Mario LopezChick-fil A is putting her in hot water. Because of its Christian roots, the fast-food chain is divided. One simple meme is to rub followers on both sides the wrong way.
Sundays closed
Chick-fil-A is closed Sundays since 1946 when it was founded. The chain’s founder S. Truett Cathy was religiously conservative, and so he chose to honor the fourth commandment and keep the Sabbath holy. This decision, which is rooted in dogma has been a powerful marketing tool for the company. The chicken restaurant was able to foster loyalty among conservative customers.
The Conservative conservatism is unapologeticallySupporters of LGBTQ+ rights have been critical of the founder’s beliefs, which has landed the company in hot water. There’s a whole Wikipedia page devoted to the company’s controversial history. The company supported many anti-LGBTQ+ groups for years. However, that support was stopped in 2020. The restaurant has won zero fans in that community, and it’s still publicly viewed by many as an enemy of it.
Mario Lopez Chimes In
For liberals, Chick-fil-A presents a unique problem. It has a solid reputation for delicious food and great customer service, despite all the controversy. It is still a popular choice for LGBTQ+ supporters. The hypocrisy is a common topic of memes.
Mario Lopez didn’t likely intend to create controversy by logging on to Instagram this past week. He posted a picture of text asking Chick-fil A to hire atheists in order for the restaurant to stay open on Sunday.
He captioned the picture with the hashtag “ChickFilAHeathensWhereYouAt.”He received nearly 46,000 likes on the post, which caused quite a stir.
Some happy, some sad
There are many reactions in the comments section. One post disagrees. “Nawww.. most successful business because they got their priories right!”Another person supports the same idea. “No… it’s nice that a company respects Sunday.”A third commenter states, “it so good to find a company that respects God and pays honor to faith over money.”
That last point isn’t exactly true. The company has seen an increase in profits than their competitors during the week, partially because they’re closed on Sundays. It’s a marketing tool at this point, and clearly an effective one.
The Other Side is also angry
Other commenters took umbrage because of the company’s homophobic history. “Chick-fil-A needs to stop being the largest donor to Anti-LGBTQ organizations.”Lopez is also challenged by another comment: “How do you still support Chick-Fil-A with their anti LBTQIA+ support and trans laws. Make that s*** at home. All this money and no education of progression in society, what world do we want our kids to live in?”
That last point isn’t exactly true either. Chick-fil-A discontinued funding such groups years ago but the stigma still exists. You can find a business that is owned by entrepreneurs who are not affiliated with Chik-fil-A. On Sundays, chickenFor $6.66 Chick-Fil A is a political litmus-test, and Lopez has begun the conversation.