one is working 7 days if they are open every day; they don’t want to pay OT) to provide to low income hourly workers. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/91 "2019-07-27T12:59:16Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Is, “Have a blessed day”, still the thing they say when they hand you your meal? Because that made me throw up in my mouth a little bit before I actually had my first and only meal there. Which was otherwise nothing worth noting. Never heard it during any of my visits. Still, I do get a kick out of the fact that if you tell them “thanks” or “thank you” they will never respond with a “you’re welcome” but rather are trained to say “my pleasure”. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/92 "2019-07-27T13:05:23Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Totally a thing. I think it was at the beginning of “Super Size Me” where they were interviewing teens on the street and they were displaying strong brand loyalty. Here in Canada, Tim Horton’s has a stranglehold on the drive-thru coffee/bagel/doughnut/breakfast sandwich market for no damn reason I can see other than brand loyalty they’ve acquired. Well, they are everywhere too. Tim’s tried to make an entry into the Twin Cities market a couple years ago. Maybe it’s because we already have plenty of Starbucks, Caribou, and Dunkins but they all failed pretty badly and shut down all of them a couple months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/93 "2019-07-27T13:17:05Z")
[Moderating] Saying that (some) people support Chick-Fil-A because of their stance on marriage is within bounds for this thread. Arguing about whether their stance is for something or against something, or whether their stance is good or bad, is not. Everyone involved in that tangent, drop it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/94 "2019-07-27T13:22:11Z")
[Not moderating] Yes, fried chicken is good, but it’s not like Chick-Fil-A is the only place where one can get it. Every fast food place has a chicken sandwich, and several of them are better than Chick-Fil-A’s (Wendy’s and Rally’s, off the top of my head). Fried chicken on the bone isn’t quite as common, but there’s still KFC, and maybe Popeye’s and Church’s, or possibly other chains, depending on where you are. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/95 "2019-07-27T13:28:18Z")
I’ve only eaten at it once, because there aren’t any where I live. I had it in the Baltimore Airport, and while the service was competent, I didn’t notice any of the extremes anyone talks about here. It was just pleasant competent service. (As is most service in airport restaurants.) I thought it was a pretty decent chicken sandwich. I’m a fairly picky eater, and won’t eat most fast food. (you’re going to eat that big mac? really?) So I’d say that it’s a fast food place that tastes less like fast food than most fast food places. > [@DCnDC](#): > > Because it both tastes good AND most people either consider it a pain in the ass to make themselves or they wouldn’t even know where to start. Yup. I enjoy fried chicken. I made it once, and decided that was a food I could buy. Disposing of that much used oil (or frying food so often that I got much use out of it) just isn’t something I want to do. Far better to have a giant communal fryolator that we can all share. > [@panache45](#): > > I’ve never eaten there, and I’d rather go hungry than start now. Until they change their politics, which isn’t likely to happen. They actually have moderated their politics. After the LGBT stink, they promised to get out of politics. The groups they give to are still anti-gay, but arguably have a focus unrelated to LGBT issues. So, you can take that either way. > **[Chick-fil-A’s charitable foundation kept donating to anti-LGBTQ groups](https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/3/21/18275850/chick-fil-a-anti-lgbtq-donations)** > > In 2012, the company claimed it would "leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government." ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/96 "2019-07-27T13:33:16Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Is, “Have a blessed day”, still the thing they say when they hand you your meal? Because that made me throw up in my mouth a little bit before I actually had my first and only meal there. Which was otherwise nothing worth noting. I don’t know if they do, but why your reaction, what is wrong with someone wishing you well in the way they know how to? It seems like perhaps much of Chick-Fil-A is it inspires a emotional response. Perhaps many people like that phrase, and it is heard so seldom that it feels good to many. Also negative reactions either have people either stay away (and not matter) or are curiously drawn to it due to their emotions. This is assuming that people like emotions and some even like negative emotions better then apathy. They hit a emotional response that others don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/97 "2019-07-27T13:43:59Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > What sort of store? Many retail establishments, including restaurants, close at least one day a week. However, it’s definitely **not** the norm among fast-food restaurants. It’s an “upscale discount store.” We sell items for less, but they are good, name-brand items. The store is big, brightly light, very clean and organized, and we take most credit cards. And yes, I’ve talked to some rah-rah Christians who claim they won’t shop there because “you’re open on Sundays.” I think it’s just an anti-Semitic belief. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/98 "2019-07-27T14:16:18Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Well yeah, but I guess where I’m a bit confused is why it’s SO popular? I mean, if I’m going to lunch, and I see both drive through lines backed up past the microphone at Chick-Fil-A, I’m going somewhere else. No fast food is worth that level of dedication. But people will drive up and sit in a line 15 cars deep for Chick-Fil-A, which I don’t get. I went to Chick-Fil-A this week during lunchtime rush. It’s one that has two lanes that merge into one after the kiosk. They had one person standing out before the kiosk entering in your order, another worker under an umbrella taking money, and another working the window. Once you got to the window all you had to do was grab your food. A backed up double line took no longer than a three car line at McDonalds. No dedication required. Just great customer service. > [@QuickSilver](#): > > Is, “Have a blessed day”, still the thing they say when they hand you your meal? Because that made me throw up in my mouth a little bit before I actually had my first and only meal there. Which was otherwise nothing worth noting. Never heard that there. But I live in New Jersey where you would only hear that from a small subset of people. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/99 "2019-07-27T14:27:52Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > I could be wrong but I’m assuming many of these workers are part-time and they get plenty of time off, perhaps wish they could get more hours so they could afford to feed themselves. The one day a week closed is also one less day worth of shifts (no one is working 7 days if they are open every day; they don’t want to pay OT) to provide to low income hourly workers. It seems to me that they have double the number of workers working behind the counter at any given time compared to other fast food. That makes up for one day off. I go there when I am trying to be reasonably healthy and still get fast food. Their Cobb salad is the best fast food salad out there. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654/100 "2019-07-27T14:48:52Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Probably the bigger question is why fried chicken (boneless or otherwise) is SO popular? > > Yet despite that, we have entire chains dedicated to variations on the theme - to list the outlets within a couple miles of my home, we have: KFC, Church’s, Williams (local chain), Cane’s, Popeye’s, Zaxby’s, Chick-Fil-A, Chicken Express, Golden Chick, Louisiana Fried Chicken, and a gaggle of local places by the low-income apartments that advertise fried chicken with fish and/or waffles. / Snip/ I’ll address the why. Fried chicken, like ribs mentioned below are delicious. The difference is that ribs take great skill and time to prepare while fried chicken can be reliably recreated in a mass scale with simple cooking equipment and procedures. Marinate Bread Fry at X° for Y minutes Serve. My cite is my friend Jared who owns several successful BBQ and separate Nashville style chicken restaurants. The chicken places are self sustaining once the procedures are in place but BBQ takes constant expert supervision. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-love-for-chick-fil-a/837654.md?page=6)