Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey faced online backlash Saturday when he tweeted a picture of a purchase he made at a Chick-fil-A in Los Angeles. Detractors criticized Dorsey for promoting the Atlanta-based fast food company during LGBT Pride month due to the views expressed by Chick-fil-A’s owner regarding gay marriage.
Dorsey tweeted a screenshot of a purchase made on his phone Saturday evening, and the Twitter co-founder received a multitude of negative replies, criticizing Dorsey for both eating at the restaurant and for promoting the business.
This is an interesting company to boost during Pride month, @jack https://t.co/Wmhq6Obrp1
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) June 10, 2018
Chick-fil-A's CEO, Dan Cathy, said in 2012 Chick-fil-A believed marriage to be between a man and a woman, citing the family's Christian beliefs. Cathy's father, Truett Cathy, opened the first Chick-fil-A in Atlanta in 1967.
Chick-fil-A did not immediately respond to a request by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for comment.
Other Twitter users came to the defense of Dorsey and Chick-fil-A, saying there was nothing wrong with eating at the fast food restaurant.
@jack don’t give in to these people and their complaints. I’m gay and I LOVE ChickfilA. Ridiculous. Go on and eat that ChickfilA and post as much as you want about it!
— The Artful Dodger (@perryrichardsva) June 10, 2018
Dorsey appeared to express regret for the decision Saturday, responding to a reply to his original tweet, saying he “completely forgot about [Chick-fil-A’s] background.”
Chick-fil-A, which has 2,100 total locations, made nearly $8 billion in total revenue in 2016. The company averaged $4.4 million of revenue per location in 2016, the highest average sales per unit of an American fast food restaurant, according to QSR Magazine.