The chicken once "Banned in Boston" moves into South Station
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The Chick-fil-A restaurant in the Back Bay. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Chick-fil-A is deepening its footprint in Boston with the recent opening of a location at South Station.
Why it matters: It's a turnaround from over a decade ago when city leadership vowed to block the fast-food giant over its ownership's anti-LGBTQ+ stances.
Flashback: In 2012, Chick-fil-A executive Dan Cathy sparked nationwide outrage by publicly opposing same-sex marriage and directing millions in donations to anti-LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.
- Late Boston Mayor Thomas Menino spearheaded local resistance. He sent a scathing letter to Cathy stating there was "no place for discrimination on Boston's Freedom Trail" and warned that a franchise in the city would be heavily resisted.
- There were also student-led boycotts of the chicken chain.
Between the lines: Menino's initial threats lacked the legal heft to outright ban a business based on political ideology, but the public display effectively delayed Chick-fil-A's entry into the city core for nearly a decade.
Chick-fil-A restructured its corporate philanthropy in 2019 and halted donations to organizations with anti-LGBTQ+ policies. Since then, it says, it's been focusing on education, homelessness and hunger efforts.
- By the time the Copley Square restaurant debuted in 2022, it faced minimal official pushback compared to the 2012 firestorm.
- Matt DeMichele-Rigoni, a 17-year company veteran, owns and operates the Boylston Street location with his husband, João.
By the numbers: The company now operates four distinct outposts within the city limits of Boston, including a Logan Airport location that opened last year.
- The company told Axios each new restaurant adds between 80-120 full- and part-time positions for local residents.
What we're watching: Nothing says "mainstream commercial normalization" in Boston more than a stall at South Station.
- But the location continues to draw local ire online for closing on Sundays, an inconvenient feature for a seven-day transit hub.
What's next: Leaders in Dorchester and Mattapan want the chain to open in Boston's Black neighborhoods and provide opportunities for local franchisees.