Check out what's happening at FoxBusiness.com
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Friday he would introduce legislation to withhold federal funding from any city or state government that forces Chick-fil-A to stay open on Sundays.
“This is war,” Graham wrote in one post
A bill filed in the New York State Assembly last week would require some Chick-Fil-A locations to operate every day of the week, despite the fast-food chain's long-standing policy of shutting down its restaurants closed on Sundays for religious reasons.
“If this continues, I will introduce legislation that would withhold federal funding from any city or state that requires @ChickfilA to remain open on Sunday,” Graham added. “New York is off base and their actions will not go unanswered.”
NEW YORK LAW WOULD FORCE SOME CHICK-FIL-A LOCATIONS TO OPEN ON SUNDAYS
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he would introduce legislation to withhold federal funding from any city or state government that requires Chick-fil-A to remain open on Sundays. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP Newsroom)
The New York bill would impact all food vendors operating at New York State Thruway Authority rest areas and require them to remain open every day to provide New Yorkers and travelers in the state with a full range of food options.
“The founders of Chick-fil-A made the early decision to close on Sunday, consistent with their beliefs,” Graham wrote on .” .”
“Chick-fil-A is a great company with thousands of locations that provide the public with a quality product and care for their employees,” the South Carolina senator continued.
The franchise currently has 3,000 locations across the United States, including several restaurants owned by the New York Thruway Authority. New York's proposed law would affect all future contracts.
CHICK-FIL-A OPENS THE 3,000TH RESTAURANT, DONATE $300,000 TO CELEBRATE MILESTONE
The New York bill would require all food vendors operating at New York State Thruway Authority rest stops to open daily. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO by CLICKING HERE
The proposal cites Chick-fil-A as an inspiration for the legislation.
“While there is nothing wrong with a fast food restaurant closing on a particular day of the week, traveler service areas are an inappropriate location for such a restaurant,” the bill’s explanatory note states. “Public service areas should use their space to provide maximum benefit to the public. Allowing retail spaces to remain unused for a seventh of the week or more is a disservice and unnecessary inconvenience to travelers who rely on these service areas.”
Rep. Tony Simone, a Democrat who introduced the bill, said it aims to provide travelers in the Empire State with a variety of dining options, the Associated Press reported.
“Look, if you want to eat fried chicken while traveling over the holidays, then Chick-fil-A should be open on Sundays,” Simone said.
According to Chick-fil-A's website, the franchise has kept stores closed on Sundays since founder S. Truett Cathy opened his first restaurant in 1946 because he “recognized the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his Employees have a day to rest or worship if they want.”
Fox Business' Breck Dumas contributed to this report.