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.

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.

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.

About the Author

Featured

State Rep. Matt Reeves, R-Duluth, introduces himself while attending an AAPI mental health event at Norcross High School on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Gray