After anti-gay flap, Chick-fil-A wings in new direction [backing away from social issues]

KENS News 5 ^ | 04/08/2014 | Bruce Horovitz

[GIdget2004]

Chick-fil-A is finally crossing the road.

The iconic chicken chain, as well-known for its conservative heritage as its savory eats, is recalibrating its moral and culinary compass. It wants to go from old school to almost cool. It wants to evolve from a place where gays once picketed to a place where they'll feel comfortable going to eat. It wants to broaden the brand as it expands nationally and plows into the Millennial-driven urban arena. Above all: it wants to be a serious player on fast-food's biggest stage.

USA TODAY was exclusively invited inside to visit the company's sprawling, wooded campus, get the first look at its new test kitchen, tour its store-of-the-future development facility and interview Chick-fil-A's controversial CEO Dan Cathy. Cathy, whose comments condemning gay marriage in 2012 set off store picketing and a social media firestorm, has now fully backed away from such public pronouncements that mix personal opinion on social issues with corporate policy.

"All of us become more wise as time goes by," he says, apologetically, in a rare, one-hour sit-down interview. "We sincerely care about all people."

(snip)

Chick-fil-A's socially conservative agenda, which formally led the company to donate millions to charitable groups opposed to gay marriage, has been tempered. This, just as the company aims to quickly expand into Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Southern hospitality must give way to urban reality as the 1,800 store chain moves to compete with big city success stories like McDonald's, Panera Bread and Chipotle.

If nothing else, Cathy has listened. In 2012, Cathy not only heard from some unhappy consumers about his comments against gay marriage, but also from some store operators and employees. Now, he says, "I'm going to leave it to politicians and others to discuss social issues."

[Alex Murphy]

USA TODAY was exclusively invited inside to visit the company's sprawling, wooded campus, get the first look at its new test kitchen, tour its store-of-the-future development facility and interview Chick-fil-A's controversial CEO Dan Cathy. Cathy, whose comments condemning gay marriage in 2012 set off store picketing and a social media firestorm, has now fully backed away from such public pronouncements that mix personal opinion on social issues with corporate policy. "All of us become more wise as time goes by," he says, apologetically, in a rare, one-hour sit-down interview. "We sincerely care about all people".... If nothing else, Cathy has listened. In 2012, Cathy not only heard from some unhappy consumers about his comments against gay marriage, but also from some store operators and employees. Now, he says, "I'm going to leave it to politicians and others to discuss social issues."

PFL

[ealgeone]

I hope this isn’t a cave by chik’fil’a.....it’s been their stand on the issues that have put them where they are today.

[cincinnati65]

If Chik-Fil-A “caves in”, it will be “caving in” the foundation of its business.

[Westbrook]

> I hope this isn’t a cave by chik’fil’a.....

I say it’s a cave.

Any backpedalling is a cave.

The Church is in full RETREAT from the Gay nazis.

[Buckeye McFrog]

This is a bigger cave than you will find in the entire state of Kentucky.

[Wolfie]

It’s just capitalism...they want more customers.

[AppyPappy]

CFA never commented on same-sex marriage. The owner made those comments.

[basil]

When i go to ChikFilA, it’s for chicken—not politics.

[SoFloFreeper]

I don’t see anywhere where he repudiated his pro-Bible position.

[andyk]

It wants to evolve from a place where gays once picketed to a place where they'll feel comfortable going to eat.

B.S. If homosexuals feel uncomfortable eating at Chik-fil-a, it's because of a stereotype created by the MSM, or themselves, divorced from reality.

[grobdriver]

So capitalism and principle aren’t compatible?

[don-o]

It wants to go from old school to almost cool. It wants to evolve from a place where gays once picketed to a place where they'll feel comfortable going to eat.

What does that even mean?

[Third Person]

CAVE

[yldstrk]

wtf

[andyk]

It looks like he’s saying the same things he’s always believed. Now his remarks are being used to imply he’s changed his position.

[RetiredArmy]

Sadly the Church has been in retreat since the 1960’s when the school prayer thing came into being. If back then they had thrown a fit, it would have changed. But now this is what we have.

[allendale]

Eating at Chic is a political statement. Liberals hate WalMart, Chic Filet.

[yldstrk]

I am going to only Catholic friendly businesses to spend any money I do spend

[demshateGod]

Compromise: What could possibley go wrong?