Chick-fil-A was the target of nationwide protests in 2012 after CEO Dan Cathy voiced his support for "the biblical definition of the family unit."
The marriage controversy did help the company's chicken sandwiches become a favorite among Washington conservatives, with Chick-fil-A for a time catering a monthly event for House conservatives hosted by the Heritage Foundation. An Atlantic reporter found House Republicans spent just $345 in taxpayer funds on Chick-fil-A in the three years before the 2012 controversy and nearly $13,00 in the following two years.
The private company's conservative Christian leanings also came into view recently when EPA head Scott Pruitt explained why he had looked into having his wife own a Chick-fil-A franchise. "I love, she loves, we love Chick-fil-A as a franchise of faith," Pruitt told a reporter.
Chick-fil-A did not immediately return requests for comment.
