Chick-Fil-A in new UK launch attempt

US fast food giant Chick-fil-A aims to avoid another backlash over the anti-gay views of its billionaire owners when it opens in the UK next year.

Chick-fil-A removed its Reading pop-up site after just six months when gay rights activists attacked it in 2019.

But the Atlanta-based restaurant chain has been in talks with the LGBT group Stonewall and other charities in an attempt to distance itself from accusations of homophobia.

The company was founded in 1946 by devotee Christian S Truett Cathy and is the third largest fast food chain in the US by sales.

It has more than 3,000 sites in the United States and launched in Canada (where it also faced backlash from LGBT activists) and Puerto Rico in the past five years.

Despite the popularity of their chicken sandwiches, comments and donations made by the Cathy family, who still own and run the business, have sparked controversy.

They have historically donated to various organizations that have been linked to anti-LGBT beliefs.

And President Dan Cathy, father of CEO Andrew Cathy, revealed his opposition to gay marriage in 2012.

But the company has been in talks with Stonewall about how to be “a more inclusive workplace” ahead of another attempt to conquer the competitive British market.

A Stonewall spokesperson said: ‘We frequently have conversations with companies and organizations who are at different stages of their journey to becoming more inclusive workplaces for their employees.

“We’ve had some recent conversations with Chick-Fil-A about training and services we could provide to support the company on this journey.”

When asked about the controversy ahead of the UK launch, Chick-fil-A vice president of international Paul Trotti told the Mail that the company’s “desire is to be inclusive of all people and treat them with honor, dignity and respect.”

The UK launch comes with other challenges, including stiff competition from the likes of KFC and Nando’s, and recent US imports Popeyes and Wingstop.

Chick-fil-A believes its “unique” owner-operator franchise model, focus on fresh ingredients and signature Southern hospitality will set it apart.

Trotti said: “The UK’s place in the global market is something we absolutely cannot ignore when we think about wanting to be a global company.”