Chick-fil-A’s first UK location to close after pressure from LGBTQ rights group

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/18/chick-fil-as-first-uk-location-will-close-after-pressure-from-lgbtq-rights-group.html

by hkmaxpro • 7 years ago

9 28 7 years ago

w8vY7ER• 7 years ago

Fascinating to see such clear ramifications of allowing religious beliefs to creep into the outcome of successful product expansion. I wonder if they will make any attempt to overcome this image in the future, or instead focus inwardly and try to continue engaging the existing customer base more frequently to pursue growth.

mrrrgn• 7 years ago

Fascinating to see such clear ramifications of allowing religious beliefs to creep into the outcome of successful product expansion.

Dicks sporting goods recently took a stand against firearms that raised the ire of some of its customer base. Tons of companies go out of their way to support political messages all the time. I'd say taking moral/political positions is very much a normal tactic these days in the business world.

Time will tell how it pans out, but my guess is that it isn't some sort of disaster. Most people seem apathetic to such messaging and for every person who decides to buy a chicken sandwich from Popeye's instead of Chik-fil-a in order to "fight hate" there will probably be another one or two who go out of their way to eat Chik-fil-a in order to "stick it to the man" or whatever.

I'm just curious when this phenomenon started. Has it always existed? It seems like a straightforward tactic for building brand loyalty (staking out a position on some sort of lifestyle issue).

scarface749• 7 years ago

There is a huge moral difference between "I won't sell guns" and "I want the government to discriminate against consenting adults doing something because I personally disapprove"

tomatotomato37• 7 years ago

Chick-Fla-A is a private company (and forced to be so in the founder's will), so they have no shareholder obligation to pursue growth at all costs. They'll probably just shrug it off and concentrate on domestic expansion.

scarface749• 7 years ago

Can a founder really "force" all of the owners not to go public after he dies? Who is going to force them?

ryanmercer• 7 years ago

Given they are closed on Sundays, I doubt they are worried about what people think of their religious stance/beliefs or worried about bending to pressure/common opinion just to increase profits (or they'd open on Sundays like every other fast food company).

pmdulaney• 7 years ago

In the light of the NBA's problems with China some commentators have been puzzled. Why is it that American companies are so concerned with civil rights at home in the US, but don't seem to care at all about human rights in China?

There's really nothing puzzling about it. In each case it is their practice to cower before the biggest bully on the stage. When dealing with China, that bully is China, of course. But in the US domestic market the LGBTQ groups are the biggest bullies.

tupshin• 7 years ago

This is the ugliest (and false) whataboutism I've seen in a while. Totally inappropriate for this site.

beardbound• 7 years ago

This was a result of an English lgbtq advocacy group pressuring an English shopping center in England. How is it related to the us domestic market aside from being a us based company?

UK-Al05• 7 years ago

Yes, because wanting to be treated well, means your a bully????

Chick-fil-A’s first UK location to close after pressure from LGBTQ rights group

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