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Our Agenda is Providing Genuine Hospitality & Service to All: Chick-fil-A Downtown Decatur

A response from the Owner/Operators of Chick-fil-A in Downtown Decatur.

Since opening in March of 2005, Chick-fil-A Downtown Decatur has been dedicated to serving our guests with honor, dignity and respect. We work our hearts out to make sure every guest receives amazing food and service regardless of belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. Nothing about our agenda has changed.

My wife and I are the owner/Operators of this restaurant, and our commitment to the city goes back many years. My wife has been in the Decatur area since 1990 when she began college at Agnes Scott and then worked for the College for several years after graduating. When we learned of the Chick-fil-A opening in this city we jumped at the chance to open up our business here.  We are not a corporation - we are real people and taxpayers as each Chick-fil-A franchise is independently owned and operated.

We are a family and a business dedicated to serving our community. We have consistently been generous donating food, money and coupons to the local Decatur community including DCM, CSD, the DBA, Bulldog Boosters, Decatur City Hall and Economic Development, and local churches. The list goes on and on... This weekend we are feeding the artists and volunteers during the Poverty is for Real benefit at Eddie's Attic and next month we are donating food for a Volleyball Tournament at Decatur High School (DHS) and feeding the Decatur Book Festival volunteers.

We employ more than 70 people -- many of which are DHS students.  We have provided more than 20 college scholarships to team members in our restaurant alone with many of those awarded to DHS students. Our passion is building leaders for future generations, regardless of sexual orientation or beliefs.

We know that some of our guests are upset by comments made by Dan Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A Inc. He has made it clear to me those were his personal views, and that his intent was not to speak on behalf of every Chick-fil-A owner.  We hope those who are upset will look at their relationship with our restaurant and allow us to continue to serve them.  If you have questions or concerns, please come into the restaurant and speak with me personally.

Until then, we will continue to serve our guests in the only way we know how – with great food, exceptional service and a lot of fun.

Thank you.

John and Cristina Crays

Owner/Operator and Director of Customer Service

Chick-fil-A Downtown Decatur

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Ralph Ellis (Editor) July 27, 2012 at 11:24 am
Do local Chick-fil-A owners have to suffer because of Dan Cathy's views?
KMT July 27, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Ralph, it's not just Dan Cathy's 'views'. Chick Fil A puts their money where there mouth is. Owner/Operators, in turn, are therefore supporting such organizations. My guess is they knew where money from each franchise goes. I, in good conscience, cannot support Marriage & Family Foundation, Exodus International and the Family Research Council.
Barbara @ Atlanta's Frugal Mom July 27, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Well, since I eat CFA virtually for free (thank you coupons!), I can honestly say my money isn't really going towards these causes. It is rare today to find a corporation that truly gives SO much back to the community -- when was the last time you heard of a school hosting a "McDonald's night", huh??
I just want my waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!
Tonja Holder July 27, 2012 at 12:50 pm
I am certain that the Crays and most employees of cfa would never dream of denying rigts to me and my family, but the fact remains: every oenny you give to cfa helps to fund hate filled political agendas. I suggest the Crays and all cfa owner operators sue Mr. Cathy for irreparably damaging their business.
Susan July 27, 2012 at 01:23 pm
I suggest patronizing the local Decatur Chick-fil-A, and putting aside a dollar donation towards the Human Rights Campaign, or a similar organization, each time you do.
bulldogger July 27, 2012 at 01:50 pm
Boycott's or the threat of boycotting a business works sometimes. Jesse Jackson has done quite well with this kind of tactic.....as a matter of fact, he lives quite lavishly because of it......
As you probably know various members of the homosexual community are calling for a boycott of Chic filet because Chic filet's President expressed his Christian belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. He quickly added that he welcomes homosexuals into his restaurant and that they are always treated with dignity and respect .....and good waffle fries. Governor Mike Huckabee is asking people to go to a Chic filet on Wednesday August the 1st and buy food from Chic filet in answer to the homosexual's boycott. I think we should all go Wednesday August the 1st and take a friend with us and order as much food as you can reasonably afford. I approve of this message and I approve of Mike Huckabee; however, I don't approve of Jesse Jackson's Tactics. These are my "Personal Opinions" which I have a Constitutional Right to Express, the same Right that "Dan Cathy" has and everyone of you have.
Brian Crawford July 27, 2012 at 02:00 pm
Isn't this what the free market is all about? Perhaps the Crays should have done more due diligence on the type of organization they were becoming entwined with. I stopped patronizing Chick-fil-A several years ago when a very hard working young lady came to work for me after leaving the company. She felt discriminated against after she became an unwed mother. The hiring and advancement policies she described sounded highly discriminatory.
David Plunkett July 27, 2012 at 02:03 pm
This sounds suspiciously like the official statement from Chick-Fil-A: "The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect—regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender." In other words, Chick-Fil-A will take your money with one hand and then slip it to organizations working to deny you basic civil rights with the other.
Had the Crays said that they are "dedicated to serving our guests with honor, dignity and respect," AND we also believe in the rights of all people to be treated equally under the law, I would go there for lunch today in appreciation of their courageous stance, and I would encourage everyone else to do the same. Of course, that is not what the letter says. They argue that Dan Cathy "has made it clear [that] those were his personal views, and that his intent was not to speak on behalf of every Chick-fil-A owner," but they never renounce his beliefs. I'm sorry, but it seems the Crays simply are towing the company line.
Brian Crawford July 27, 2012 at 02:11 pm
Most of the community activities I see Chick-fil-A engaged in (school nights, church camps) are nothing more than clever marketing to entice children to eat their less than healthy food. A Chick-fil-A Chicken sandwich and a medium order of waffle fries contains 830 calories, 36g of fat, and a whopping 1550 mg of sodium. Top that off with a medium lemonade and you're up to 1060 calories.
Scott Tewell July 27, 2012 at 02:17 pm
Yes, bulldogger. And you also have the right to overuse or misuse The Capitalization Of Commonly Used Words, "quotation marks," and......ellipses
Guy Mirthful July 27, 2012 at 03:01 pm
Dear Dan Cathy,
Which of these types of biblical marriage do you support? http://www.religioustolerance.org/biblemarriage.jpg
bulldogger July 27, 2012 at 03:28 pm
@Scott Tewell
10:17 am on Friday, July 27, 2012 Yes, bulldogger. And you also have the right to overuse or misuse The Capitalization Of Commonly Used Words, "quotation marks," and......ellipses WOW, Scott, is that the only thing you can find to criticize this old 8th grade graduate for? I know I probably ended that sentence "wrong", but that's my "right"
FM Fats July 27, 2012 at 07:38 pm
It's corporate boilerplate.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=471844662835248&set=a.178247672194950.41344.173395302680187&type=1&theater
FM Fats July 27, 2012 at 08:51 pm
The Crays indicate that they wrote the letter, had it approved by CFA PR, and it's been used as a model for other operators.
Loretta Billingsley July 27, 2012 at 11:33 pm
I am happy for you as a business owner that you have decided to do this. There will be repercussions. But you have addressed your communities needs, you continue to support this community and you have the courage to believe in your own beliefs. Kudos to you. CFA is a great organization. I don't think that Dan Cathy's comments should reflect every owner/operators sentiments. I think you have courage. Congrats!
Loretta Billingsley July 27, 2012 at 11:45 pm
But it's a great opportunity for Dan Cathy to retire...
Brian Crowe July 27, 2012 at 11:55 pm
An employee (self-identified as a manager) at the Hollywood Chick-fil-A assured me that their operator wrote the letter, and "that he put a lot of thought into it." Perhaps he was told to say that.
KMT July 28, 2012 at 12:32 am
Another from Chicago...
http://articles.redeyechicago.com/2012-07-25/news/32873875_1_personal-invitation-stance-on-gay-marriage-restaurant
Lynne Connolly July 31, 2012 at 04:56 pm
The issue for me isn't Dan Cathy's right to his personal views, it's whether or not I'm supporting his causes when I buy CFA food. I wish the Decatur owners would let us know how their profits are divided up, and if they have to contribute to the corporation at large beyond the initial franchise purchase.
KMT July 31, 2012 at 05:29 pm
65% of the profit goes to CFA...
http://franchises.businessmart.com/how-much-does-a-chick-fil-a-franchise-cost.php
Jonathan Belcher August 1, 2012 at 01:42 pm
Protesting an organization or policy/law is any Americans right. However one word of warning from history. When you start to hinder or stop business from being done at an establishment that does not believe the same as you. That has been done before in our not to distant history. The Nazis were very effective at discouraging/stopping its citizens from shopping from Jewish owned shops. Expressing ones beliefs is fine. Trying to negatively effect someone's lively hood because they don't see things the same as you is wrong, and as history shows us, a dangerous and slippery slope we should all try to avoid.
Melissa O'Shields August 1, 2012 at 02:37 pm
I was disappointed to find this was a form letter sent out and customized by all the Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide.http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/27/1114413/-Chick-Fil-A-s-latest-failed-effort-to-spin-backlash-from-funding-hate-groups
Bob White August 1, 2012 at 04:21 pm
Should have had that thought before your bar closed down.
Jonathan Belcher August 1, 2012 at 08:11 pm
I've called you out before. I'll do it again. You are a coward. The pub you speak of had many problems. #1 they could not pay their bills. I know for a fact that the electrical wiring for the establishment, parking lot that did not belong to the owners and finally the mortgage to the bank were not paid. You sir feel it is necessary to compare apples and oranges. This tactic will not work with me.
Jonathan Belcher August 1, 2012 at 08:33 pm
By the way, it was never my bar. Please do not put a label/ownership where it doesn't belong. A good customer for 7 out of 10 years, is an appropriate statement. I would have never spent the time, money or effort to promote said business, if I had known their disposition and lack of tact beforehand. Know and sit in your proper place. Anytime, any day you would like to debate me like a man, one on one. I will rejoice the day you grow a pair. Instead of hurling your little swipes from the safety of your computer. Stop hiding in your shadows. Come and stand in the light with me. Maybe we can work things out. My family has proudly served Avondale since 1947. How bout you?
GMCM August 2, 2012 at 02:49 pm
they are going towards chicken, buns and brownies. People need to stop overcomplicating things. If you do, you'd have to ban, coca-cola, CK, Tommy Hilfiger, Walmart, Target.... Basically you'd have to move out of America.
FM Fats August 2, 2012 at 06:34 pm
15% of sales, 50% of pretax profit. The operator (Chick-fil-A does not refer to them as owners) leases the building and equipment from FDA and buys all the food from CFA. A 2007 article in Forbes estimates that the CFA operator takes home about $100K on sales of $1.7MM, while a Bojangles owner would net over $350K. CFA operators are also not allowed to own more than a few franchises.
Bob August 3, 2012 at 10:38 pm
Where do you get coupons? I do too, when there is a special promotion, and that's few and far between.
John Kramer August 28, 2012 at 05:33 pm
Unless they have changed their business model, the owner/operator model is not the traditional franchise. Corporate Chik-fil-A builds and equips the store while the operator puts up a nominal amount as a bond. Profits are split 50-50 after corporate takes out a certain amount for reimbursement. They can be terminated for cause more like an employee than an independent franchisee.
s. Smith August 28, 2012 at 06:37 pm
Just another reason I'm glad I only visit beautiful, fun and funky Decatur! Get a life, people! If we all decided to base our purchases on the political orientation of the provider, we probably couldn't buy or eat anything! I respect everyone's right to have and state their opinion, but can't we do this without all the divisiveness? We're trying to get the economy back on track, and this type of discussion is more negative than positive - I'm tired of it and I suspect many others are too! Peace, y'all!!!!!
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