I still heart Chic-fil-a

There has been a lot of controversy lately over one of my most favorite places- Chic-fil-a.  It makes me sad because Christian or not, this is one of the organizations that I feel like is doing it right.  And their chicken is freaking delicious!

A few weeks ago I had the privledge to hear the Chic-fil-a CEO Dan Cathy give a speech about faith in the workplace.  It was excellent and he used so many examples of how Chic-fil-a goes above and beyond for their customers.  Little things that make a big difference.  Things that are done for ALL customers (gay or straight...black or white...Christian or not.)

Even though he may not agree with gay marriage, I know he (and the company) would never, ever discrimate against or treat anyone differently.  Their goal is to please EVERY customer.

You are never going to please everyone all of the time.  And you are never going to agree with everyone.  Does that mean you should hate them?  Boycott them? I feel like the gay community is doing the one thing they are asking everyone not to do.  It really is all very sad.

I meant to blog about this after the event, but got so busy!  Here are some things I jotted down from the Dan Cathy speech I went to:


How many of you are involved in full time Christian ministry?  Are you still a student? 
(His point was you should always be a student- always learning.  And if you are a Christian, you should consider yourself in full-time Christian ministry.)

Reference scripture when you speak to people- pocket Bible.  Be as well versed in your Bible as you are your cell phone. 
(He carried a pocket Bible with him everywhere)

In the first 40 hours, you make your biggest impression of the culture of your organization to a new employee.
(They have a well-developed program for the first week that ingains the company culture in new employees. Yes, it is based on the Christian faith, but is really all about customer service and excellence!)

Not thinking quarter to quarter, but thinking decade to decade or generation to generation.

To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us.  To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chic-fil-a.
(This is the corporate purpose of Chic-fil-a, the reason the business exists)

"If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." Matthew 5:41... The first mile is done from the head.  The second mile is done from the heart.
(Don't just do what is expected...what is required. Go that extra mile with people.)

Do anything you can to communicate honor, diginity, and respect to customers.
(They teach employees to carry the tray to the table of mothers with childeren...and they carry it in their left hand so they can pull out the chair for the mom with their right. And it is also why they all say "My pleasure".  Among many other little things.  I think this is a great rule for life in general..to do whatever you can to show honor, respect, and love to people.)

Create "tweetable" moments.
(Not for the sake of word-of-mouth, but just those moments that make someone go "wow...this is unexpected and great")

External service/success is a reflection of internal service/success.
(It starts from inside an organization- how they treat their employees)

They had a lot of owner/operators come up at the end and say how they started with Chic-fil-a and how long they had been with the company.  All of them had been with Chi-fil-a forever!  Some of them 20+ years. That is a reflection of a great organization.  I have a good friend that works for Chic-fil-a and loves it and wants to stay there for life.  And I don't blame her.

I think Christians in gereal are misunderstood sometimes.  Yes, there are bad apples who use Christianity to spread hate and bigotry.  But those people DO NOT KNOW JESUS.  They are clinging to religion (very different from loving Jesus and making him lord of your life) and really I don't get them at all.  True Christians don't want to shove their beliefs down your thoat.  They want you to know Jesus.  The amazing gift that God has given us.  They want to show His love to all they come in contact with.  Because they want you to know Him too!  Desperately.  Because it is the best news of their life and they want that for you too.

And they know that salvation comes from God alone.  Not anything they (or you) do.

They also want to stay faithful and true to His word.  Afterall if you are just following your own opinions and thoughts then you have not made Jesus lord of your life, you are still lord of your life.  I understant the need to be open-minded to others who think differently, but shouldn't that go both ways?  Even when it is against popular opinion?

I blogged about gay marriage a few months ago when we had a huge vote here in NC.  You can see that post here.  I don't want to create controversy, I just think this is such a great organization (regardless of how they feel about gay marriage) so I wanted to share my thoughts and what I had learned about Chic-fil-a at the Dan Cathy speech I had gone to.  I have learned over the years not to cut out people or organizations in my life just because they don't agree with me on one issue out of hundreds and that policy has served me very well and allowed me to become a more tolerant, loving, and open-minded individual.  I wish others could do the same.