Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly said Wednesday's Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day would become part of the company's new "Hater Wednesdays" marketing campaign. There is no such marketing campaign. The idea was part of a comedy opinion piece.
Two days after the fast-food chain's busiest day ever, Chick-fil-A braced for another orchestrated event Friday, a “kiss-in” protest that encouraged same-sex couples to take a photo or video of themselves locking lips in one of the company's restaurants.
However, National Same-Sex Kiss Day was mostly a flop in Southern California. In Aliso Viejo, there were no reported smoochers, although business was somewhat slow during the dinner hour Friday. The only problem was reported in Torrance, where Thursday night.
Mike Ricks, operator of the Chick-fil-A in Aliso Viejo, said he would have been shocked if anything like that happened in his town.
“I think here in Aliso it could be a little different,” he said. “I know in Hollywood they were having a protest this morning. I saw it on the news, but there’s nothing I know of here that’s that crazy.”
No smoochers turned out at the Foothill Ranch Chick-fil-A either. For owner Jeremy Simpson, the day's challenge was dealing with the continued shortage of foodstuffs at his restaurant, a result of Wednesday's massive turnout.
Huge crowds turned out Wednesday at Chick-fil-A locations across the nation to show support for company President Dan Cathy's controversial statement opposing gay marriage. The day was organized by former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
Ricks said Chick-fil-A sales on the East Coast were up 300 percent on Wednesday, and his own sales were 200 percent higher than normal.
“People definitely have been pouring out and coming to Chick-fil-A to support us in the community as well as the restaurants,” he said. “There was a line going all the way down the sidewalk for our dinner rush.”
This story has been updated.
