Chick-fil-A Mania Hits Downtown

i knew about the gay stuff. and with a really guilty heart,  i went and got a really delish sandwich/fries/lemonade. and felt HORRIBLE. and went out and talked to about 7 owner/operators/corporate bigwiggy people outside.  i had a very calm, frank talk with them about the fact that i didn't like what they supported and it would probably be my first and last sandwich there. it was a nice talk.

one guy kept saying that what i had read were "half-truths." (i didn't like that guy.) one guy said that they would "serve everyone" and everyone "deserved love and respect." told him i liked that and was happy for that, but it wasn't about who they served (in my mind thought, of COURSE you want the gay money, right?), but that it was about who they supported.  i just wanted them to hear my voice and the voice of others like me. i understood they were a christian organization, but i just wanted them to hear all the voices of everyone. all the chickens, even the gay ones.

late into the night, i saw people visibly SQUEALING at the sight of it. pretty funny.

Who knew hate could be so crispy, yet tender.

Has anyone made a "somebody has to feed the flash mobs" joke yet?

I'm pretty sure that Justin Kaufmann at WBEZ made that joke.

Why is this getting press?

Here's my thing about the people who say "I'll never eat there because they support group X." That's all well and good and I can get behind the idea. Just remember to extend that over to other places as well, not just one fast food chain. How many people say that and still willingly shop at Target who has taken heat for donating to anti-gay groups? Wendy's, Carl Jr/Hardee's, and In-And-Out have all faced similar criticism for such activity.

Lest we forget - Domino's is owned by a complete loon who founded a Christian university and I'm pretty sure CiCi's pizza is run by some wacky folks as well.

When you get right down to it, nearly every giant corporate chain is guilty of something, whether it's being anti-union, shady labor practices, supporting anti-gay groups, etc.

The fast food/pizza chain industry in general seems to be riddled with pretty scummy right wing owners.  Yet another good reason (on top of millions) to avoid patronizing them if possible.

I can only speak for myself, but I haven't shopped at Target since I became more aware of their practices, and the final straw was what they were doing with their money in Minnesota.  So yeah....walkin' the walk. As for the fast food joints, I can't see why anybody who lived in Chicago would want, or feel it necessary to go to any of those places.

Giving up Target was much more traumatic than not eating at fast food places. Because I agree with Navin--why would you?

To be completely honest, she also said the food wasn't very good.

I've never eaten at a Chick-Filet and I don't plan on starting now. Even my dear old evangelical Baptist mom thinks they're raving loons.

I almost wish I didn't know what I know about CFA, because I'd love to try them. But knowing what I know I can't justify giving an organization like them my money. Sucks even more that it's opening right in my neighborhood!

If you've ever had a chicken sandwich from Wendy's, it's almost exactly the same thing.

Let me know when they they start serving the chicken between a couple of Krispy Kremes.  If you are going to eat crap food, go in whole hog.

ooo, and put some bacon on that.

CORRECTION: Chick-fil-A is actually one of the healthiest fast food companies.

Their sandwiches come on ALL WHEAT BUNS, they have un-breaded chicken, whole grain oatmeal with no sugar added, and they have sunflower whole grain bagel breakfast sandwiches which includes an egg, chicken, and slice of cheese.  Not only that but they offer salads with fat free dressings, diet lemonade, and fruit cups.Although they do fund anti gay groups-a lot of the workers at Chick-fil-A ARE gay employees.  It's tough times and they are creating jobs around the Chicago area while doing a TON of community service work.  Not only that, but they donate a lot to Loyola University to help out the students.

Like anything, there is good and bad, it just depends on what you personally like to focus on more.Finally, its funny how people say they wont support Chick-fil-A because their national headquarters funds anti gay groups, yet I bet all of you saying that own at least one Nike product or apple which fyi deals with child labor and migrant worker issues in China.  #justsayin.

Follow Chick-fil-A Water Tower on Facebook and Twitter. They're open from 6 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

No thanks.  I would love to see Neil Hamburger wage one of his Twitter wars on them though.

Personally, I'd prefer a posh Waffle House somewhere in River North.

There is a Waffle house at Lawrence & Kimball (or is it Kedzie?).  Easy Brown line ride from River North...

Warning it may actually be a Wafle House.

Nah, the closest Waffle House is in Indianapolis.

Scattered, smothered, covered, and diced was my jam.

It's mall food, people.

Since a mall is just suburbia's attempt to recreate a downtown, doesn't that make it downtown food?

It's a replica of a replica. An homage to an homage.

Dude, you just blew my mind.

You're just at Inception Level 1.

You must go deeper.

I lived over a decade in The South and don't recall anybody thinking Chick-fil-A was anything special at all.  Just another shitty fast food place in 'the mall'... and I'm really not just saying that because of their politics either. Maybe things have changed since..I don't know.

And screw this company.  It's not just anti-gay, but they have ties to groups that foster despicable far right wing views in general.  Never mind the Christian cult-like environment they've got going on......

Agreed!

It's so rare we agree, I had to actually respond, rather than just "like." :)

yeah... but they serve Hate with waffle fries. F@#&ING Waffle fries!

As long as they continue their anti-LGBT policies, there is no way that I would even consider eating there.

I was way more excited about this until I found out Chick-fil-A discriminates against homosexuals with its charities. It's their money and they can do what they please with it, but they aren't getting any more of mine. 

I was at their preview last night. Ernest from Metromix and I were talking about how posh it was; we've both seen plenty of Chick-Fil-A's in our time but this one is like the Alinea of Check-Fil-A's. We'll see if it's still that nice in 6 months. And after I shopped at Target this week, too, I'm going out to make a donation to GLAAD.

Yay for Chick-fil-a! Amazing food and great service. (which seems to be hard to come by at other quick serve restaurants these days.)

I'd like a Taco Bell or Wendys within four blocks of the Tribune Tower instead.

There is a Taco Bell inside of the food court of the mall where the Nordstroms is.