Earlier this month, the San Antonio City Council scratched a new Chick-fil-A location from their airport expansion plans. Now New York's Buffalo Niagara International Airport has done the same. The company has been shrouded in controversy since their 2017 tax filings revealed their continued financial support of anti-LGBTQ groups.
On March 28, an assemblyman for the state criticized the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority's (NFTA) decision to include Chick-fil-A in their development plans. In a statement posted to Twitter, Sean Ryan cited San Antonio's ban and called the NFTA to reverse their own ruling.
"Chick-fil-A has a long history of supporting and funding anti-LGBTQ organizations," he wrote. "In fact, the San Antonio City Council recently rejected a plan to open a Chick-fil-A at the San Antonio International Airport due to discriminatory advocacy. As a state entity, the NFTA has a responsibility to avoid doing business with corporations who fund hateful and divisive groups."
Ultimately, Ryan's efforts were met with reward. Just two days later, he updated followers on the NFTA's change of heart and removal of Chick-fil-A from the airport's food court plans. "A publicly financed facility like the Buffalo Niagara International Airport is not the appropriate venue for a Chick-fil-A restaurant," he added.
The company has continued to face judgment after giving nearly $2 million in donations to Salvation Army, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Paul Anderson Youth Home. The organizations all have a history of anti-LGBTQ policies. And while Chick-fil-A's questionable support may not come as a surprise given CEO Dan Cathy's own comments on the same-sex marriage debate, the chicken purveyor had previously vowed to cease such contributions. So basically, they went back on their word—big time.
However, following the backlash and subsequent location bans, Chick-fil-A has defended its actions. "Recent coverage about Chick-fil-A continues to drive an inaccurate narrative about our brand," the company said in a statement. "We want to make it clear that our sole focus is on providing delicious food and welcoming everyone. We do not have a political or social agenda."
