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Chick-fil-A Boycott Planned for New Queens Location, Officials Say

 The company is anti-LGBT, Councilman Danny Dromm said.
The company is anti-LGBT, Councilman Danny Dromm said.
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ELMHURST — National chain Chick-fil-A plans to open its first location in the borough at the Queens Center Mall — but not everyone's excited to eat more chicken.

The company's first Queens restaurant is set to open this fall, an effort to serve "existing and new customers great food with remarkable service," a spokeswoman said.

"We look forward to opening our first restaurant in Queens and serving all of our customers delicious food in an environment of genuine hospitality."

But statements made in 2012 by a company executive blasting same-sex marriage, and millions of dollars donated to anti-gay groups, has prompted calls for a boycott from Councilman Danny Dromm.

"Chick-fil-A is anti-LGBT," he said in a statement.

"This group imparts a strong anti-LGBT message by forcing their employees and volunteers to adhere to a policy that prohibits same-sex love.  It is outrageous that Chick-fil-A is quietly spreading its message of hate by funding these types of organizations."

Mayor Bill de Blasio also spoke out against the chain's newest restaurant at an unrelated press conference Tuesday — noting they have every right to open, but New Yorkers shouldn't eat there.

"What the ownership of Chick-fil-A has said is wrong," he said.

"I’m certainly not going to patronize them and I wouldn’t urge any other New Yorker to patronize them. But they do have a legal right."

The company has three other restaurants in Manhattan, with plans to open more throughout the city.

A spokeswoman for Chick-fil-A said the company has 80,000 employees who all represent different backgrounds and beliefs and their focus is on great service and food. 

"The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their beliefs, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender," she said.

She also noted donations to groups across the city, including Harlem RBI and New York Cares.