On-Topic The politics of eating out & Chick-fil-A

[JayQueer]

It turns out, you really are what you eat.

Marketing & political consultants know that people who buy certain products, watch certain TV shows, and eat at particular restaurants are more likely to have certain political views or slant, compared to people who don't. This influences how political campaigns & advertisers spend their dollars.

Take for example, Whole Foods Market. According to market research, people who shop at Whole Foods tend to be affluent, socially conscious Democrats who go out & vote in large numbers.

People who eat at Popeyes & Church's Chicken tend vote overwhelmingly Democrat, but are likely much poorer & and coincidentally much less interested in voting. People who eat at Church's Chicken are the least likely to vote at all.

But people who eat at Applebee's & Olive Garden lean slightly Republican, but don't vote all the time.

People who eat at Bob Evans, Panera Bread, Outback Steakhouse & Longhorn Steakhouse lean Republican, and vote in high numbers.

And lastly, people who eat at Chick-fil-A & Cracker Barrel are strongly Republican & vote in high numbers.

From the article:

We continue to be fascinated by the partisan differences in consumer purchasing behavior. Democrats, for example, have fallen in love with Subaru — it's the new Volvo. Americans who drink diet soda — especially Diet Dr. Pepper — are more likely to vote and to be Republicans than Americans who drink sugared beverages. Republicans prefer dark liquors, while reform-minded Democrats prefer the transparency of vodka and rum.

And it turns out that when it comes to fast food, Republicans love their Chick-fil-A restaurants. Democrats are more likely to head to Popeyes and Church's, open seven days a week. As the bubble chart shows, Chick-fil-A customers are very, very Republican.

Chick-fil-A's website now contains this caveat: "Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena." But given who its customers are, the firm probably didn't need to do that.

Chick-fil-A, Dixie Chicks and the politics of branding - latimes.com

 

[chance1]

I go to:

White Castle baby - But ONLY when drunk
Wendy's - baked potato excellent

Why is whole foods in this btw ?

Trader Joes is better btw

I'm hungry

 

[Rolyo85]

It's not surprising really. I suspect it has a lot to do with where those places originally open and what sort of clientele they originally attract. Because after that they start modeling themselves on that initial experience, and base their whole business on it.

Congrats, JQ, for not making the topic about yourself this time

 

[palemale]

I just avoid fast food, except an occasional slice of pizza. Egads, Chance, White Castle? I haven't been in one in over 20 years, and even then I was one drink away from unconsciousness.

 

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

And lastly, people who eat at Chick-fil-A & Cracker Barrel are strongly Republican & vote in high numbers

Considering that Cracker Barrel discriminated against African Americans and wouldn't hire gay employees until they were forced and well, we all know what Chick-Fil-A is all about you should rephrase that to indicate that it's a CERTAIN KIND (wink wink) of Republican who eats there.

 

[rareboy]

Interesting.

I guess it isn't called 'Cracker' Barrel for no reason......

 

[Sammie13]

+

Interesting.

I guess it isn't called 'Cracker' Barrel for no reason......

Well, we've got 2 Cracker Barrels in town. Guilty...I eat there often. And honestly, there's nothing Cracker about it. The entire mgmnt team, all the servers/cashiers/hostess are black. Some years ago, in another town, there were 2 very out gay waiters who worked at CB for some time.

Back to the OP chart, it's pretty much the low-end restaurants where Democrats are eating (a few exceptions). Apparently, I'm spending alot of time at High-turnout GOP restaurants. Panerra is defintely a GOP hangout here.

 

[rareboy]

Olive Garden isn't low end?

Are U serious?

It was so low rent that it disappeared from the Canadian dining landscape. The food is shit.

It is nice though to see that McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Subway occupy the centre space. Right where I'd want my company to be.

By the way, the chart tells you something about the ages of the people who tend to eat at these places as well. I would be looking at how I'm going to appeal to the younger, generally lower turnout demo if I see my company too high above the voter turnout line for either party.

 

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

Well, we've got 2 Cracker Barrels in town. Guilty...I eat there often. And honestly, there's nothing Cracker about it. The entire mgmnt team, all the servers/cashiers/hostess are black. Some years ago, in another town, there were 2 very out gay waiters who worked at CB for some time.

It's not the crime to eat there it once was. The old guy is dead and they were forced, in an agreement with the DOJ, to write non discrimination policies (welcome to the 20th century!) including sexual orientation into their hiring and business model. Mind you, I personally still wouldn't eat there (and was highly irritated that one of my mother's friends gave her a gift card for one in PA) because they were forced against their will to change and really didn't want to, but, as of today, there are no discriminatory policies in place at Cracker Barrel so I wouldn't tell someone else (other than my own mother) that they shouldn't

 

[chance1]

I just avoid fast food, except an occasional slice of pizza. Egads, Chance, White Castle? I haven't been in one in over 20 years, and even then I was one drink away from unconsciousness.

You don't know what you're missing

The ketchup fights are reason enough to go

There's one in Astoria and in Bayside

The drunker u r the better it tastes

 

[Sammie13]

Low end? I wouldn't call those restaurants republicans are eating at high end. Arby's and Chick-Fil-A certainly don't come off as high end.

I was speaking in broad, general terms. Compare the 2 columns.

Regardless of your west coast perceptions, Cfa is considered much higher end (amongst fast food) than the usual FF suspects. They have a higher end clientele...cleaner stores...friendlier associates. You can go to a street where all of these restaruants sit and quickly you notice Cfa has a much different ambiance. Also, they don't typically put stores in the low income neighborhoods even if all of the other chains exist there. The only time there are somewhat close to bad areas is older Atlanta stores that opened in the '70's and the surrounding locale has deteriorated.

 

[chance1]

Considering that Cracker Barrel discriminated against African Americans and wouldn't hire gay employees until they were forced and well, we all know what Chick-Fil-A is all about you should rephrase that to indicate that it's a CERTAIN KIND (wink wink) of Republican who eats there.

Play nice with the other kids now

 

[maxpowr9]

I think in general, "social conscious" Democrats would avoid chain restaurants altogether and support local businesses, which may be why the chart is skewed more Republican.

 

[Sammie13]

You don't know what you're missing

The ketchup fights are reason enough to go

There's one in Astoria and in Bayside

The drunker u r the better it tastes

Haha! Around here the late night/early morning drunks do Krystal (White Castle of the South) or Waffle House. Usually, you can count on one murder a month after midnight at area Waffle Houses.

 

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

Play nice with the other kids now

Aw gee, I thought I WAS!!! It's not like I said it out loud or nothin'

LuvFinds, they don't have them here in LA, but last I heard the food was less then great at Cracker Barrel.

Dunno, never eaten at one (though they were EVERYWHERE when I lived in VA and the old ladies I worked with just LOOOOOOOVVVEED having lunch there) but I wouldn't really care if the food was good or not. Listen, I fucking LOVED LOVED LOVED the food at Chick-Fil-A and I gave that up (with only one small slip in an airport years ago) so this is no issue. It's a chain so how good could it be anyway? I don't think we have any here in this part of MA (I was quite surprised they came as far north as PA) so it's not like I'm in danger of finding out.

 

[rareboy]

I think in general, "social conscious" Democrats would avoid chain restaurants altogether and support local businesses, which may be why the chart is skewed more Republican.

I would say that this is also true. All of our 'liberal' friends always prefer going to real restaurants...while our more conservative family and friends tend to dine 'corporate'. I think it is also telling that more high turnout Dems are shopping at Whole Foods for fresh ingredients while the implication is that more of the older Repubs are too lazy to bother?

Actually I think that the Whole Foods is an outlier and shouldn't be on this chart.

 

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

I guess one needs to look at states. And it would be interesting to ask those who shop at Whole Foods where they eat out at. Probably restaurants not even listed because they are local higher end businesses. Most of those fast food/chain restaurants listed are not high end. Even the ones on the democrat side.

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but likely democratic voters are traditionally concentrated in larger cities, yes? In larger urban areas there are usually more restaurant options and more of those options are of the non-chain variety. They are, for lack of a better term, mom and pop restaurants (I guess the fancier city restaurants could be called mater and pater?) While in areas not as large, chains tend to flourish more (as they are usually tasty enough, well priced and consistently either good or bad so you know what to expect) because there are fewer local options. I bet a study would show that Republicans as a whole tend to eat at chain restaurants more than democrats (and please, before the hate mail I'm NOT saying it's because they don't have the 'taste' or 'class' of democrats it's just based on location and availability.)

And as far as Cfa ranking higher then other fastfood restaurants that's definitely up for debate.

I know you've said you've never eaten there and I don't suggest you do now but, take it from someone who has, they really ARE that good. You're just gonna have to trust.

ps....White Castle rocks (though I haven't been to one in years since they aren't up here)

 

[chance1]

I think in general, "social conscious" Democrats would avoid chain restaurants altogether and support local businesses, which may be why the chart is skewed more Republican.

Yea that's kinda my point and it should have been included as a side note. It's why I think this chart is generally misleading. I often support local businesses, and not big chains myself.

Lol

Social conscious ?

As for eats, urban areas - poorer folk - go where it's cheapest - what's convenient

Social conscious is a nice concept but u have to have access and it applies primarily to the wealthy

And most poorer urban areas have less access to good eats

The term "food desert" comes to mind

 

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

Dems are shopping at Whole Foods for fresh ingredients while more of the older Repubs are too lazy to bother?

Here's one liberal dem who is fed up to the teeth with both "Whole Foods" and the hipster, pretentious "Whole Foods Crowd." I think they're ridiculously overpriced (around here it's referred to as "Whole Paycheck") and they try way too hard IMO. I may ALSO be a little lazy but I know for sure that I feel judged when I'm in there because I'm hurting the earth by not wanting BROWN paper towels that cost twice as much as the Bounty. That being said, their salad bar is high quality and delicious.

I agree with Chance that Trader Joe's is a helluva lot more fun, authentic, and cool.

If I'm going to shop for fresh ingredients I'm far more likely to shop at a local Brothers' market anyway.

 

[Stardreamer]

It turns out, you really are what you eat.

I guess that means I'm fast, cheap and easy