Chick-fil-A Plans to Open First Boston Restaurant | Eater Boston

"Six years after an initial failed attempt, the Atlanta-based Southern chicken chain is again pursuing its first location within Boston proper, seeking city approval to take over the current tenant at 569 Boylston St in Back Bay’s Copley Square. The push has reignited controversy stemming from past anti-LGBTQ statements by CEO Dan Cathy and the company’s charitable arm, WinShape, which has donated millions to organizations opposed to homosexuality, including the Family Research Council and the Marriage & Family Foundation. Those controversies prompted a 2012 rejection by the city’s late mayor and generated activism on campuses and online — from an NYU student petition and Northeastern cancelling plans to recent public backlash after a high-profile tech CEO posted about ordering from the chain during Pride Month. Despite local resistance within Boston, the company has expanded elsewhere in Massachusetts, adding 11 locations with a 12th planned, and the City of Boston scheduled a public meeting about the proposal at the Fairmont Copley Plaza." - Dana Hatic