Free Essay

What to Do with Chick-Fil-a?

In: Business and Management

Submitted By classiquesoul
Words 969
Pages 4
In July of 2012, Chick-Fil-A COO Dan Cathy made a public statement praising the institution of marriage between man and woman while condemning those between same sex couples. Such a statement received harsh criticisms from several notable political figures such as Chicago City Counsel member Joe Moreno and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, each of whom hoped to ban Chick-Fil-A from their respective cities. The Jim Henson Company, famous for its creation of “The Muppets”, ended their business relationship with Chick-Fil-A because of their conflicting views on the issue (The Jim Henson Company is pro-gay). Wanting to keep the real reason behind their failed partnership behind closed doors, Chick-Fil-A claimed that they would stop selling toys from the Jim Henson Company because of a choking hazard with the products, although there were never any reported incidents.

Many consumers of the company’s food were unaware of where their money was going until just recently as a more disturbing report was uncovered in early August, revealing that the issue went far beyond a first amendment right. Campus Pride, a nonprofit organization aimed to make college environments safer for LGBT students, released a handout titled “5 Simple Facts about Chick-Fil-A”, which exposes the organization’s funding of hate groups that “aggressively work against LGBT people, advocating for their criminalization, psychological abuse or death” as well as its support of groups such as the Eagle Forum, who consider members of the LGBT criminals, the Family Research counsel, who aggressively points to LGBT members as a threat to young children and has previously spend $25,000 to stop the Congress from ridiculing the “Kill the Gays” policy in Uganda, which proposed that one could be executed if they were homosexual, and Exodus international, which claims to “cure homosexuality” through psychological torture. This also presents an issue to college campuses who are now aware that their grounds house a place where their profits go to these malicious groups. Groups like Campus Pride have begun to try to get Chick-Fil-A off of their campuses. While disagreeing about the correct definition of a proper institution is marriage is not necessarily a despicable act, funding a hate group certainly is. Chick-Fil-A needs to keep their profits from plummeting, retain their positive public view, and try their best to make all parties happy. Although the latter of those objectives may be deemed impossible, one must look at which decision will make the people happy that have the biggest effect on the company’s profits and public image.

One of the possible solutions would be for Chick-Fil-A’s owner and the rest of their upper management to let go of their opinions and accept those of the LGBT community as not trying to destroy their view of what marriage should be. Unfortunately, things are not always so easy and this solution is far too idealistic. One’s views will not change overnight and it is impossible for an entire company to change the morals it has always held with great importance. They would have no real gain from the decision because making the LGBT community and their supporters happy. Chick-Fil-A could also ignore the harsh criticisms that it has been receiving, considering they have not been financially hurt too much by the issue. Responding to the situation, Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, called for a “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day” on August 1 in order to garner nationwide support for the company amidst the controversy. The day was met with critical acclaim with its customers, as over 600,000 people RSVPed to the event Facebook. On this day, the average Chick-Fil-A had approximately 30% more sales than usual. However, this does not mean they have not been receiving loads of negative publicity. Social networking sites such as Tumblr and news sites such as the Huffington Post and Reddit have been among their biggest opposers. A few days after their “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day”, protestors organized a same sex kiss day at Chick-Fil-As nationwide. Many were also urged to take the money that one would spend on a meal at Chick-Fil-A and donate it to LGBT groups.

However, the best solution may be to stop funding these hate groups altogether. Chick-Fil-A has, more likely or not, employed at least one homosexual individual at one point, and those who have been employed by the company should feel secure and comfortable with their workplace. Working for a company that funds groups that wants to strip the aforementioned person of their rights does not accomplish the goal of security in the workplace. Chick-Fil-A should release a policy stating that they do not discriminate their workers based on their sexual orientation. Also, if Chick-Fil-A stops funding hate groups, Mayor Metino and Joe Moreno are more likely to let them open restaurants in Boston and Chicago, the latter of which being more important considering Chick-Fil-A’s desired expansion into the Midwest. By ending the funding of hate groups and creating a policy that forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation, those that work at Chick-Fil-A feel better about their job, they lose the majority of the bad publicity, and can possibly expand to new areas, increasing business.

Sources Cited

Norman, Jan (August 11, 2012). "Franchises can expect fallout". The Orange County Register: p. Business 2

http://www.campuspride.org/chickfila.asp

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shane-l-windmeyer/5-simple-facts-about-chick-fil-a_b_1751404.html

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1061147182&srvc=home&position=emailed

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/chick-fil-backlash-politicians-muppets-respond-16857916

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-07-25/news/32853027_1_gay-marriage-biblical-definition-dan-cathy

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Trur6Tyu

...Chick-fil-A Case Study Part I: Background Information Chick-fil-A It all began in 1946, when Truett Cathy opened his first restaurant, The Dwarf Grill, in Hapeville, Georgia. The Dwarf Grill, Truett’s original and later named the Dwarf House, offers an extensive menu and provides customers a choice of table service, walk-up counter service or a drive-thru window. 11 Chick-fil-A Dwarf House restaurants are currently operated in the metro Atlanta area today. Credited with inventing Chick-fil-A’s boneless breast chicken sandwich, Cathy founded Chick-fil-A, Inc. in the early 1960s and pioneered the establishment of restaurants in shopping malls with the opening of the first Chick-fil-A Restaurant at a mall in suburban Atlanta in 1967. Their mission is to “Be America’s Best Quick-Service Restaurant,” and that they proved to be. Since Chick-fil-A’s launch, they have steadily grown to become the second largest quick service chicken restaurant in the United States, with over 1,615 locations in 39 states as well as in Washington D.C while remaining one of the nation’s largest privately held restaurant chains. Sales for the company reached an all time high in 2011 at $4.1 billion which reflects a 13.08 percent increase over the chain’s 2010 performance and a same-store sales increase of 7 percent. To achieve this success, Chick-fil-A focuses on following a few simple rules: listen to the customer, focus on getting better before trying to get bigger, put emphasis on quality. Chick-fil-A...

Words: 1867 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Good Food, Better Service

...Chick-fil-A: Great Food, Better Service. Chicken and the Cost to Growers 
 Chick-fil-A is much more than a restaurant that serves good chicken, it is my sanctuary and a part of who I am. Being welcomed with a smile, as soon as I enter the doors, instantly makes my day better. Chick-fil-A prides itself in taking care of the customer. I am on a first name basis with the breakfast, lunch and dinner shift at my local branch. Chick-fil-A, founded by S. Truett Cathy stays true to its core purpose: “To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A” (Cathy 124). Throughout my time with Chick-fil-A I always found this to be true. Chick-fil-A’s quality of food, along with their quality of service, is shifting the industry of fast food all together by emphasizing how important living out the vision of your company is. Lessons and Principles S. Truett Cathy grew up watching his mother put a lot of effort into ensuring every one she cooked for would be incredibly satisfied with the meal (Cathy 15). At a young age Truett was in charge of building a newspaper route. He found that the key to his paper route success was “to take care of the customer” (Cathy 24). To do this he had to deliver the papers regardless of the circumstances (Cathy 24). Truett also found that “it’s always easier to keep a customer than to replace one”, and therefore he would treat every single customer like the most important one (Cathy 26). These two lessons influenced his restaurant...

Words: 3165 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Chick-Fil-a vs. Raising Canes

...Madison Blankenship English 101-004 Mr. Lyles October 19, 2012 Raising Cane’s Vs. Chick-fil-A Raising Cane’s and Chick-Fill-A are very popular fast food restaurants that both specialize in chicken.  While both specialize in the same type of food, they conduct their businesses differently. Their presentations are similar in some areas and different in others. Kristin Mastre greatly explains that Raising Cane’s and Chick-fil-A can be easily compared through their environment, costs, nutrition, and variety in her article,“Throwdown! Chick-fil-A versus Raising Cane’s.” (par. 1). The environments of each restaurant provide an atmosphere that makes the customer want to return. Raising Cane’s has a very fun type of decoration using movie posters, band posters, and sports team decoration. It uses these posters to attract people of all ages to eat there. Raising Cane’s also allows their employees to show team spirit for sports’ teams around the area (Feasting Fort Collins, par. 7). This atmosphere makes the restaurant a perfect place to be after football games. Chick-fil-A has a family oriented environment. It has children play places, and very polite service. Chick-fil-A employees will always ask, “How they may serve you?” and answer the customer’s “Thank you” with “My pleasure.” The customer service creates an atmosphere so the customer feels that he or she is not actually in a fast food restaurant (Feasting Fort Collins, par. 5). Both restaurants provide outstanding environments...

Words: 982 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Two Organizations

...Two Organizations Term Assignment Two organizations chosen: Chick-fil-A & Target Question 1 (Chapter 1) - How do your organizations appear to be managing in a world characterized under an uncertainty, ambiguity, and sudden change environments? Do you believe your organizations presently have the needed skillsets they are going to need? * Target: Target does a great job of paying attention to what is going on in the world, and staying ahead of other companies. Target always has the latest gadgets, latest trends, etc. They are ready for anything that is thrown at them, and I think they do have the needed skillsets they are going to need. * Chick-fil-A: Through uncertainty, ambiguity, and sudden change environments, Chick-fil-A seems to remain constant. They have their great service, delicious food, and kind employees who are willing to go above and beyond for the customer. They have been successful since their beginning, therefore I do believe that they have the needed skillets they are going to need. Question 2 (Chapter 2) - Do you believe your organizations’ managers are able to handle the rate of environmental changes (particularly the financial impacts on their customers, suppliers, employees, etc.) occurring nationally and internationally? * Target: I do believe that Target’s managers are able to handle environmental changes. Target’s famous slogan, “Expect More. Pay Less,” is very well communicated. The managers believe this slogan enough to live...

Words: 2185 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Final Global Business Paper Mgt/448

...determining the feasibility of any new organization venture. Every business must scrutinize every aspect of their prospect operations to ensure they have covered every single component to ensure maximum success going forward. Once companies have gathered the necessary information through their research, they can properly assess the feasibility of their vision and make an appropriate decision. Comprehensive Analysis The fast food industry is continuing to grow and expand throughout the world, and each company is contemplating their role and position within this competitive environment. Chick-fil-A is no exception to this movement and is currently the number one fast food chicken venue in the United States. Despite their regional popularity, they do not have a significant presence in the international market for fast food. As Europe specifically the UK continues to add more fast food chains, Chick-fil-A has set their sights upon this market to expand their global presence. Before they begin organizing and planning their new vision, a high level of market research is necessary including a crucial analysis involving regional, country, and product. Region Analysis Regional Alliances and Economic Integration The UK is the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France. Sixty percent of food produce is by UK’s agriculture,...

Words: 7387 - Pages: 30

Premium Essay

Chick-Fil-a International?

...Week 4 Assignment 1 Chick-fil-A International? Abstract Chick fil-A has developed into a very successful fast food chain in the United States, but this fast food company operates differently than almost any company, regardless of size. The fact that Chick-fil-A is a multi-billion dollar company makes the way that they operate domestically seem nearly impossible. Chick-fil-A’s operations and hiring methods do not come without controversy, however. We’ll take a look into their operations more closely as well as some controversy that surrounds the Chick-fil-A organization and some struggles Chick-fil-A will face as they plan to expand into the global market. History of the Company To fully explore the Chick-fil-A company, one has to develop a better understanding of the structure of the company. Chick-fil-A began in its infancy in 1946 when S. Truett Cathy opened a restaurant called “The Dwarf Grill” in Hapeville, GA. This is where Cathy allegedly invented the original boneless chicken sandwich. After several years of operating a successful restaurant in Hapeville, Cathy decided to begin branching out in the early 1960’s when he founded Chick-fil-A, Inc., which led to the first Chick-fil-A restaurant opening in 1967 in a mall in Atlanta. Since that time, Chick-fil-A has grown to over 1,500 company stores (note the intentional omission of the word “Franchises”) with annual revenues approaching $3.5 billion. Chick-fil-A has done this in a very unconventional way, as zero...

Words: 1732 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Chick-Fil-a

...Chick-Fil-A Case Study Marketing Principles 3/11/2011 Jamie Roof I very much enjoyed listening to this video case. I had no idea what Chick-Fil-A came from and why it is so good. The only time I have come across the restaurant is when I am shopping. I tend not to eat when I shop so my experience with this company is very minimal. It is very good from what I remember. I am a big foodie and love trying new things. It is very refreshing to see a restaurant start off the way it did with hard work and dedication and then seeing what it has become many years later. I also think it is wonderful to see the founding family still involved in present operations. The entire campaign for Chick-Fil-A gives me a chuckle every time I come across it. The fact the menu is all chicken products with a cow spokesman are very ironic and perfect at the same time. I really like beef, but chicken tends to be a much healthier alternative. I like to know how my food is being prepared and for that reason, I usually steer clear of fast food restaurants. It was very nice to see a company that hand breads its chicken daily in order to preserve freshness and quality. When the VP of Marketing was talking about the chain, I agreed most with his comments regarding the fact consumers will spend money on quality ingredients. With that being said, Chick-Fil-A does have a slightly higher price tag than some other top competitors, but the quality is bar none. I will spend more for quality. I think most...

Words: 850 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Chick-Fil-a Chicken with Side of God

...Chick-Fil-A Selling Chicken with a side of GOD A Positive Ethical Organization Chasity Wilson 10-13-2015   Chick-fil-A: Selling Chicken with a side of GOD WHAT DISTINGUISHES AN ETHICAL COMPANY? We as Americans tend to focus on companies unethical behavior, lapses of judgement, corporate misconduct or the methods corporations may use to hide unethical business practices from the public view this process leads to national scrutiny. We seldom recognize an organization that displays positive-intentional ethic behaviors that are defined as acceptable by the American people. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the ethical standards of the fast food chain Chick-Fil-A and determine if the company establishes a code of ethics. The Webster Dictionary defines ethics as following accepted rules of personal and professional behavior. It is prescribed philosophy dealing with questions of what is good and what is bad combined with moral duty and obligation, the principles of moral behavior governing an individual or group. By implementing a standard of ethical behavior, as a business, the restaurant chain Chick-Fil-A in my opinion exemplifies a living code of ethics as a cognitive, affective, and behavior manifestation of an ethical organization. In your opinion has Chick-Fil-A set a new standard for a positive ethical organization and does the concept of ethics and integrity have a deeper meaning that what the dictionary definition provides? Chick-fil-A (chick-fil-ay...

Words: 2951 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

Chik Flia

...Chick- Fil- A and Same Sex Marriages Regina Antone-Smith BUS-7200/HRF-7001 Value Systems and Professional Ethics June, 6 2014 Jennifer Stephens Chick- Fil- A and Same Sex Marriages In the summer of 2012, the billionaire family behind fast food chain Chick-fil-A found themselves in hot water. It’s not every day that the leader of a big business steps into a national debate that has the potential to offend many of its customers. But Dan Cathy, president of the popular fast food chain Chick-fil-A, has done just that The fast food chains in-your-face Christian values it was Dan Cathy’s reaffirmation of his firm’s same-sex marriage stance that set off a wave of protests. Cathy admitted his anti-equality stance probably wasn’t a wise business decision, regretting making the company a symbol in the marriage debate. On the one hand, you could argue leaders of businesses, particularly private, family-owned ones, should be able to speak their minds. But when a business leader elects to take a public and vocal position on a hot-button political issue in an election year, he or she also risks losing the support of many of its customers. “Every leader goes through different phases of maturity, growth and development and it helps by (recognizing) the mistakes that you make,” Cathy said. “And you learn from those mistakes. If not, you’re just a fool. I’m thankful that I lived through it and I learned a lot from it( McGregor, J. (2012, July 19). Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy bites...

Words: 1216 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Who Is Better

...Who is Better: Chick –Fil- La or Zaxby’s? ECPI University We live in a world of convenience and everywhere you look there is a fast food restaurant around or popping up. Fast food is inexpensive, filling and tasty. Besides hamburger, chicken is one of the best fast foods around. We have KFC, Church’s, Golden Chicken, Chick Fil A, Zaxby’s, and etc. Chick-Fil-A and Zaxby’s are two of the greatest fast food restaurants known for their chicken are so much similar; however, very different. One could believe that Chick Fil A pulls ahead of the competition in social responsibility, price, and variety but we will see. Chick-Fil-A opened its first doors in 1946 and Zaxby’s in 1990; therefore, Chick-Fil-A has been around for a long time and able to perfect their mission versus Zaxby’s twenty years. As for social responsibilities Chick fil A “Over the past four years, Chick-fil-A, Inc. and its franchised Restaurant Operators have given more than $68 million in contributions to over 700 educational and charitable organizations and have provided millions of dollars in food donations all across America, in 2009-2011, Chick Fil A invested $13.5 million in day camps and overnight camps for thousands of boys and girls, and Chick-fil-A donates $3 million per year to operate 12 foster homes” ( CFA 2016). Another good thing that Chick Fil A does is not opening on Sunday’s for religious reasons. According to QSR Magazine (2015) Zaxby’s social responsibilities consist of the Make-A-Wish foundation...

Words: 1221 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Chick-Fil-a

...Chick-fil-A Dustin Grace BUS 360-Belhaven University Over time more and more people have become busier in their everyday lives. Therefore, there is less time to prepare and cook meals for the family. As more parents are on the go, the more they appreciate establishments like fast food restaurants. These types of restaurants are convenient and for the most part inexpensive. Customers can drive up to the drive-thru window to get their food if they don’t want to leave the comfort of their car. They also have the option of going inside and sitting down to enjoy their meal. There are many fast food chains around, but none compare to the phenomenon known as Chick-fil-A. As the company’s name reveals, Chick-fil-A centers their business around chicken. Their slogan that you’ll see on most billboards “Eat Mor Chikin,” is provoking just that. There isn’t a hamburger to be found on the menu. In Chick-fil-A’s case, chicken equals gold and boy do they serve it in many different ways. What genius came up with the novel idea of centering and entire restaurant around chicken? That man would be Truett Cathy. It was the year 1946 when Truett Cathy started his career in the restaurant industry. Mr. Cathy and his brother did not attend a restaurant school and had not knowledge on how to run a restaurant. They both served in the United States Army during World War II. When they came back to the United States after serving...

Words: 2579 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Fuck You

...No Pregnant Chicks-Fil-A Chris McFarland University of Phoenix Professor Bailey SOC/315 7/21/2014 No Pregnant Chicks-Fil-A A description of the compliance issue that led to the lawsuit and its ramifications for the organization. Heather Morrison, a Charlotte North Carolina resident applied for a position at a local Chick Fil A in her hometown. Heather was 6 months pregnant when she was called into the Chick Fil A store for an interview with the store manager of Chick Fil A. During Heather’s interview the store manager consistently focused on the fact that Heather was pregnant and asked Heather numerous questions in regards to her pregnancy, questions concerning time taken of for the birth of the child and also asked questions concerning child care for her child in regards to interfering with her employment at Chick Fil A. 3 days after the inappropriate interview Heather received a phone call from the Chick Fil A Manager informing her that she would not be getting hired for the position and stated that she should call back after she has the child. Because Heather was discriminated against by the store manager, Heather filed a lawsuit against Chick Fil A for discriminating against her because she was pregnant. This has not only tarnished Chick Fil A’s image but they were forced to pay Heather $10,000 and undergo much scrutiny from the media and EEOC and also undergo annual training in regards to hiring practices and specifically the hiring or pregnant females...

Words: 1173 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Chik-Fil-a's Communication Failure

...Running head: CHICK-fil-A COMMUNICATION FAILURE Chick-fil-A Communication Failure Larry Boyd Southern New Hampshire University Sunday, July 5, 2015 CHICK-fil-A COMMUNICATION FAILURE !2 Introduction Every organization is prone to different crisis thus; they should learn the necessary procedures to follow when such an incident occurs. Failure to this, the company or organization may destroy its reputation in the market. In July 2012, the CEO of the Chick-fil-A (Dan Cathy) faced a media storm, when he publicly announced his ground on the same-sex marriage. His remarks wedged crisis from homosexual community and other supporters of the civil right movement (Clare, 2014). In this paper, it will discuss the crisis that faced Chick-fil-A and how the organization should respond to such scenario in the future. The paper will also analyze different leadership communication failures and explain how a leader should respond to such controversies. Leadership communication failures After the aftermath, Dan Cathy made several comments on the radio station that led to national anger. The company was under crisis when the leader made comments that his company has been, and will always be ran by a family that understand what definition of a family is; what the bible define marriage as being one man and one woman. People had different opinions towards Mr. Cathy’s comments. For instance, some thought that the company discriminated other cultures as the leader based...

Words: 1542 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Fast Food Industry Research

...and increase in this industry does still have its drawbacks. With newly enlightened consumers becoming more meticulous about what they eat based on calories, fat, gluten and so on, many fast food franchises have been under the gun to maintain the status they have bolstered for so long. Rather than lie down and wave the white flag, many companies have begun offering new products derived from new methods of preparation. Nowadays, everyone is on the move, everyone’s time is precious and there is high demand for a quick bite to eat. However, these consumers do not necessarily want to compromise their health in the process. Chick-fil-A has emerged as the top chicken fast food chain in the United States. They control the most market share and have done so in quite extraordinary fashion. Prior to being the number one chain, they trailed Kentucky Fried Chicken, who controlled 40% of the market back in 1999 while Chick-fil-A only had nine percent (Lutz, 2014). Chick-fil-A’s average sale is three times the amount of its competitor KFC. In 2013, Chick-fil-A prevailed as the category leader with $5 billion in sales and passed Kentucky Fried Chicken who recorded $4.2 billion; they also climbed from nine percent market share to 26% which passed Kentucky Fried Chicken’s 22% market share (Lutz, 2014). The reason this achievement was so remarkable is because Chick-fil-A is outselling Kentucky Fried Chicken with...

Words: 2152 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Chick-Fil-a's Ethical Forte

...Chick-fil-A’s Ethical Forte Chick-fil-A’s Ethical Forte There are many variations of what the term “ethics” actually means. To some, ethics is simply a personal feeling of what is right or wrong. While to others, ethics is simply a standard of behavior that is acceptable by their society and culture, otherwise known as the law. According to Baack, the definition of the term varies according to individuals’ moral philosophy, which ultimately comes from their own personal values, which are bias according to one’s religious beliefs, familial upbringing, social interactions and cultural surroundings. On the other hand, the term “business ethics” is more standard consisting of guidelines regarding how each individual company chooses to conduct business and develop relationships with their employees, their clients and with potential partners. A company’s devotion to their values and ethical behaviors can often make or break a company. In 1967, when S. Truett Cathy opened the first Chick-fil-A in The Greenbriar Shopping Center in Atlanta, Georgia, he had a business ethical system that he has not deviated from to this day. Today there are over 1,605 Chick-fil-A restaurants located in 39 different states and in Washington, D.C. (Chick-fil-A, 2012). The company has had 44 consecutive years of positive sales growth and in 2011, it’s annual sales exceeded $4.1 billion dollars. Recognized as the “pioneer” of quick service mall food, the company has also many other innovative concepts...

Words: 750 - Pages: 3