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Chick-fil-A top choice with students for new restaurant at college. But school officials say no way.
Chick-fil-A was the top choice among students at New Jersey's Rider University for a new restaurant on campus. But Rider officials reportedly looked past the survey and nixed Chick-fil-A because its "corporate values have not sufficiently progressed enough to align with those of Rider." (Photo by Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images)

Chick-fil-A top choice with students for new restaurant at college. But school officials say no way.

Chick-fil-A was the top choice among students at New Jersey's Rider University for a new restaurant on campus, according to Campus Reform, which cited a student survey from last spring.

But despite students' collective desire, Rider officials looked past the survey and nixed Chick-fil-A because “their corporate values have not sufficiently progressed enough to align with those of Rider," Campus Reform added, citing a Nov. 1 email from the school to students the outlet obtained.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Rider officials added that the decision was part of an effort to “promote...inclusion for all people," Campus Reform said.

Chick-fil-A has long faced opposition from leftists due primarily to ownership's support for traditional marriage and corporate values with a decidedly Judaeo-Christian emphasis, such as staying closed on Sundays.

How did a conservative student leader react?

Julia Pickett, president of Rider's Young Americans for Liberty chapter, told the outlet she believes her school's decision isn't fair — but that Rider is private and can do what it wants.

But in regard to Rider nixing Chick-fil-A over the restaurant's corporate values, Pickett told Campus Reform that “they sell chicken, so as far as I am concerned that should be the focus."

She added to the outlet that Rider likely believed that bringing Chick-fil-A on the Lawrenceville campus "would cause unwanted controversy" and that "the easiest fix was to find another restaurant. I wish they would be honest about it though instead of trying to cover it as a deep offense to the school."

What did a Rider official have to say?

“It is important to me and to the university that all voices are heard," Rider Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Jan Friedman-Krupnick told Campus Reform. "There are a number of factors that contribute to a campus’ decision to invite a retail partner on campus. While Chick-fil-A is among other restaurants preferenced by Rider students, there are members of the community (faculty, staff, and students) who strongly opposed the option as well."

Chick-fil-A didn't immediately respond to the outlet's request for comment.

What's been happening in the Chick-fil-A world of late?

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