Scroll down for an update to this story.
Hungry diners from all across the country crowded their local Chick-fil-A’s to show their appreciation for the chicken chain’s Southern fried goodness. You knew this day was coming and you knew it was going to be busy.
How crowded did some stores get? Well, based on photo submissions and anecdotes from Blaze readers and editors, let’s just say “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” sounds like it was a major success:
“My daughters and I went to Chick fil a in Wake Forest, NC around 1:45 today in hopes of avoiding the rush. At that time, the line was still backed up a half of a mile out of the restaurant parking lot!” Erin G. in North Carolina wrote TheBlaze in an email.
“Due to Chick fil a’s impeccable customer service it only took 30 minutes to get through that drive thru line!! What other fast food chain is able to boast of that?! (My husband visited a different Chick fil a in Raleigh and had a similar experience.) We will go back this evening for dinner,” she adds.
Ryan S. in Arizona writes:
We live in Phoenix, Az and it is very hot here, but that didn’t stop people from coming to Chick-Fil-A and standing in line out there door for a 45 min wait. My wife went through the drive through and was impressed so many came out to show their support. Willing to endure the heat to show their support. My wife was so impressed she felt she needed to do more than just buy lunch to show her support. She wanted to do something for the people standing in line.So when she got to the drive through window she bought 10, $10 gift certificates and then had our two children pass them out to random people in line to pay for their lunches. Some people were moved to tears by the expression. Honestly I was moved to tears just hearing my wife tell me the story. I am so inspired by the good people showing up all across the country to show their support for traditional family values. I hope these random acts of kindness catch on.
The line at a Chick-fil-A in Irving, TX [via TheBlaze's Jon Seidl!]:
“We went yesterday, the day before appreciation day! It was packed, the line reached outside, and the energy was great,” Cameron Jacobs of Roseville, CA, told TheBlaze in an email.
“People knew exactly what they were standing for when they ordered yesterday (and today) I think positive support has trumped the negative aggressive dishonest tactics of those who would so hypocritically oppress this great eating establishment,” the email adds.
Josh G. from Lubbock, TX, writes: “People were extra talkative and friendly to fellow patrons today because we were all there for the same reason. Felt more like a family reunion than a lunch break.”
Jim Cahill of Arizona writes:
We arrived at 11:30 to a line of approximately 40 cars in the drive-thru. We parked and waited in line to eat in instead. Took about an hour. I counter about 90 people out the door – all enduring 105 degree heat. The line stretched even longer by the time we received our food.
See the KHOU-TV update from Houston, TX:
Video | News | Weather | Sports
Wed Aug 01 05:16:10 PDT 2012BIG CROWDS GATHER AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS FOR ‘CHICK-FIL-A APPRECIATION DAY’
People around the country flocked Wednesday to Chick-fil-A restaurants as part of an "appreciation day" in the midst of a national controversy. view full article
“It’s around 100 degrees here today and there was a 45-minute wait to get inside. I overheard a young girl (10 or so years old) behind me say to her mom, ‘it’s hot’ — to to which I felt compelled to kid her a bit by saying, ‘Hey, liberty is not air-conditioned,” Gerry from St. Louis writes.
“Several people overheard me say that, and joined in the conversation with some nice positive commentary regarding the show of support for Chick-Fil-A founder Truett Cathy’s right to free speech,” the email adds.
Meliss O. from Tallahasse, FL, told TheBlaze the following:
Our Oral Surgery practice spent $700.00 at Chick-fil-A today. We chose today to support “Chick-Fil-A Day” and purchased lots of trays of salads and nuggets for our referring offices. We were sure to tell each office that they should be sure to show their support today. Felt great to drive into the parking lot on Capital Circle in Tallahassee at 10:30 (between breakfast and lunch) and the parking lot be PACKED.
Chick-fil-A, as most Blaze readers know, has been dealing with heavy fallout from comments made by CEO Dan Cathy about his support for traditional marriage. Cathy responded that his company was “guilty as charged” when it comes to its support of the traditional family unit.
“We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that,” Cathy told The Baptist Press.
“We operate as a family business … our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that,” he added.
Pro-gay rights groups immediately responded to Cathy’s remarks by calling for nationwide boycotts and some left-leaning politicians even vowed to block the company from opening eateries in their cities.
In response to the outrageous outrage over Cathy’s interview, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee called for a national “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.” We feel pretty confident when we say we think it was a financial success. In fact, we are getting so many submissions from readers telling us about their “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” experiences that we can’t possibly include all of them in this article. This, of course, implies that when the company tallies up end of day sales, it’ll probably come out alright.
Oh, yeah, let’s not forget: Gay rights activists have planned their own response to Huckabee’s day with “National Same Sex Kiss Day,” which involves same sex couples making out in Chick-fil-A’s, because, as we noted earlier on TheBlaze, that’ll show ‘em.
UPDATE: Has Chick-fil-A set world record for sales?
You can look at more pictures of the lines via photos from the Associated Press:AP Photos of the Lines at Chick-fil-A
Patrons at a Chick-fil-A restaurant August 1, 2012 on Chick-fil-A Day of Appreciation. The ongoing controversy over an interview with Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy has grown during the past two weeks and now involves an Appreciation Day, to be followed by a counter-Appreciation Day and a 'Kiss-in.'' Comments by Cathy over same-sex marriage went viral, and several entertainers, musicians and politicians condemned Cathy for being 'hateful and bigoted.'
Chick-fil-A team member Kameron Leavy directs drive-thru traffic as customers crowd into the restaurant in Southaven, Miss. Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012. Patrons patiently waited up to an hour to receive their order in a display of support for the company's stance on marriage and family values.
August 1, 2012 - Chick-fil-A patrons wait in line for the drive-through to show their support of Mike Huckabee's Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day in Allen, Texas.
August 1, 2012 - Chick-fil-A patrons wait in line for the drive-through to show their support of Mike Huckabee's Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day in Allen, Texas.
Customers stand in a long line at the Chick-fil-A in Columbus, Ga., Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012. Chick-fil-A supporters are eating at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about marriage and family.
Don and Brenda Nichols shield themselves from 100 degree temperatures as they stand in line for a Chick-fil-a meal at the chain's restaurant in Wichita, Kan., on Wednesday. Aug. 1, 2012. Over 200 people waited in line to buy a meal to show their support for the company that's currently embroiled in a controversy over same-sex marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Opponents of the company's stance are planning "Kiss Mor Chiks" for Friday, when they are encouraging people of the same sex to show up at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kiss each other.
Customers stand in line for a Chick-fil-a meal at the chain's restaurant in Wichita, Kan., on Wednesday. Aug. 1, 2012. The crowd was buying meals to show their support for the company that's currently embroiled in a controversy over same-sex marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Opponents of the company's stance are planning "Kiss Mor Chiks" for Friday, when they are encouraging people of the same sex to show up at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kiss each other.
Customers wait on line at a packed Chick-fil-A in Myrtle Beach, S.C. during lunch, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012. Supporters of Chick-fil-A are planning to eat at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about gay marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Opponents of the company's stance are planning "Kiss Mor Chiks" for Friday, when they are encouraging people of the same sex to show up at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kiss each other.
Cars wrap around the Whitesburg Dr. Chick-fil-A in a double line at lunch time for Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day in Huntsville, Ala., Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012. Chick-fil-A supporters are eating at the chicken chain's restaurants as the company continues to be criticized for an executive taking a public position against same-sex marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day."
The walk-in customer line went outside the front doors at the Whitesburg Drive, Chick-fil-A during Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day in Huntsville, Ala., Wednesday Aug. 1, 2012. Chick-fil-A supporters are eating at the chicken chain's restaurants as the company continues to be criticized for an executive taking a public position against same-sex marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day."
Molora Kellstrom, Sophia Kellstrom, 12, and Emma Kansas, 11, stand in line at the Chick-Fil-A on Wednesday, Aug. 1. 2012 in Shelby, N.C. Supporters of Chick-fil-A are planning to eat at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about gay marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Opponents of the company's stance are planning "Kiss Mor Chiks" for Friday, when they are encouraging people of the same sex to show up at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kiss each other.
Customers wait on line outside the door of the Chick-fil-A on Wednesday, Aug. 1. 2012 in Shelby, N.C. Supporters of Chick-fil-A are planning to eat at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about gay marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Opponents of the company's stance are planning "Kiss Mor Chiks" for Friday, when they are encouraging people of the same sex to show up at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kiss each other.
Brenda Howard, left, joined with her friends, Cecelia Pegram and Hines Pegram, at the Chick-fil-A in Myrtle Beach during lunch, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012. Chick-fil-A supporters are eating at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about marriage and family.
Traffic clogs the parking lot at Chick-fil-A in Kinston, N.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012. Chick-fil-A supporters are eating at the chicken chain's restaurants as the company continues to be criticized for an executive taking a public position against same-sex marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day."
Customers stand on a lone line for Chick-fil-A in the Cleveland County Mall on Wednesday, Aug. 1. 2012 in Shelby, N.C. Supporters of Chick-fil-A are planning to eat at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about gay marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Opponents of the company's stance are planning "Kiss Mor Chiks" for Friday, when they are encouraging people of the same sex to show up at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kiss each other.
Customers stand in line at the Chick-Fil-A location in the Cleveland County Mall on Wednesday, Aug. 1. 2012 in Shelby, N.C. Supporters of Chick-fil-A are planning to eat at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about gay marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Opponents of the company's stance are planning "Kiss Mor Chiks" for Friday, when they are encouraging people of the same sex to show up at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kiss each other.
Customers line up outside the Chick-fil-A Restaurant at New Bern Mall on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012 in New Bern, N.C. Supporters of Chick-fil-A are planning to eat at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about gay marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Opponents of the company's stance are planning "Kiss Mor Chiks" for Friday, when they are encouraging people of the same sex to show up at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kiss each other.
Customers wait in a line as the drive-thru is backed up outside of the Chick-fil-A location, Wednesday, Aug.1, 2012, in Longview, Texas. Chick-fil-A supporters are eating at the chicken chain's restaurants as the company continues to be criticized for an executive taking a public position against same-sex marriage.
Customers wait in a line outside of the Chick-fil-la location on Loop 281 and Fourth Street Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Longview, Texas. Chick-fil-A supporters are eating at the chicken chain's restaurants as the company continues to be criticized for an executive taking a public position against same-sex marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared Wednesday "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day."
Chick-fil-A customers flood the location at Oakwood Mall Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Enid, Okla., to show support for the Christian-run company who supports traditional values and has voiced an open opposition to gay marriage. Chick-fil-A supporters are planning to eat at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about marriage and family.
TheBlaze’s Meredith Jessup contributed to this report. Front page photo source: News-Sentinel. This story has been updated.
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