Chick-fil-A draws boycott calls over DEI initiatives

Fast food chain Chick-fil-A is facing a prospective boycott over its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, with conservative activists claiming the company has gone woke.

Attracting attention is a statement from the company's vice president of DEI, Erick McReynolds, that appears on the company's website.

"Chick-fil-A restaurants have long been recognized as a place where people know they will be treated well. Modeling care for others starts in the restaurant, and we are committed to ensuring mutual respect, understanding and dignity everywhere we do business," he said. "These tenets are good business practice and crucial to fulfilling our Corporate Purpose."

Political strategist Joey Mannarino drew attention to the statement on Tuesday morning, saying, "We have a problem. Chick-Fil-A just hired a VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This is bad. Very bad. I don’t want to have to boycott. Are we going to have to boycott?"

McReynolds has held the position since November of 2021, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Mannarino further posted a poll, asking his followers whether they ought to boycott Chick-fil-A. As of press time, more than 80,000 individuals had voted and a slim majority of 52.6% opposed a boycott.

The boycott calls come in the wake of conservative efforts to boycott retail giant Target and beer brand Bud Light over their adoption of LGBTQ-themed products and marketing campaigns.

Chick-fil-A is a Christian company and notably remains closed on Sundays. The franchise has long attracted scrutiny for its funding of charitable organizations that many left-wing activists consider opposed to LGBTQ initiatives. The company ceased funding such organizations as of 2019, Nexstar noted.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.