Chicken joint becomes unlikely location for pro- and anti-gay marriage supporters, as ire builds over CEO's anti-gay stance

The hub of the same-sex marriage debate in the US moves to an unlikely location this week – the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A.

Courtesy of Mike Huckabee, Fox News contributor and former Republican presidential candidate, Wednesday is "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day". Friday, meanwhile, has been designated "National Same-Sex Kiss Day" by the gay rights group Glaad.

The political face-off has come about because the CEO of the restaurant chain – which exhorts its customers to "eat mor chikin" – recently affirmed his opposition to same-sex unions, and the company has donated to anti-gay groups.

Huckabee, naturally, supports Chick-fil-A's stand. To show his appreciation, he put out a plea for people to patronize their local Chick-fil-A joint or show support for the restaurant on social media. Huckabee requests no protests or demonstrations, just for people to spend money at the Chick-fil-A restaurant. On his site, he wrote:

The goal is simple: let's affirm a business that operates on Christian principles, and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the Godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick fil-A on Wednesday, August 1. Too often, those on the left make corporate statements to show support for same sex marriage, abortion, or profanity, but if Christians affirm traditional values, we're considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers, and intolerant.

By encouraging customers to eat at Chick-fil-A – where a classic chicken sandwich is loaded with 440 calories, 1400 mg of sodium, 60 mg of cholesterol and 16 g of fat – the former Arkansas governor is disavowing his early 2000's health food kick, where he dropped 105 pounds after removing fast food from his diet and exercising.

More than 580,000 people are attending Huckabee's Facebook event, which has received support from several conservative power players including Rick Santorum, Citizens United and the Rev Billy Graham.

Days before Huckabee launched his appreciation event, Glaad announced its own chicken-sandwich related piece of activism, with National Same-Sex Kiss Day – conveniently located at Chick-Fil-A. As of Tuesday, Glaad's Facebook group had more than 8,500 supporters, but their support is spread across a variety of Facebook events and groups, with the greatest at 1,000 supporters.

Unlike Huckabee's Christian crew, the same-sex marriage supporters are making a demand for action, with Glaad encouraging people to fill the stores and post photos and videos of their same-sex kiss.

Glaad is also encouraging same-sex supporters who can't make it to a Chick-fil-A to donate the $6.20 cost of a combo meal to their organisation.

Chick-fil-A – a private company – became a focal point in the same-sex marriage debate when Don Cathy, thecompany's CEO, affirmed his opposition to same-sex marriage. Chick-fil-A has donated millions to anti-gay groups, but comments from Cathy revealed his anti-same sex marriage stance. In an interview with the Baptist Press, Cathy said:

"We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."

Cathy's comments ignited an acrimonious battle at stores and online, as activists from both sides argued about Chick-fil-A's political stance. Big-city mayors weighed in on the battle with many publicly denouncing the fast food joint.

Boston mayor Thomas Menino wrote an angry letter urging Chick-fil-A to reconsider plans to open a location in the city and San Francisco mayor Edwin Lee tweeted:

Edwin Lee (@mayoredlee) Closest # ChickFilA to San Francisco is 40 miles away & I strongly recommend that they not try to come any closer.

Then, former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin demonstrated her support for the restaurant by sharing a photo of her and husband Todd inside a Texas Chick-fil-A.