Chick-fil-A is getting slammed by conservative Twitter users who alleged the Georgia-based fast-food chain was “woke.”
On Tuesday, the fired-up social media users leveled accusations of “wokeness” against Chick-fil-A and suggested a boycott of the company known for its chicken sandwiches. They did so while pointing to Chick-fil-A’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) web page as the reason why.
Some mentioned the company’s vice president of DEI, Erick McReynolds. The longtime Chick-fil-A employee has had DEI leadership roles since mid-2020, according to The Hill.
CHICK-FIL-A’S FIRST OFFICIAL RESTAURANT LOCATION TO CLOSE AFTER 50 YEARS OF BUSINESS
The DEI webpage, which is not new, stated that one of its “core values at Chick-fil-A, Inc. is that we are better together.”
“When we combine our unique backgrounds and experiences with a culture of belonging, we can discover new ways to strengthen the quality of care we deliver: to customers, to the communities we serve and to the world,” the page said. “We understand that getting Better at Together means we learn better, care better, grow better and serve better.”
It said its “commitment to being Better at Together means embedding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in everything we do” by “ensuring equal access,” “valuing differences” and “creating a culture of belonging.”
CHICK-FIL-A APOLOGIZES AFTER TWITTER USERS SUGGEST TWEET WAS RACIALLY INSENSITIVE
McReynolds has said “modeling care for others starts in the restaurant, and [the company is] committed to ensuring mutual respect, understanding and dignity everywhere we do business,” according to the site.
The corporate purpose includes “glorify[ing] God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us” and “hav[ing] a positive influence on all who come into contact with” it, the company, which got attention a few years ago in connection to past donations to groups accused of being against same-sex marriage, said in its DEI page.
Other companies have come under fire in recent weeks for “wokeness.” Bud Light received it in connection to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, while Target’s stemmed from controversy related to its Pride items this year.
TARGET, BUD LIGHT INVESTORS LOSE BILLIONS ON MARKETING MISSES
Chick-fil-A, founded in 1967 and closed every Sunday, has a physical footprint that spans over 2,600 locations in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada.
The founder’s grandson, Andrew Cathy, runs the privately-held company as CEO. He has had that position, previously held by his father, since late 2021.