The Scene: Chick-Fil-A in Charlotte

[CatBO]

I was at a Chick-Fil-A just about a half hour ago, in the Piper Glen suburb of Charlotte, trying to enjoy a nice, quiet lunch alone.

I sat near the counter, and overheard the word "Obama" from the workers behind the counter. I couldn't hear what these two guys were talking about, but figured it probably wasn't good.

Suddenly, in a loud voice, a blonde-bimbo cheerleader type Chick-Fil-A employee approaches the guys and says to one of them, "Obama's going to make us all poor. Why do you want to vote for him?!"

I about choked on my Chick-Fil-A sandwich, and was contemplating getting up and potentially causing a scene by pointing out to this minimum wage bimbo that of all people voting against their own interests, she was one of the dumbest I'd seen.

But it wasn't necessary. I overheard one of the guys, both of whom were white, the one with a mullet... tell her why he already had voted for Obama. He pointed out to her that of the two candidates, Obama was remarkably prescient (my word, not his) about the coming financial crisis and that he wanted the guy who knew what was coming to handle it. Meanwhile, the non-mullet sporting guy next to him just nodded his head.

I was shocked. Shocked, I tell you. Between that, and the enormous Obama banner I saw in one of the ritzy houses off Ballantyne Commons Parkway on my way back into the office, I was quite pleased.

We really do have a chance here in Charlotte.

[lizzieforkerry]

1. That's better than my experience at Chick-fil-A yesterday

An entire Family of five came in wearing McCain Palin shirts and the mom had three pieces of Palin flair on. They walked up to the counter and the guy behind it gave the kids each a balloon. My kids didn't get balloons. We didn't have anything on us that said Obama, but we still didn't get a balloon.

[rucky]

65. Vote McCain, get a Balloon

that should be his new slogan

[youthere]

83. A vote for McCain is a vote for Balloons!

[Liberal_in_LA]

100. U are getting something better on Nov 4th.

[torbird]

2. Do me a favor

Next time you're in a Chik-fil-a, find out how we can get one up here in Chicago! I miss the South for only a few reasons, and damn if that closed-on-Sunday Jesus-freak restaurant ain't one of them!

[CatBO]

7. A very distant second choice...

Do your McDonald's up there sell the "Southern Style Chicken Sandwich"? It's a total rip off on a Chick-fil-A sandwich. I have tried it and while it's definitely not as good, it's probably a B- to Chick-Fil-A's A+. I.e. better than nothing.

I feel your pain. I once drove from Virginia into Maryland for no other reason than to go eat a Chick-Fil-A, as it was the closest. It was an hour+ each way. I took 3 extra sandwiches and a gallon of sweet tea back home with me. :D

[torbird]

10. McD's sandwich

It just isn't the same with the unsweetened tea. Bleah.

Thanks for the rec, though. We recently went to vacation in MI and drove all the way to South Bend, IN, for a chicken sandwich.

Addiction is tough.

[Recursion]

86. There's a Chik-Fil-A by BWI, and another in Silver Spring

I have a kind of radar for Chik-Fil-As and Sonics.

Though if I'm in the mid-Atlantic, I'll take 5 Guys any day of the week.

[CatBO]

89. Ahhh a 5 Guys aficianado... Nice!

We have them down in Charlotte too. I've been to the original set up in MD and VA though.

When we moved to CLT we were hankering for 5 Guys and so glad to see them start popping up around here!

[Recursion]

91. They are as far north as CT

5 Guys and Krispy Kreme, both two hours' drive away. It's trying

My introduction to 5 Guys was the one in Old Town Alexandria (I think that was the 2nd one; the first is on Quaker Lane in Arlington). It's right across the street from Hard Times. Take ye an order of chili from Hard Times to go, and put it on a 5 Guys cheeseburger. When you've recovered from your stroke, eat the fries.

[Sannum]

8. I miss it too here in Chicagoland!

The chicken biscuts are awesome!

[Nydari]

33. You speak the truth

The chicken biscuits are manna from heaven.

[Kookaburra]

9. It's a shame, ain't it?

I hate to give them my money, but they're addictive.

[faithfulcitizen]

24. We have them all over Indianapolis, perhaps they are headed your way!

[JaneQPublic]

41. LOL! (nt)

[onetiredmom]

44. I feel for you!

Almost every time my 11 yr old son and I drive by C-Fil-A, we have to pull thru and get the icedream. I would hate to be without, although I would weigh a little less!

[olkaz]

60. Ick.

Come down to your state capital and take ours.

They just built it, so maybe they're working their way up and Springfield is one of the last stops before Chicago.

[Carni]

71. I have several of them in my area!

I have never eaten at one though (moved here a couple of years ago)

Thanks a hell of a lot people -- after reading all these endorsements now I will have to go and sample their fat fested goodies!

[AspenRose]

3. Chick-fil-A is my guilty pleasure

YES I know it's run by fundy Christians. I still love their chicken.

I make up for it by going to Chipotle and Panera Bread. ;-)

And I'm glad to hear those two guys taking it to Chick-fil-cheerleader. :rofl:

[CatBO]

4. I agree, it's my guilty pleasure too!

I hate the fundie part... but I do so love their chicken... :D

[Patsy Stone]

5. Me too --

and it's a moral tussle every time I give them money.

[GreenInNC]

17. Truit Cathey

When I was in college down in Atlanta, Mr. Cathey would come into the store where I worked every spring with a group of 20 or so inner city kids and outfit them for summer camp. He paid for them to go to camp up in the Ga. mtns every summer.

He also gave to a lot of other charities in the inner city of Atlanta. Yeah, he was a fundie but he gave back to the community. So don't feel so bad.

[renate]

20. awww.... that's nice

I don't really have a problem with fundies who walk the walk; I just don't like the ones who think Jesus wants the rich to get richer and screw the poor.

[torbird]

28. I admire his up-front-ness

But I always wondered if his "everyone has to take Sunday off" had more to do with the fact that employee benefits are in part tied to how many consecutive shifts one has worked. I don't know. It just always was a wonderment to me. Thoughts?

[underpants]

6. Next time baffle the cheerleader type

ask for one without the pickles

[ipfilter]

13. My first job was at Chick-Fil-A

Customers would ask what was on the chicken sandwich and I would simply state...butter and pickles.

[CatBO]

11. Oh! And it gets better!

The mullet guy was proudly saying he was an "Independent"... talking about how he'd voted for this or that Republican, and for some of the lesser seats he voted evenly Republican and Democrat (because he didn't know any of them, talk about LI voter)... but that he wanted Obama. Cracked me up and also made me cringe inwardly inside...

[itsrobert]

12. Chick-Fil-A is a fundy corporation

And besides I don't care for their food.

[CatBO]

14. NO! You don't say!

:sarcasm:

Why do you think we're all referring to it as a "guilty" pleasure?

[LanternWaste]

40. Religious belief trumps food?

Right. Because religious belief (or lack thereof) always trumps what many people consider to be good food... :sarcasm:

I imagine that must hold true for both sides of the aisles for a lot of people-- probably the same one's who won't separate the art from the artist.

[Sebastian Doyle]

46. Religious beliefs have trumped food for a long time.

Jews & Muslims not eating pork, Hindus not eating beef, etc. They have a "McDonalds" in India, but the menu is considerably different from the one you know (they don't have any egg based products for breakfast either)

The recent AFA "boycott" of McDonalds because the fundies thought they were somehow advancing the mythical "homosexual agenda" would be an example of the "other side of the aisle".

I've never eaten at a Chick Fil-A, because they don't exist around here. And I don't eat fast food all that often, but when I do, it's usually on the weekends. So just the fact that they're closed on Sunday would make them 50% less likely to get my money (if they did exist in this market) though I completely respect their right to not do business on that day, since they consider that to be God's law. If everybody "kept the Sabbath" in their own way, it would probably be beneficial for the planet overall in any case.

[LanternWaste]

73. I was being sarcastic and it's in the reverse. Context, you see.

I was being sarcastic and it's in the reverse. Context, you see. Are there any mainstream religious dietary restriction in America which preclude eating at Chick-Fil-A?

A person willfully and consciously avoiding a food chain for no other reason than the owners of the food chain adhering to a particular religious belief seems both a bit silly and a bit absurd.

And what I would consider a bit extreme, too-- something that seems to get wide plays these days-- regardless of whether one is religious or not... something a "fundie" would do I would hazard.

Edited: clarity & expansion

[slampoet]

42. BULLSHIT!!! They are christian but they are FOR their workers.

Chick-Fil-A has the BEST rate of employees working their way to management.


ALL religious holidays even those for jewish workers are respected.

They are Never open on a Sunday.

They Pay WONDERFULLY compared to other fast food. An ordinary worker is paid Twice the rate of a Burger king worker.



Do some frikkin research.

[Sebastian Doyle]

50. The true irony here is that you even had to put a "but" in that sentence.

Any Christian owning a business should treat their employees right. I know very little about this company, because they don't exist in the Pacific Northwest, but it sounds like this guy walks his talk, as far as his Christianity goes.

[slampoet]

59. So in otherwords you are contributing nothing to this subject. Gee thanks.

[Name removed]

72. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CatBO]

61. Truett Cathy I have no problem with...

I grew up in Atlanta, home of CFA. I did a paper on Truett Cathy in an Economics class. I believe he was a moral guy (is/was? I don't know if he is still around.)

The problem, I think, is that fundies with money to burn instinctively turn to running CFA restaurants. They are "owner operators" with a lot of control over their restaurants, and some of them take it way too far. And the business itself has become more fundie-oriented than I would like.

That said, in spite of the outburst from the stupid little girl at this CFA, their service is impeccable. During lunch rush, they will write a description of what you're wearing when they take your order, and they have you sit, after they give you your drink. Someone brings your order to your table so you don't have to hang by the counter. There is also an older woman who walks the restaurant and tries to get you more soda, or help out by getting you more condiments, etc. They also answer your thanks with "my pleasure".

This isn't how all CFA's are run, just how this particular "owner/operator" chooses to run his. One in Loudoun County, VA is run by a guy who has creepy Bible verses plastered all over their registers.

[Sebastian Doyle]

77. Yeah, I figured it was a franchise operation.

Most chains have certain policies that they insist on all franchises following (in their case, it would be the service model and the insistence on being closed on Sunday) but beyond that, it's up to the franchisee to make the difference.

I worked for Subway several years ago, and the difference between the franchise I worked for and one of the other Subway's in town was like night and day. The boss used to do "opposition research" where she would give me one of the old "Sub Club" stamp cards filled up for a free sandwich at the competition. I was to go in there and observe the quality of their products and service, etc. It was so horrible that I couldn't eat the sandwich. I pitched it into the dumpster behind the store. :puke:

I imagine it's the same in any franchise chain. You have some that do better than others at realizing the vision (or whatever) that the company's founder had.

If I ever happen to come across a Chick Fil A, I wouldn't have a problem eating there just once, but if it felt like "Jesus Camp" or Sarah Palin campaign headquarters the minute I walked in, I'd probably never make it as far as the counter.

[CatBO]

81. I actually complained about the over Jesus-Camp feel of one...

I sent a complaint email to their website. I got an apology and a bunch of free ChickFilA coupons!!

[Wednesdays]

68. How are they about unions?

:shrug:

[Recursion]

87. Take a wild guess

That said, GP is right that they're pretty much the best fast food chain out there, labor-relations-wise, and the founder's fundy-ness has a lot to do with that.

[RagAss]

88. Good...they mixing the Kool-Aid for Nov. 4th?

[harun]

56. I like that they give their employees Sundays off

I don't want every business to do it but seeing some do that is a good thing.

[Recursion]

94. It's run by a fundamentalist who puts his money where his beliefs are

They could make a lot more money if they stayed open on Sunday; they don't. They could make a lot more money if he ignored Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu holidays and made employees take personal days for them; they don't.

Not all things religious are bad, and Chik-Fil-A treats people who work there a damn site better than almost any other McJob.

[GreenInNC]

15. people voting Obama/McCrory

(for those out of state, McCrory is the 7 term mayor of Charlotte running for Gov, he is an asshole Republican)

I was at the Marion Diehl center handing out Democratic Party voter guides last week and had quite a few people who said they were voting for Obama and McCrory.

I live in Republican hell (Mint Hill) and have seen a few yards with both signs up.

[stuntcat]

16. sweet!

go NC, go NC!!! :bounce: :bounce:

[yodermon]

18. isn't Piper Glen one of the heavily repuke areas of S. Charlotte?

Plus mecklenburg Co. actually went Blue in '04, so i think charlotte will be ok.
:thumbsup:

[GreenInNC]

22. Piper Glen is major Repub area

[torbird]

26. Which is funny because...

...those houses may be huge and gaudy, but my dad helped build them in the '80s and he said they were cut-rate crapshacks, built on the cheap and virtually overnight and sold to nouveau-riche douchebags.

Republicans have always had a bit of trouble spotting defective merchandise.

[blm]

19. Mecklenburg County went big for Kerry in 04, so this is no surprise...and 2008 will be even bigger

.

[renie408]

21. Is that the Chic Fil A in Stonecrest?? n/t

[renie408]

23. BTW...She works at Chic Fil A...Isn't she ALREADY poor? n/t

[CatBO]

29. EXACTLY!

You hit my point exactly :D, and yes this was the CFA in Stonecrest!

[renie408]

32. We live about twenty minutes south of there.

The kids like Stonecrest a lot, but the snoot factor is pretty high.

[CatBO]

34. Union County?

I live in Fort Mill, myself. Agree about the snoot factor!

[GirlieQ]

25. You know that Chick-Fil-A gives money to Dobson and FotF, right?

I can't eat there anymore. Focus on the Family made my childhood a living hell.

[Thrill]

27. Piper Glen. Rich area of Charlotte. Typical spoiled kid in that area

[CatBO]

31. Oh she was totally a stereotype...

Stick-thin, bleached blonde hair... I'd guess she was in high school but it's a school day so she must be out of school by now. Either way, she was totally the stereotypical spoiled brat.

[LostinVA]

30. I miss Chik-Fil-A

I love it.

[grantcart]

35. not surprised Chick fil a is owned by extremely conservative fundamentalists

who go to every effort to project their extreme religious beliefs.

[CatBO]

36. Really? You're not surprised?

You're not surprised that 2 other CFA employees actually supported Obama in this discussion? Because I sure am, for all the reasons you mentioned.

[grantcart]

49. not surprised by this response -

Suddenly, in a loud voice, a blonde-bimbo cheerleader type Chick-Fil-A employee approaches the guys and says to one of them, "Obama's going to make us all poor. Why do you want to vote for him?!"

[CatBO]

54. Yes, well that was only half the story...

But thanks for focusing on the negative part.

[RedLetterRev]

37. Which is why, even though there's one less than a mile from here

I won't set foot in it (see my avatar). I vote with my wallet on that one. Pity is, though, that there's still always a line.

Oh, I do miss the sammidges though even if they don't miss me (sigh).

[TornadoTN]

38. Yes they do - and my family will not give that corporation one dime

I'm sure they don't miss our business as there seems to be plenty of people who overlook their corrupt business practices and enjoy those sammiches. But I won't support them, no matter how good their chicken is.


They pipe in fundy Christian music in their stores and blanket their kids meals in thinly veiled religious propaganda. They also have a nasty habit of making hiring and firing decisions based on religion or lack thereof. They limit scholarship opportunities to students going to "approved" colleges, studying "approved" curriculum - which is nearly always religious based.

[Myrina]

53. Not to mention, they're closed on Sundays, right?

Presumably for 'worship'? :(

[TornadoTN]

67. Closed on Sunday's doesn't bother me as much as their agenda

If they want to be closed on Sundays, that doesn't bother me. It's the other stuff that they force on customers and employees that makes me draw a line.

I'm in the South and there are still a few businesses that close on Sundays. It's just a preference that they have and that's ok. The difference is that they don't force Christian or fundamentalist beliefs down my throat when I shop there.

[Myrina]

75. I agree but it gives one pause ...

... just seems so 'retro' in a world where Wal Mart etc are open til Midnight on Christmas Eve ...

:shrug:

[XemaSab]

90. I'm pretty much an atheist and I think businesses closing on Sundays isn't a bad idea

Not only does it give the employees a "day of rest," but it also indicates the wish for a "day of rest" from consumerism.

[Recursion]

93. That's the important idea behind Sabbath and Jubilee

Two of my favorite concepts from Judaism: the purpose of the economy is to help people, not the other way around.

[timber84]

39. Catbo

That chick fil a is the one I frequent most often, my sons school is one block away. Du'ers this is is one of the richest parts of Charlotte.

[Smuckies]

43. Interesting story. We will win NC by over 30 points.

[grantcart]

52. we win NC by 3 points it will be huge and guarantee the election

[Marie26]

62. At least by 5 points

Even life-long Repukes here are talking about voting for Obama. Maybe there is a silent majority somewhere supporting McCain, but if so, they're being VERY silent.

[peaches2003]

45. My son backs Obama and lives there in Charlotte

My son, who is an MD, lives in the Ballantyne area right across from Stonecrest and backs Obama all the way. Also backed Clinton, so all who live in that section of Charlotte are not what you might think. Of course I brought him up! :hi:

[Myrina]

47. "Gonna make us all poor" ??

HEY STUPID, YOU WORK AT CHIK-FIL-A ... YOU'RE ALREADY POOR!!!!! would have been my immediate response to her.

[CatBO]

48. And had I not had a mouth full of sandwich...

It would have taken everything I had not to say that! I tell you, some of these people are total morons. :rofl:

I was so glad that the guys had it covered, and without insulting her even. See, *this* is why I'm not the best Obama canvasser...

[Catherine Vincent]

51. I know my money shouldn't go to this establishment because of their beliefs,

but I love those chicken sandwiches!

[eshfemme]

55. This story just blew my mind. A guy in mullet saying "prescient"

I am also blown away because it showed me that I do have prejudices and that one I have is that guys with mullets don't have above average vocabulary but I stand corrected, most happily I might add. :)

EDIT: Oops, I just realized, I misread that sentence. Okay... it woulda been cooler if the guy in mullet actually used the word prescient. Booooooo, I am disappointed.

[SweetieD]

58. The guy in the mullet didn't say that. The OP did.

[CatBO]

66. LOL sorry about that...

I'm the nerd with the above average vocabulary. He said "predicted" I think...

[Marie26]

57. So, what, Bojangles isn't good enough for you?

*shakes head sadly*

[timber84]

64. mmmmmmm best breakfast biscuit!

hands down

[Marie26]

84. Totally

Not to mention the 100% pure sugar sweet tea. Why someone would frequent a Chick-fil-a w/a Bojangles available is beyond me. That stuff is addictive - even people who've left Charlotte years ago will make a detour for the breakfast.

[CatBO]

85. I tried to introduce my husband to Bojangles. It went badly.

It was around 2004, in fact, right before the election. We were living in an apartment, had just moved to Charlotte.

He had umm... gastrointestinal distress for 2 days after a Bojangles meal. He won't go near the place anymore.

Me, I eat there for lunch once every month or so. I just never tell him. :D

[Recursion]

92. What? You're insane. Shoneys! nt

[harun]

63. What I don't understand...

When you hear "Obama's going to make us all poor", "Obama is a socialist", "Obama wants to raise your taxes", what I don't get is just the basic thinking against these statements which should be the person simply asking themselves "why would Obama want to do that?". What the hell would Obama get out of doing any of that? Why would he go to all the trouble he is just because he really really really wants to raise your taxes and make you poor. What morons.

[Wednesdays]

69. That's exactly how you knock down hyperbole

And that's all it is...hyperbole.

[Morning Dew]

70. that needs to be a stand alone thread - great point.

nm

[Overseas]

74. Glad to hear it. /nt

[foo_bar]

76. Chick-Fil-A only hires complete tools (in my experience)

I knew a capital-N Nazi, like obsessed with Zyklon-B and everything, who became a manager at one of their NJ branches (sacrilege, I know, eating Chick-Fil-A north of the mason dixon). He and his boss used to hold prayer sessions in the stockroom, and not even on Sunday since Chick-Fil-As are closed on Sunday, that's the day they spent in the same church. Btw the secret ingredient is Monosodium Glutamate.

[CatBO]

78. LOL, they hired me once...

I could only work there a week, I hated it.

I never saw prayer sessions in the stockroom. I experienced no religious stuff in this restaurant, which was in the mall in Athens, GA. And the chicken really was breaded on-site. I was just not cut out for food service.

My status as a "complete tool" is in debate by many.

[foo_bar]

79. heh, my brother lasted a week too

I guess I should qualify that, they only retain and promote the aforementioned human appliances. I worked two doors down at the burger and pork-roll flipping factory, lasted maybe a month, turns out I hate having my flesh burned.

[Blondiegrrl]

80. Ah, the irony of a minumum-wage worker worried about becoming "poor."

That girl was a complete dumbass. I'm happy that two of her co-workers had some sense.

I work in a restaurant (it's my second job, actually, because I don't make enough money at my journalism job to pay the bills) and I've been eavesdropping on the customers whenever I hear them discussing politics. Yesterday, two of my regular customers -- white, middle-aged businessmen, were talking about McCain. I caught the end of the conversation, which was, "How does being a POW qualify someone to be president?" I had to supress my laughter. Then, later on, two more regulars came in. They were a man and son -- both white, working class, good ol' boy types -- and my ears perked up when I heard the son say Obama's name. He was talking about how much he liked Obama's health-care plan, and how his tax plan was so much better for the middle class than McCain's. The son said he had been a Hillary supporter during the primaries but that he was voting for Obama in the General, and that he'd be crazy to vote for McCain because McCain only cared about the rich people. The father didn't say one way or another how he was planning on voting, but he nodded his head as though he agreed with his son. Thoe two events totally made me day! (And also made up for the stupid girl last Saturday who announced, in all certainty, that "Obama is the anti-Christ.")

[tigereye]

82. I really think folks are thinking things through this time

and thinking about what will REALLY benefit them. It's refreshing.


There was a giant ad in the USA Today from Repubs for Obama!


I have to stop from pinching myself, it's like hell has frozen over! :wow:

[TragedyandHope]

95. Thanks for the great story!

[lizzieforkerry]

96. When you get the kids meals they give you some kind of "toy"

from Dobson and FotF. I always take it up to the counter and tell them I am not going to ruin my kids by giving them anything approved by Dobson. They always laugh and give my kids free ice cream instead.

[AspenRose]

97. Last month I got something from the PBS show "Between the Lions"

:shrug:

[lizzieforkerry]

98. Yeah, they go back and forth

My kids get mad when it is BTL because they know I won't bitch about that and get them free ice cream.

[AspenRose]

101. Smart kids

:rofl:

[RagAss]

99. Not a fucking dime of my money !

[rdmtimp]

102. No thanks...

We have them here in AZ, and I tried them once, but it tasted no better than anything at McD's or Wendy's.

Now that I know about their fundie ties, I'll take a pass.