On Wednesday — dubbed “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” by former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee — lines are stretching out the front door and the parking lot is packed with customers coming out to support company chief executive Dan Cathy, who recently came out against same-sex marriage with statements that have polarized lovers of the fast-food chain.

Andrew, a gay 24-year-old who has been working at the northern Alabama Chick-fil-A since January, sat in his car smoking a cigarette and watching the crowd during a break earlier Wednesday. “I call it hater appreciation day,” said Andrew, who asked that his last name be withheld out of fear he’d be fired. “It’s very, very depressing.”

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