FACT CHECK: Viral Image Claims Chick-Fil-A Will Now Open On Sundays ‘Only For Black People’
A viral Instagram post claims fast food chain Chick-fil-A will now open on Sundays “but only for black people.”
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Verdict: False
Chick-fil-A restaurants remain closed on Sundays. The claim originates from a satire website.
Fact Check:
Many companies released statements voicing their support for protests against police brutality and racial inequality after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on May 25 in Minneapolis police custody, according to BBC News. In recent days, some social media users have shared posts claiming Chick-fil-A will forgo its practice of closing on Sundays for black people.
“#chickfila Now Open On Sunday But Only For Black People,” reads a June 19 Instagram post. “Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy announced yesterday that his fast-food restaurant will be ending its long-standing policy on Sunday closure, but only for black people.” (RELATED: Did Chick-Fil-A Issue ‘Back The Blue’ Shirts In Response To Recent Protests Against Police Brutality?)
But the Instagram post’s claim is inaccurate. Chick-fil-A is known for being closed every Sunday, a practice stemming from founder Truett Cathy’s Christian faith, so such a change in policy would have been picked up by media outlets, yet no credible reports could be found. Nor is there any mention of a change in the restaurant’s operating hours on Chick-fil-A’s website.
The claim appears to stem from an article, titled “Chick-Fil-A Now Open On Sunday But Only For Black People,” that the satirical website The Babylon Bee published on the same day as the Instagram post. The text and image of the Instagram post appear to be lifted nearly word-for-word from the satirical article.
The Babylon Bee includes clear disclaimers that the article should not be taken as fact, describing itself as “the world’s best satire site.” The Instagram post, however, fails to include any indication that the story is satirical, leading some social media users to share it as real news.
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