The Sloss Furnaces are now a historic national landmark, but in the late 19th century, they produced iron, which was then turned into steel.

James "Slag" Wormwood was the boss at the furnaces, and it's said that he subjected his employees to some inhumane working conditions.

Labor laws didn't exist at the time, and furnace temperatures often exceeded 100 degrees. A total of 47 men died with Wormwood as their boss, and even Wormwood himself lost his life in the furnaces when he slipped and fell into the iron ore, causing his body to melt, Travel South USA reported.

Wormwood and his workers are believed to haunt the furnaces to this day.

Kennecott is a remote Alaskan town that's been mostly abandoned since 1950.

The town was a hub for copper mining from 1911 to 1938, but after the area's copper supply was diminished, Kennecott's population dwindled.

Today, many rickety wooden buildings still stand in Kennecott, and many people believe that they are haunted by former miners and railroad workers, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

The Lost Dutchman gold mine is believed to be situated in a state park in Apache Junction, Arizona, although its exact location is unclear.

The park is said to be haunted by the spirits of people who died over the years searching for the mine, the Phoenix New Times reported.

The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, takes pride in its reputation as a haunted hotel.

Guests can join ghost tours and catch a glimpse of several ghosts who reportedly haunt the property, including one known as "the girl in the mist."

According to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Bodie, California, is a ghost town turned state park that offers a taste of life during the gold rush of the late 1800s.

Many homes and other buildings are still standing in the town today. Some people believe that the town is haunted by former residents, Legends of America reported.

St. Elmo, Colorado, was a thriving mining town in the late 1800s, though it was abandoned as soon as the area's mines shut down, History Colorado reported.

The ghost town has been well-maintained, allowing visitors to get a sense of life in the late 19th century. They might even catch a glimpse of ghosts of former residents.

There's a particularly popular ghost story about Annabelle Stark, a woman from St. Elmo who is said to have continued living there even after the town was entirely abandoned.

Connecticut History reported that the Old Newgate Prison was the first prison in the state of Connecticut, operating from 1773 to 1827. Most notably, it once held prisoners of war during the Revolutionary War.

Many people believe that the site is haunted by soldiers and prisoners who died while trying to escape from the prison. 

Fort Delaware is situated on its own island, accessible only by ferry. It was built as a Union fortress during the Civil War and was later used as a prison for Confederate soldiers.

Many prisoners died while held captive, and their ghosts are believed to haunt the property today, the Delaware News Journal reported.

Paranormal tours are currently being offered on Friday and Saturday nights, but visitors need to make a reservation.

The Old St. Johns County Jail no longer houses inmates, although the spirits of many of St. Augustine's violent criminals reportedly still haunt the historic jail.

The jail is now a museum, and visitors can go on nighttime "Old Jail After Dark" tours to try to spot the ghosts for themselves. 

Aside from being a beautiful Southern city with tons of history, Savannah, Georgia, is also said to be haunted.

The Lucas Theatre is just one of the city's haunted locales.

According to a local tour company, visitors to the historic theater have reported ghost sightings, including shadowy figures and sounds of applause, even when there's no one around.

The 'Iolani Palace was once home to Hawaii's royalty, although today it serves as a museum of Hawaiian history.

Queen Lili'uokalani and other Hawaiian royals are said to haunt the palace. One room in the museum is notorious for supernatural activity — visitors have reported hearing mysterious music and chanting, Honolulu Magazine reported.

According to the Idaho State Historical Society, the Old Idaho Penitentiary housed some of the area's most dangerous criminals for over 100 years until it closed in 1973.

Visitors can now explore the expansive property in Boise, including jail cells that are reportedly haunted by former inmates.

The Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, has almost too many ghost stories to count. The hotel was built for the World's Fair in 1893, and there have been tales of paranormal activity ever since.

For example, the serial killer H.H. Holmes is said to have lured his victims to the hotel. Hotel guests have also reported seeing the ghosts of Al Capone and a ghost called Peg Leg Johnny around the property, Choose Chicago reported.

And if all that isn't spooky enough, the hotel is reportedly the inspiration behind Stephen King's short story, "1408."

The Indiana Medical History Museum is situated in the oldest surviving pathology building in the United States. It is also said to be haunted by the spirits of former patients of Central State Hospital.

The museum, located in Indianapolis, is home to recreations of amphitheaters and laboratories that were once used by the hospital, which treated a variety of different mental-health-related illnesses from 1848 until the late 1990s, according to the museum.

According to the house's official website, six members of the Moore family, plus two houseguests, were brutally killed by an ax murderer who was never identified on June 10, 1912. Their restless spirits are said to still haunt the grounds.

Guests can visit the house during the daytime, but to experience it in its full creepiness, you can make a reservation to spend the night.

A haunted cemetery? No surprise there. However, Stull Cemetery in Kansas is known to be particularly spooky. 

The cemetery is located in a tiny, nearly abandoned town outside of Lawrence. It has reportedly been the site of witchcraft and other supernatural activity over the years.

The Waverly Hills Sanatorium started as a one-room schoolhouse in the late 1800s. The Board of Tuberculosis Hospital later purchased the land and built the sanatorium, which opened in 1910 as a small quarantine for tuberculosis patients.

The large building that now stands abandoned was built in 1926 to meet the need for a larger facility; the sanatorium could house over 400 patients, according to its website.

Waverly Hills was its own community, complete with a ZIP code, post office, and water treatment facility. Everyone in the sanatorium — patients, nurses, doctors — was cut off from the outside world. It closed in 1961 after the discovery of an antibiotic that cured tuberculosis.

However, it's believed that some patients never left and still haunt the grounds. Visitors can participate in ghost tours on the hospital grounds during the fall season.

One of the most notable people buried at the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans is Marie Laveau, a voodoo priestess who died in 1881, according to the New Orleans Historical Society.

Given her unique profession, many people believe Laveau's spirit remains present in the cemetery to this day.

Atlas Obscura reported that actor Nicolas Cage bought a burial tomb in the cemetery, so there's no telling about the cemetery's haunted future.

The Wood Island Lighthouse is one of the many beautiful lighthouses on Maine's coastline. It differs, however, in that it's said to be haunted.

In fact, the television show "Ghost Hunters" visited the lighthouse in 2006 to investigate paranormal activity in the area, according to the official Wood Island Lighthouse website.

Many people visit the Antietam National Battlefield in Washington County, Maryland, to learn about the history of the Civil War.

However, others visit to explore the supernatural activity at the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War.

Given the site's history, it's understandable why many people believe the battlefield is full of spirits. The area is said to be haunted by the ghosts of the soldiers who were killed there in 1862, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.

The Mount in Lenox, Massachusetts, is a historic estate that was once home to the writer Edith Wharton. Aside from being a beautifully restored architectural masterpiece, the estate also has a haunted history.

When she was alive, Wharton herself often wrote about ghosts, so it's no surprise that her former home may be haunted.

Visitors can see for themselves on one of the estate's ghost tours, both online and, hopefully, in person later this season. 

From cold spots and doors slamming to odd shadows, the Detroit Masonic Temple reportedly has it all.

One ghost in particular said to haunt the 1,037-room building is that of George D. Mason, one of its architects, according to the Detroit Historical Society.

However, while legend goes that Mason, distraught over financial losses and the death of his wife, died by suicide by jumping off the top of the 210-foot building, the historical society says this isn't true. 

"While the story makes for a great Halloween horror tale, it is not true," the Detroit Historical Society states on its website. "George Mason died in 1948 at 91 years old in his home in the Wilshire Apartment building on Grand Boulevard."

The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, is the oldest surviving theater in the city, and its rich history is accompanied by some ghost stories.

The theater is perhaps best known for its production of Garrison Keillor's variety show, "A Prairie Home Companion," which began in 1974.

Over the years, visitors to the theater have reported sightings of a ghost named Ben, who apparently used to work on the site as a stagehand, Minnesota Haunted Houses reported.

King's Tavern in Natchez, Mississippi, now operates as a cooking school where Chef Regina Charboneau hosts cooking classes and dinners, although it once had many stories to accompany its hundreds of years of history, including some that involve ghosts.

According to one blog, the ghost of the mistress of the tavern's first owner — who is said to have been murdered there — reportedly haunted the restaurant.

The Governor's Mansion in Jefferson City, Missouri, is one of the state's most beautiful historic buildings, dating back to 1871.

In 1882, the governor's family experienced a tragedy when their 9-year-old daughter, Carrie, died from diphtheria.

Years later, a construction worker who was renovating the mansion reported seeing a young girl playing in the attic, the News Tribune reported in 2014.

Some people believe that he saw the ghost of Carrie.

Now a popular wedding and event venue, the Daly Mansion has a reportedly haunted history.

Over the years, the staff at the estate have reported occurrences of paranormal activity, including a gold picture frame that is frequently found removed from the wall and placed on the ground, the Billings Gazette reported.

With gravestones in Ball Cemetery dating back to the late 1860s, this historic cemetery is one of the oldest in the state.

Multiple spirits have reportedly been sighted here, including a tall, angry man who has been seen kicking over gravestones and a woman named Mary Mumford, who is said to tug at visitors' clothes, according to Nebraska Haunted Houses.

The Bowers Mansion is a stately home in Washoe City, Nevada, with a spooky history.

The home once belonged to local millionaires Eilley and Sandy Bowers, and, as legend has it, after Sandy died, his wife held seances to try to conjure his spirit, Nevada Ghost Towns and Beyond reported.

It's unclear whether she ever managed to reach her husband, although visitors report seeing mysterious figures around the property to this day. 

This historic government building in Alton, New Hampshire, is not only a beautiful landmark but also the site of reported paranormal activity, as New Hampshire Magazine reported in 2020.

Locals have reported seeing furniture that moves, doors that open and close on their own, and hearing mysterious voices. 

The Pine Barrens in New Jersey are one of the state's spookiest locations.

Condé Nast Traveler reported that the forest spans seven counties and is home to numerous ghost towns.

During the colonial era, the area was bustling with sawmills, paper mills, and towns to accompany them; however, these industries were all abandoned when coal was discovered in Pennsylvania.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that it's also said to be home to the infamous Jersey Devil, a beast that the Pinelands Preservation Alliance describes as "a kangaroo-like creature with the face of a horse, the head of a dog, bat-like wings, horns, and a tail."

The Luna Mansion, a historic 19th-century estate near Albuquerque, New Mexico, operated as a restaurant until closing in 2020. In 2026, the property began preparing to reopen as an event venue under new ownership, with a haunted-house experience planned for October, according to a local news website.

When the site operated as a restaurant, visitors reported seeing ghosts from the estate's past, including a woman named Josefina, who was the home's interior decorator.

Legends of America reported that one sighting included a rocking chair — placed under her portrait — rocking without anyone in it.

"I hear things," general manager Farid Himeur told KOAT in 2017. "I see things that aren't supposed to happen."

Letchworth Village is a former psychiatric hospital that has fallen into a state of complete disrepair, Hudson Valley Magazine reported in 2020.

Located in Thiells, New York, the campus spans 2,000 acres and features various medical buildings, dormitories, and a synagogue.

Like many hospitals and institutions, Letchworth Village is allegedly haunted by the spirits of former patients, and was even featured on the Travel Channel's popular series "Ghost Adventures."

The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is an iconic fixture on the North Carolina coastline, said to be haunted by a woman named Theodosia Burr, according to a local travel website.

Burr, the daughter of Founding Father Aaron Burr and a character mentioned in the hit musical "Hamilton," was killed in a shipwreck in 1812.

She is believed to haunt the lighthouse and the surrounding shore.

The lighthouse is closed for climbing through at least the end of 2026, with plans to potentially reopen in the summer of 2027.

Fort Abraham Lincoln's history dates back to 1872.

George Armstrong Custer, a lieutenant colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War, built the fort but died just four years after its completion. 

People who visit the fort today have reported seeing the ghost of Custer and his wife on the property, local news station KX News.

Now overgrown and covered in graffiti, the Moonville Tunnel is a favorite spot among urban explorers and ghost hunters in Ohio.

The tunnel was once used by the local railroad, although it has been in disrepair for years. According to a local legend, some of the ghosts that haunt the tunnel include an old engineer and a railway brakeman.

The unique architecture of the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, which dates back to 1911, is striking. The hotel reportedly even offered a private room where guests could drink alcohol during Prohibition, Historic Hotels of America reported.

Opposing NBA teams often stay at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel when they visit the city to play the Oklahoma City Thunder. Over the years, many players have reported ghost sightings, specifically of a woman named Effie who died at the hotel, The New York Times reported.

Travel Portland reported that the Shanghai Tunnels in Portland get their name from the practice of kidnapping and selling men as workers on ships headed to East Asia.

Restless, agitated spirits of men who were drugged and trafficked in the city's ports during the early 19th century are said to haunt the underground tunnels through which they were reportedly sold.

Legend has it that the local saloons had entrances to the tunnels, enabling swindlers to prey on unsuspecting patrons and bring them directly underground before they even knew what was happening.

Visitors can take walking tours to learn more about the dark history of the tunnels.

During its heyday, Eastern State Penitentiary was one of the most expensive and well-known prisons in the world. According to the official Eastern State Penitentiary website, it was built in 1829 and housed notable criminals, including Al Capone and the bank robber known as "Slick Willie."

Up until overcrowding became a problem in 1913, prisoners were kept in complete solitude at all times. Even when prisoners left their cell, a guard would cover their heads so they couldn't see and no one could see them.

Today, the decaying penitentiary offers ghost tours and a museum. Condé Nast Traveler reported that shadowy figures, laughter, and footsteps have all been reported as paranormal activity within the prison walls.

The Breakers Mansion is a popular museum for tourists in Newport, Rhode Island, but is said to have paranormal activity.

Alice Vanderbilt, the matriarch of the wealthy Vanderbilt family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, lived in the mansion for many years after her husband, Cornelius, died.

Her ghost is said to still roam the giant home, Nostalgia Providence reported.

Besides bearing the distinction of South Carolina's oldest bridge, Poinsett is also believed by many to be a particularly spooky spot, Condé Nast Traveler reported.

The bridge, which was built entirely out of stone in 1820, is rumored to be haunted by multiple ghosts.

There's the story of the mason who died while building the bridge; his body is said to be entombed inside it. There's also the story of a man who died here in a car accident in the '50s and an enslaved person who was lynched near the bridge.

The Bullock Hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota, is reportedly haunted by Deadwood's first Sheriff, Seth Bullock.

According to the hotel's website, guests and staff have seen items "inexplicably moved by unseen hands," and showers turn on out of nowhere.

The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis has survived bankruptcies, a fire, and a threat of demolition since it opened in 1928, according to the theater's website.

Furnished with 2,000-pound chandeliers and gold leafing, its stunning interior seats 2,000 people, but there's also plenty of room for spirits.

A little girl named Mary is one of six ghosts that have been spotted in the theater, according to The Tennessee State Museum. Performers onstage have spotted her in the audience of their shows, and theatergoers have seen her dancing in the lobby.

The Alamo is one of the most iconic monuments in the US.

Given its extensive history, it's understandable why many people believe the site is haunted.

History buffs interested in paranormal activity can go on ghost tours of the site in hopes of catching a glimpse of the spirits of those who died there during the 1836 Battle of the Alamo. 

The Fort Douglas Military Museum was formerly known simply as Fort Douglas. Located near the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, the military fort dates back to 1862.

The Daily Utah Chronicle reported in 2014 that visitors to the museum spoke of sightings of a ghost named Clem, a soldier who died at the fort.

Reports of paranormal activity include seeing a figure in Civil War military garb and people feeling something — or someone — breathing down their necks. 

The museum is temporarily closed but will reopen on November 14th.

New England is known for its beautiful covered bridges.

However, Emily's Bridge in Stowe, Vermont, is said to be haunted.

According to the Vermont Historical Society, local legend has it that sometime between 1849 and 1949, a young woman named Emily killed herself on the bridge after she was jilted by her lover.

Local lore holds that her spirit has haunted the area ever since, although the historical society claims there is no evidence to suggest that anyone died at the site.

This cemetery was originally named after Stonewall Jackson, the Confederate general who is buried on the site, but was renamed to Oak Grove Cemetery in 2020.

Located in Lexington, Virginia, the cemetery is said to be haunted by Jackson and other Civil War soldiers, according to the official Visit Virginia website.

Located in northern Washington, this former hospital was once a fully self-sustaining psychiatric facility.

The Northern State Mental Hospital operated from 1912 to 1976, and although it has been closed for many years, many of its buildings still stand today.

It's said that thousands of patients may have died here, and a graveyard behind the old gymnasium has many unmarked graves.

However, the Seattle Times reported in 2023 that two never-before-released death registers contain information on patients who died at Northern State Hospital between 1911 and 1963.

Some of the hospital's expansive property now operates as a recreational area, although it's said to be haunted by former patients. 

Originally built as a place of healing, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum welcomed its first patients in 1864.

According to the hospital's official website, it hit its peak in 1950 when the psychiatric hospital was home to 2,400 patients, many of whom endured lobotomies and electroshock therapy.

Mental health reforms and the building's poor condition led to the hospital's closure in 1994. However, many patients died there during the facility's 130 years of operation. Some are believed to haunt the building's halls, which is why it attracts visitors and ghost hunters.

Visitors interested in exploring paranormal activity can join ghost tours on the site.

The Pfister Hotel is popular among professional athletes who visit Milwaukee for games, although the hotel's haunted history has made many guests skeptical about staying there.

Guests have reported hearing mysterious knocking sounds and voices.

The Los Angeles Times reported in 2005 that Adrián Beltré of the Los Angeles Dodgers said he couldn't sleep during his stay at the Pfister because of the strange noises. 

A stay at the Historic Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming, is like taking a step back in time to the Old West.

Famous figures from the era, like Butch Cassidy, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill, and even President Theodore Roosevelt, have visited the hotel over the years.

Given the hotel's rich history, it's no surprise that some people believe it is haunted by former guests, and it was even featured on the Travel Channel's "Dead Files."

The small roadside diner was later renamed when it became one of the chain's "Dwarf Houses." The original location previously served as one of 12 Chick-fil-A locations, offering modern favorites and items from the original restaurant's "blue menu."

The first restaurant to bear the name Chick-fil-A opened in the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta in 1967.

According to the company, the restaurant occupied just 384 square feet, and some have credited the chain with being an "early pioneer" of what would become the modern mall food court.

Free-standing locations are now the norm for Chick-fil-A, and mall locations are much less common.

The first-ever drive-thru-only Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in 1993 in Greenville, South Carolina. By eliminating dining rooms in these locations, the restaurants were designed to be faster and more convenient for customers.

The chain, which was founded in Georgia, still has its headquarters there, and is regarded as a "Southern" fast-food chain. However, restaurants can actually be found in 48 different states as well as Washington, DC.

In 2019, Chick-fil-A expanded internationally by opening its first location in Toronto. Later that year, the chain opened its first restaurant in the United Kingdom.

The chain now has locations across Canada, Puerto Rico, the UK, and Singapore.

The chain's tag line used to read, "The best thing that ever happened to a Chicken."

The "A" in Chick-fil-A comes from both a play on the word "fillet" and a nod to the "grade-A top quality chicken" used in Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwiches.

The "Eat Mor Chikin" slogan, accompanied by two "rebel cows," debuted in 1995 on an Atlanta billboard, according to the company.

The campaign quickly gained traction and is now regarded as one of Chick-fil-A's most famous and successful advertising campaigns.

Menu items included everything from waffles to sandwiches, steak and potatoes, and the chain's famous Hot Brown, a hot casserole dish made with lean white meat chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes, cheese, and bacon. 

Launched in 1986, the first item added to the breakfast menu was the Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit.

Today, the Chick-fil-A menu typically includes more than 50 items.

The Dwarf Grill served both hamburgers and cheeseburgers, which the restaurant's menu said were made from "100% choice beef, chopped in our kitchen." Served on a large toasted bun, the menu also boldly said that "they're the best."

Business Insider's Hayley Peterson tried the burger for herself when she visited the Dwarf House, and she found the patty "thick and flavorful" and that the cheese "melted perfectly between the patty and the bun."

In 1964, Truett Cathy created the recipe for Chick-fil-A's original chicken sandwich: a fried, boneless chicken breast nestled between two buttered buns and topped with two pickles.

Though the sandwich soon shot to popularity at the Dwarf House, the invention was odd compared to other fast-food offerings and food tastes of the time.

However, Cathy's bet on chicken would soon pay off.

Though Chick-fil-A has expanded immensely since the launch of its chicken sandwich, the recipe has remained virtually the same.

Introduced as a health-conscious option for Chick-fil-A customers, Cathy introduced the original grilled chicken sandwich alongside the deluxe grilled chicken sandwich, which included the same pickle-juice-marinated grilled chicken, pickles, and white bun, along with lettuce and tomato.

According to the restaurant's website, Cathy tested more than 1,200 recipes to perfect the chain's grilled chicken recipe.

"While we recognize that not everyone enjoys spicy food, for the growing customer constituency that does, our Spicy Chicken Sandwich offers a unique, well-balanced and craveable spicy flavor," William F. Faulk, Chick-fil-A's vice president of innovation and new ventures, said in a press release at the time.

"The batter on the outside is light and crispy, and the okra inside is hot and juicy, with a hint of salt," Business Insider's Hayley Peterson said in a previous article.

The chain began selling waffle fries in 1985, with the unique shape chosen as a perfect vehicle for dipping sauces.

The first Chick-fil-A nuggets came in a six-count box, inspired by customers asking restaurant employees to cut up pieces of its signature chicken sandwich so they could eat them by hand or serve bite-sized nuggets at parties.

"We are still serving the same delicious nuggets today that we started with," Shona Jonson, senior manager of culinary, product strategy, and development at Chick-fil-A, once said.

Today, Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets come in 5-, 8-, 12-, or 30-count packs. 

The item first appeared on the chain's kids' menu before being added to the main menu.

Cathy's impact on Chick-fil-A is undeniable, from his decades working at the Dwarf Grill to the invention of the chain's famous chicken sandwich.

Another part of Cathy's legacy that contributed to Chick-fil-A's success was its unique process for hiring franchisees, which also upheld the chain's values of "customer first, personal excellence, continuous improvement, working together, and stewardship."

As the creator of the first Chick-fil-A scholarship fund for restaurant employees, Cathy left a legacy that inspired franchisees and employees across the country to continue his mission of building a customer- and employee-focused fast-food chain.

Dan T. Cathy was made CEO in 2013, two years before his father died. Cathy worked alongside his brother, Donald "Bubba" Cathy, who still serves as executive vice president of the chicken chain and president of the company's Dwarf House and Truett's Grill restaurant concepts.

Both Donald and Dan T. Cathy recall growing up in their father's early restaurants, doing odd jobs like scraping gum from underneath tables and spending time in the Hapeville Dwarf House.

Dan T. Cathy stepped down as CEO of Chick-fil-A on November 1, 2021, but still serves as chairman of the company. He was succeeded by his son, Andrew Cathy.

Chick-fil-A's contentious reputation largely stems from donations made by Chick-fil-A to charities criticized for anti-LGBTQ+ positions, as well as comments made by Dan T. Cathy in 2012.

According to a previous article by Business Insider, the Cathy family and Chick-fil-A donated millions of dollars to groups opposing same-sex marriage, from Christian charities to "more extreme" anti-LGBTQ+ lobbying organizations through the WinShape Foundation.

Some of these organizations included Fellowship of Christian Athletes, an athletic organization that, according to Vox, requires applicants to sign a "sexual purity statement" that condemns LGBTQ+ relationships, the Marriage & Family Foundation, which has spoken out against marriage equality, and Exodus International, a group that supported the use of gay-conversion therapy.

In the interview, Cathy said that he believed in the "biblical definition of the family unit," or that a marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Protests ensued nationwide, including a number of "kiss-ins" led by LGBTQ+ activists, at Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country, CNN reported.

Others came out in support of the chain and Cathy's comments. Following the controversy and subsequent calls to boycott the brand, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee created a Facebook page encouraging people to participate in "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" and to buy food from the chain that day, Huffington Post reported.

Cathy did little to quell criticism of his comments when he later clarified his position in a 2012 radio interview, saying, "As it relates to society in general, I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, 'We know better than you do as to what constitutes marriage.'"

In 2002, a Houston Chick-fil-A restaurant manager sued the chain for discrimination, Forbes reported. The employee, who is Muslim, said he was fired one day after refusing to pray to Jesus along with their fellow coworkers during a training session.

At the time, Jerry Johnston, a spokesperson for Chick-fil-A, told the Houston Chronicle that the company had not yet been served with a lawsuit and therefore couldn't comment on the dispute, My Plainview reported. Forbes states that the suit was settled out of court on undisclosed terms.

Then, in 2011, a Pennsylvania Chick-fil-A prompted a nationwide boycott of the chain when the restaurant provided free lunch to a Valentine's Day marriage seminar sponsored by the Pennsylvania Family Institute, a controversial "pro-family" group that has spoken out against same-sex marriage.

The decision prompted criticism, including a petition that gathered thousands of signatures urging Chick-fil-A to stop discriminating against LGBTQ+ people. However, the franchise in question claimed the decision to donate food was not motivated by any anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments.

"It's absolutely, categorically blown out of proportion," the Pennsylvania franchise owner Brian Gibson said, Penn Live reported. "We donate food all the time. We certainly don't take into consideration anyone's political affiliations or anything like that. We just like to feed people."

Dan T. Cathy released a statement in 2011 following the accusations that Chick-fil-A was anti-LGBTQ+, saying, "In recent weeks, we have been accused of being anti-gay. We have no agenda against anyone. At the heart and soul of our company, we are a family business that serves and values all people regardless of their beliefs or opinions. We seek to treat everyone with honor, dignity, and respect, and believe in the importance of loving your neighbor as yourself."

Cathy continued, saying, "While my family and I believe in the Biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees ... Chick-fil-A's Corporate Purpose is 'To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us, and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.' As a result, we will not champion any political agendas on marriage and family."

The Daily Beast reported on June 1, 2021, that the National Christian Charitable Foundation (NCF) has donated money to groups actively fighting legislation to protect LGBTQ+ rights in the US. Among the organization's "high-dollar donors" is Chick-fil-A's CEO, Dan Cathy.

The National Christian Charitable Foundation is one of the largest charitable organizations in the country and supports thousands of charities and causes. Among them are the Heritage Foundation and the legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom, both of which strongly oppose the Equality Act.

Chick-fil-A itself has not donated any funds to Christian charities or political groups in recent years, saying in 2019 that it would instead support charities focused on "three specific initiatives of homelessness, hunger, and education." 

In 2019, Chick-fil-A announced it would no longer donate to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army, two groups that have been criticized as being anti-LGBTQ+.

"We made multiyear commitments to both organizations, and we fulfilled those obligations in 2018. Moving forward, you will see that the Chick-fil-A Foundation will support the three specific initiatives of homelessness, hunger, and education," a Chick-fil-A representative said in a statement to Business Insider.

However, some LGBTQ+ advocates said that while they were hopeful about the decision, Chick-fil-A still has a ways to go before it can be considered truly inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.

"In addition to refraining from financially supporting anti-LGBTQ organizations, Chick-fil-A still lacks policies to ensure safe workplaces for LGBTQ+ employees and should unequivocally speak out against the anti-LGBTQ+ reputation that their brand represents," Drew Anderson, the director of campaigns and rapid response for GLAAD, an organization that condemns LGBTQ+ discrimination, said in a statement in 2019.

When asked to comment on the company's past controversies and criticism from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in 2026, Cathy offered a diplomatic response, emphasizing the company's commitment to serving "anybody" who walks through the door.

"We've always been focused on serving great food and hospitality, and so for anybody that comes in the door, we're going to continue to do that," he said in a recent interview with NBC News.

Business Insider previously reported that anti-same-sex-marriage comments said by Dan T. Cathy in 2012, controversial donations, and resulting backlash over the years have done little to slow Chick-fil-A's growth.

Today, Chick-fil-A is the third-largest chain in America and has frequently been voted the most popular chain among customers.

Nation's Restaurant News reported that the company generated nearly $24 billion in sales in 2025 and operates over 3,000 locations nationwide.

One thing is for sure — while Chick-fil-A has an undeniably controversial past, there's no stopping the chicken chain from winning over customers nationwide, one chicken sandwich at a time.