The Cult of Chick-fil-A

Forbes ^ | 07.23.07 | Emily Schmall

[ExxonPatrolUs]

Yadkowski, 33, came to Chick-fil-A when he was living in a group foster home created by Chick-fil-A founder and chairman S. Truett Cathy. "I tell the kids, 'This is not just selling sandwiches; it pays for your upbringing,'" says Yadkowski, a hardworking, happily married Southern Baptist who plans to work with Chick-fil-A for life.

But Danielle Alderson, 30, a Baltimore operator, says she can't hire a good manager who, say, moonlights at a strip club because it would irk the company. "We are watched very closely by Chick-fil-A," she says. "It's very weird."

Is it legal? There are no federal laws that prohibit companies from asking nosy questions about religion and marital status during interviews.

Aziz Latif, a former Chick-fil-A restaurant manager in Houston, sued the company in 2002 after Latif, a Muslim, says he was fired a day after he didn't participate in a group prayer to Jesus Christ.

[cripplecreek]

As another FReeper said, the US Government has instituted that apparently two wrongs DOES make it right!

Anti smoking laws in private businesses is a prime example. Rather than letting the market correct with free businessmen opening non smoking bars, government steps in and makes all of them non smoking. In Michigan it was a bit more shady with casinos lobbying for the non smoking laws then getting exemptions for themselves.

[Nifster]

feh. I quit reading at the moonlighter who was upset they can’t hold two jobs with different companies. EVERY company I have ever worked for has said you work full time for us you cannot work at all for anyone else.

You don’t want to work there then don’t

[Gabz]

Guess the concept of Personal Property is complete alien to these idiot iq level Leftists. You have NO right to demand a private business be run to suit your bigoted emotion based political dogmas.

Ever heard of smoking bans? And lots of so called conservative FReepers support them.

[silverleaf]

I read the employer’s side of the story about the muslim guy who was fired

he was a lazy slacker who failed to show up for trainings and meeting so they fired him

when he sued for discrimination, the company settled to save legal costs

haven’t we all heard these types of stories before..

[RichInOC]

A good fast-food store manager shouldn’t have to moonlight at a strip club anyway.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

But Danielle Alderson, 30, a Baltimore operator, says some fellow franchisees find that Chick-fil-A butts into its workers' personal lives a bit much. She says she can't hire a good manager who, say, moonlights at a strip club because it would irk the company.

A manager that moonlights at a strip club? Note to self - avoid this particular Chick fil A.

[cripplecreek]

One of my high school teachers owned a strip club.

[silverleaf]

Being a part-time stripper might hurt your employment chances at a lot of places! Especially for a management track position

[nascarnation]

One of my high school teachers owned a strip club.

Awesome...did you get a student discount?

[cripplecreek]

He was actually a petty decent math teacher as you would expect any successful business owner to be.

My favorite science teacher owned a construction business.

[ExTxMarine]

Anti smoking laws in private businesses is a prime example.

Perfect example! My wife and I used to go to a little hole-in-the-wall bar that was within walking distance from the house, back when we lived in Arlington. When we first went there, smoking was limited to one end of the building and outside. They had one pool table on that side of the place, but three on the other end. Apparently, thinking that they could up their patronage, they started allowing smoking everywhere - we stopped going, except for a quick, after work drink. They finally asked us why we never came to the pool tournaments anymore and I told them - THE SMOKE.

I didn't demand that he not allow smoking - it was his bar, run it like you want. But, I too get to choose where I spend my time and my money. We found a bar that didn't allow smoking in the pool area. I am not against smoking - I like a good cigar - but, I don't want it blurring my vision when I am shooting pool. Let the consumer DECIDE!

[cripplecreek]

As far as I’m concerned we need blacks only or gays only restaurants. All are good for the economy if all are free to do the same or not. I certainly have no problem walking on by.

[Grams A]

I am not in a real hurry to go back.”

There are several places where we have simply gotten up and left. If anyone approaches us about why we are leaving, and it is anyone other than the manager, we just say we changed our mind. I have on occasion obtained the name of the manager or owner of the business and written them a very polite letter stating they are certainly free to run their business as they please but we chose to leave and won’t return because ......” What I have noticed is that some of these places are no longer in business, a couple of others I am told have changed management and cleaned up their act.

[ExTxMarine]

As far as I’m concerned we need blacks only...restaurants.

Hell, we practically have blacks only cities! I have written before about a friend of mine who is a retired Michigan county deputy. He would transport prisoners in and out of Detroit and was told SPECIFICALLY to avoid certain sections, streets and districts - especially at night! We are talking about ARMED, MARKED police cars that were under orders to NOT go into an area! What the hell is that about?!?!?

I was driving from Laredo back towards Houston. I stopped at a gas station near downtown San Antonio. I had a cop car pull up behind me and turn on his lights. He asked me what I was doing in this neighborhood; I explained that I was driving through and needed gas. He said, "I will stay until your are done, but you need to leave as soon as possible." He sat behind me with lights on until I pulled out and he followed me back to the highway! WTH?!?!?

[Grams A]

Let the consumer DECIDE!”

I agree. We have a great locally owned place on the Texas Gulf Coast that allows smoking throughout the restaurant. Food is awesome. There is another restaurant right across the street that is totally non smoking. Both are jammed all the time. We have run across some small towns in Colorado that do not allow smoking anywhere inside or outside within the city limits. Many of their smaller family owned restaurants are now closed. Their towns, their rules, we just don’t go there any more.

[fso301]

My wife took the kids up to the Chick-Fil-A in Burlington, MA for lunch today. They left the house late and got there after normal lunch hour. She called to say there were no protesters and the restaurant seemed to have a good number of customers for off hours.

[cripplecreek]

I spent a few months in Frisco back in the mid 80s. There were a few “Mexican only” cantinas in the area back then and that was a dry county back then. My friend told me that I was the wrong color to drink in there. If we wanted to drink we had his sister bring alcohol to town on her way home from work on the far side of the county line.

[Ax]

As a native Detroiter, I’m not surprised. That’s almost as bad as Paris. There are no-go areas that the French police steer clear of.

[P-Marlowe]

But Danielle Alderson, 30, a Baltimore operator, says she can't hire a good manager who, say, moonlights at a strip club because it would irk the company.

Hey Danielle, nobody forced you to buy into a CFA franchise. You knew the rules going in and you signed on the dotted line.

If you don't like it, then sell it. I'm sure that CFA will be able to find you a suitable buyer who doesn't have the desire to hire managers who moonlight as strippers.

BTW if CFA is like any other Fast Food enterprise the managers don't have time to moonlight as gay strippers and quasi-prostitutes in shadowy seedy bars. I would think that CFA Managers are expected to be available for work anytime 24 hours a day, and when you are dancing in a strip club, you are not exactly ready to drop everything and run to the restaurant. Well maybe you've already dropped everything, but you can't show up for work dressed like that.

[Melas]

That’s not the towns. As a state, Colorado banned tobacco from public places, including bars and restaurants in 2006.