Chick-fil-A is one of the most popular fast-food restaurants in America. The company has cracked the code in terms of service and quality in the industry and has seen explosive growth as a result. The fried chicken company operates 2,988 stores in the United States and countless more worldwide. The Cathy family founded the company, and much of their business is based on Christian principles, including the music played in their stores and the way their employees treat customers like they are valued family members.
In accordance with their Christian beliefs, the chain is closed every Sunday, Christmas, and Thanksgiving day as well. However, if the liberals in New York state have their way, Chick-fil-A will be forced to violate their values and open on Sundays. The New York State Assembly is considering a bill that would mandate the popular chain to open its stores along the New York State Thruway and the Port Authority.
The unbelievable bill, sponsored by Democrat Assembly member Tony Simone, would “require that food services at transportation facilities and rest areas owned and operated by certain public authorities remain open seven days a week.” Bill AO8336, also known as the Rest Stop Restaurant Act, would effectively mandate the company to violate its own religious beliefs in favor of chicken sandwiches.
Chick-fil-A currently has seven locations along the New York State Thruway, with plans to add more. The highway stretches 570 miles across the state. It isn’t as if there aren’t other dining options, but Simone maintained that the store must stay open to serve weary travelers. He said: “Not only does Chick-fil-A have a long, shameful history of opposing LGBTQ rights, it simply makes no sense for them to be a provider of food services in busy travel plazas. A company that by policy, is closed on one of the busiest travel days of the week should not be the company that travelers have to rely on for food services.”
A spokesperson for the New York State Thruway Authority spoke in defense of the conservative chicken chain. Jennifer Givner explained that other options are already in place to compensate for the chicken chain’s Sunday closure. She said: “Our requirement is that we have at least one hot food option available. If Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays, we have other alternatives for our customers.”
Many on social media have been critical of the effort to force the chain to stay open on Sundays. The chain has maintained the same standard since its inception in 1946, but folks on the internet perhaps correctly claim the proposed mandate is a punishment for the chain’s stance on lgbtq issues, among other things.
Some social media commenters said: “A few years ago the Alphabet Activists were hellbent on blocking Chick-fil-A from opening in NYC. But now the Alphabet Activists want them to stay open 7 days a week.” Charlie Kirk from Turning Point USA said: “Liberals hate Christianity so much they want to make it illegal for Chik-fil-A to be closed on Sundays to provide employees a day of rest.”
Considering the fiscal mess that New York State is facing, the fact they would prioritize forcing a fried chicken store to stay open on Sundays would fly directly in the face of common sense. Unfortunately, the left is in short supply of common sense and instead relies on abusing the law to push their agenda. Will Chick-fil-A close its stores if this draconian bill passes? It remains to be seen, but hopefully, they do, sending a message to the state and Democratic legislators in the process.