Chick-Fil-A—purveyor of delicious chicken biscuits and bigotry—has ruffled some feathers with its announcement that it’s coming to New York. CFA enthusiasts/haters know that there has long been a location in Greenwich Village open only to NYU students, but that will change soon if the brand’s expansion plans go according to plan.
The controversial chain has announced that it will be opening 108 new restaurants this year, most of them in urban cities, and a handful in New York City. “If we can’t do it in New York, we have no business going anywhere else,” Woody Faulk, vice president of design and innovation, told USA Today.
The company plans on moving past CEO Dan Cathy’s negative remarks regarding gay marriage, focusing instead on adding healthier ingredients, as well as new menu items targeted towards millennials. “I’m going to leave it to politicians and others to discuss social issues,” said Cathy.
No news yet on where the restaurants will be located, or when they’ll be open.
Now, the big question is whether or not the NYC outposts will be open on Sundays, because how else will they keep up with rent costs?
Those delicious homophobic Chick-Fil-A sandwiches about to cause so much internal NYC Angst b
— Desus (@desusnice) April 8, 2014
Twitter, not surprisingly, is split on whether or not New York will welcome the chain. Here are some instant reactions:
And Chick-fil-A workers in NYc gonna have wayyyy to much attitude especially if u try to ask for an extra Polynesian sauce.
— Anna ♥ Banana (@msannabanana) April 8, 2014
Gay NYers– eat at chik-fil-a, but don’t make excuses for it. Just say that you don’t care who you hurt with your money.
— tony (@tone_def) April 8, 2014
Chik-fil-a is coming to New York. Be mad if you want, you can find me near the waffle fries and Polynesian sauce.
— Ry[an] By Night (@TheRyanSides) April 8, 2014
People not gonna act right in NYC when chik fil a opens up lol
— Zeke (@ZSoloDolo) April 8, 2014
As a southerner living in NYC, words cannot describe how the news of a Chik-Fil-a warms my heart.
— India. (@RebelleMonroe_) April 8, 2014
And here’s a video from USA Today about Chick-Fil-A’s new direction:
[via Gothamist]