“We’re still in the middle of the day, but we’ve at least doubled our business,” Kevin Weaver, owner of the Chick-fil-A restaurant on Benchwood Road north of Dayton, said about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Cars filed into the restaurant’s parking lot from three directions, creating long lines on Benchwood Road, Commerce Center Drive and the driveway between Town Center Drive and Chick-fil-A.
Customers parked at neighboring businesses and walked to the restaurant to wait in line.
The same was true at other Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country. Huckabee had urged people to show support for the restaurant chain and its president, Dan Cathy, after proponents of gay marriage, several politicians and others called him bigoted and hateful for comments he has made in recent weeks.
Last month, Cathy was quoted in The Baptist Press as saying: “We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”
In a June radio interview, Cathy said: “I think we’re inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our first at Him and say, ‘We know better than You as to what constitutes a marriage,’ and I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude — to think that we would — the audacity to try to define what marriage is all about.”
Also, several national news organization have reported that Chick-fil-A’s charitable arm, the WinShape Foundation, gave nearly $2 million to groups opposing gay marriage in 2010.
Company supporters answered Huckabee’s call in droves Wednesday.
“I’ve never stood in line for this long and been with so many people who were smiling, patient and kind,” said Margaret Yost, who waited in line for 40 minutes outside the Benchwood Road Chick-fil-A. “I wanted to support Chick-fil-A and their stance on marriage.”
“I expected it to be crowded, but I never expected this,” said customer Cathy Kooser. “It’s just wall-to-wall people and traffic all the way to the [Benchwood Road] exit.”
“I never would’ve thought it would be this crazy,” said Kourtney Rhinehart, an employee who was taking orders. “I didn’t know there were that many supporters.”
The high volume of customers arriving at the Chick-fil-A on North Fairfield Road in Beavercreek prompted police there to set up traffic cones, according to Beavercreek police Sgt. Scott Spangler.
“I have noticed that the nearby parking lots are all full because pedestrians are walking to the restaurant, and there are still people lined up to get inside,” Spangler said at 5:15 p.m.
Some customers said they came to the restaurants to support First Amendment rights.
“I’m here to support free speech,” said customer Nanette Cline at the Benchwood Chick-fil-A.
“I think this country is supposed to be a country of free speech without people being punished for it,” said Sue Koogler, who waited in a line of cars at the Chick-fil-A in Beavercreek.
“We appreciate all of our customers and are glad to serve them at any time,” said Steve Robinson, executive vice president of marketing for Chick-fil-A. “Our goal is simple: to provide great food, genuine hospitality and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with Chick-fil-A.”
Gay marriage supporters plan to gather at Chick-fil-A restaurants on Friday to protest Cathy’s comments. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is backing a “National Same-Sex Kiss Day” to be held at Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide and encourages participants to take and post photos on the Internet.
In addition, Equality Ohio, a community organization based in Columbus, is promoting the national campaign “Equality Chicken,” which encourages people to make donations of $6.50 — the price of a chicken dinner — as a form of protest.
Staff Writer Talya Flowers contributed to this report.
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