Chick-fil-A Gets Flame Broiled After Congratulating Gay Newlyweds

A Chick-fil-A franchise recently congratulated a pair of gay newlyweds on social media, igniting a culture war flashpoint on the faith-focused fast food eatery.

After a Utah-based Chick-fil-A franchise posted the congratulatory message on Facebook, conservative Christian critics quickly mobilized, alleging that the restaurant was turning its back on both its Christian values and its most loyal customers.

So far, both corporate leadership and the individual franchise are refusing to back down – even as the online outrage continues to escalate and spread beyond Utah.

A Congratulations Post Goes Viral

“CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HAPPY COUPLE!” reads the December Facebook post from the Orem, Utah Chick-fil-A franchise, with photos of the couple, Dougie and Toby, posing together in front of the restaurant. 

Many commenters took the congratulatory post as a betrayal of the restaurant’s Christian values, with some even calling on corporate to seize the franchise from its owner. What might have otherwise been a routine social media post quickly became a loyalty test for a brand long associated with religious conservatism.

Conflicting Values?

Chick-fil-A is a darling of conservative Christians for its corporate culture based on the religious values of founder S. Truett Cathy.

Restaurant workers and franchise owners are expected to abide by certain biblical principles, and the restaurant is closed on Sundays in honor of the Sabbath.

The company's values have often been a source of controversy in the past, like in 2012 when donations it made to anti-LGBTQ+ groups sparked a nationwide boycott (a policy it later backed down on). 

For many longtime supporters, that reputation has made the brand feel like more than just a place to grab lunch. After this latest controversy, they're letting corporate know how they feel. 

Outrage on the Menu

“The fact that any location felt comfortable posting such a controversial message is further proof that the company hasn’t weeded out the LGBT extremism," wrote the Washington Stand, a conservative outlet which initially picked up the story. “The millions of us who’ve cheered as the script flipped on woke companies these last two years are left scratching our heads at Chick-fil-A’s tolerance of leftist activism.”

“This is not a marriage,” wrote one Facebook user on the post. “An absolute disgrace to Truett Cathy's faith and the God he worships!” wrote another.

As the comment section grew increasingly hostile, the controversy spilled beyond the franchise’s page, gaining major traction when it was picked up by national conservative media and turning a small-town restaurant’s Facebook post into a national flashpoint.

Corporate Responds

When contacted about the Facebook post directly, Chick-fil-A responded that the company “embraces all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity” – a statement that suggests corporate leadership sees no contradiction between its faith-based identity and a public posture of inclusion.

Several years ago, the company provoked anger from religious customers when it announced it would be embracing principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). 

This latest episode again raises broader questions about what consumers expect from faith-identified brands in an era of rapid cultural change.

For some Christians, the post represents moral compromise.

For others, it reflects basic decency – or even Christlike hospitality – extended without qualification. 

What do you think? Does congratulating a same-sex couple represent a departure from Christian values, or a reflection of them?