American fast food giant Chick-fil-A wants to avoid a new backlash against the anti-gay views of its billionaire owners when it opens in Britain next year.
Chick-fil-A scrapped its Reading pop-up site after just six months when gay rights activists targeted it in 2019.
But the Atlanta-based restaurant chain is in talks with LGBT group Stonewall and other charities in an effort to distance itself from accusations of homophobia.
The company was founded in 1946 by the devout Christian S. Truett Cathy and is the third largest fast food chain in the US by revenue.
It has more than 3,000 locations in America and has launched in the past five years in Canada – where it also faced backlash from LGBT campaigners – and Puerto Rico.
Despite the popularity of the chicken sandwiches, comments and donations from the Cathy family, who still own and operate the business, have sparked controversy.
Protests: Chick-fil-A scrapped its Reading pop-up site after just six months as gay rights activists targeted it in 2019
They have historically donated to various organizations that have been associated with anti-LGBT beliefs.
And chairman Dan Cathy, father of CEO Andrew Cathy, made known his opposition to gay marriage in 2012.
But the company is in talks with Stonewall about how to become a ‘more inclusive workplace’ ahead of a new attempt to conquer the competitive UK market.
A spokesperson for Stonewall said: ‘We regularly have conversations with businesses and organizations at different stages of their journey towards a more inclusive workplace for their employees.
Outspoken: Chairman Dan Cathy
“We recently had some conversations with Chick-Fil-A about the training and services we could provide to support the company on this journey.”
When asked about the controversy ahead of the UK launch, Chick-fil-A international vice president Paul Trotti told the Mail that it is “the company’s desire to be inclusive of all people and all people to treat with honor, dignity and respect’.
The launch in Britain brings other challenges, including stiff competition from the likes of KFC and Nando’s, and recent US imports Popeyes and Wingstop.
Chick-fil-A believes its “unique” owner-operator franchise model, focus on fresh ingredients and signature Southern hospitality will set it apart.
Trotti said: ‘The UK’s place in the global market is something we absolutely cannot ignore when we think about wanting to be a global company.’
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