Posted on 07/30/2012 3:36:33 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Lately, Chick-fil-A has some high-profile fans. But an analysis from YouGov suggests that becoming a conservative cause is not good for the company’s brand. The YouGov BrandIndex subtracts negative feedback from positive among its 1.7 million American fast-food eaters. Since July 19, when Chick-fil-A founder Dan Cathy suggested that changing the traditional definition of what constitutes a family is “inviting God’s judgment on our nation,” perception of the brand has dropped to 4 points below the national average from its spot at 19 points above the average before he made the comment.
(The only area of the country where perception of Chick-fil-A has not gone downhill: the Midwest.)
That drop comes as Republicans have rallied around the company as a conservative cause worth defending. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee declared Aug. 1 “Chick Fil-A Appreciation Day.” Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum has live-tweeted his peach shakes. Speaking in Texas this past weekend, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin promised to stop by the chain on her way home (and then posted proof). Conservative activists touted long lines at various franchises.
Chick-fil-A has always been an openly Christian company, and the group’s past donations to anti-gay organizations were no secret. Some college campuses had already shunned the group.
But the national backlash against Cathy’s comments is far more widespread. The company felt compelled to release a Facebook statement affirming that Chick-fil-A policy is to “treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.” Various franchise owners have been using the same statement.
When an aspiring politician says something controversial, the attention of prominent Republicans can be a career boon. For a fast food company, things are different. Have Democrats been fueling the fire with calls to boycott Chick-fil-A? Sure.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
“Perception” is very ethereal. Sales are what matters.
It’s hard to take anyone seriously who has Weiner as their last name.
Never ate there before this. Will often now.
Your mistake is listening to your political foes propaganda and believing it
They should litter the campuses with McDonalds.
Everywhere.
The students there should eat McD's every day.
Several times a day.
Day after day.
Month after month.
Year after year.
Till they are sick.
They can have homo-demo's in the lobby as well.
While listening to Mr. hope-change speech reruns.
Over and over and over and over and over...
No way they should be allowed the privilege of having a clean, wholesome, fresh atmosphere with good food, they need a few years with nothing but the semi-greasy tables and semi-real food to whet that keen appreciation for normal people.
It’s from the Washington Post. That’s like posting an article from PRAVDA, 1962.
One would think it was 70% the way the avalanche of love your queer runs in doubleplusgood with the media that controls the sheeple."
Many companies WISH they had the free advertising Chick-fil-A is getting from all the recent publicity.
Check their profits at the end of the quarter. I suspect they will be WAY up.
So WAPO is quoting a site as if they asked 1.7 million fast food eaters what they thought of CFA? unreal. Some meaningless poll and WAPO dutifully picks up the lefty banner and runs with it. yeah no bias there sheesh.
It’s a private company, so unless they announce some financials, we won’t know.
If it was a public company, I would have bought the stock last week.
I just ate there last week, for the first time ever, as a result of this uproar.
>>If it was a public company, I would have bought the stock last week.
If it was a public company, we wouldn’t be having this discussion because it would be owned by Yum! foods or some other conglomerate by now and would be open on Sundays, serving processed chicken, and would openly embrace the gay lifestyle.
YouGov’s methodology is to poll invited participants and then weight the results by demographics.
Thay have been fairly accurate in some polling (UK elections, X-Factor winners). They acquired a US polling Co in 2007 and I assume that is how they conduct polling here.
However, what people say they think, and how that translates into actions are two different things. For instance someone being polled, even anonymously, might want to give the perceived “correct” answer- “oh yes I have a lower opinion of CFA if they hate gay people” yet that same person might eat there tomorrow, because hey, the food is good and so are the prices.
Without knowing what questions were asked, it’s impossible to know what this poll really means, if anything.
And, does it matter at all? if it does not affect buying decisions, it just doesn’t matter.
Perzackly.
My husband stops there fairly often, based on our bank statements, for lunch during the work day or when he’s returning from the gym in the evening or on a weekend. I hadn’t been there in many years, but we got food at Chick-Fil-A for our son’s Eagle Scout ceremony last weekend (an anti-rainbow two-fer!), and we’re all going on Wednesday.
UNC-Charlotte has an outlet. One of our daughters is at “camp” there this week, and she took the free-sandwich coupons the library gave out as summer reading prizes.
My business partner and I had lunch at Chic-fil-A today. First time either of us had eaten there. We don't normally eat at any "fast food" places, but we made an exception just to show support.
The spicy chicken sandwich and bottled water were great. Think I'll go again later this week.
Oh, and the person who served us said they are expecting 3,000 people at this particular location (near Sacramento, CA) on Wednesday. He did not say if they were expecting patrons, protesters, or both. Guess I'll find out when I go back on Wednesday.
I also tried the spicy sandwich...which was ok.
I especially like the waffle fry/potato things.
I’m headed back again, right now, to see if the fries were a fluke, or if they are always that good.
BTW, I forgot to mention, when I went last week, near closing time, the place was bustling. The employees were apologizing about the wait, etc....so they have seen additional business.
“It’s hard to take anyone seriously who has Weiner as their last name.”
Nice catch. What’s her father think of all this?
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