Chick-fil-A Supporters Eat a Lot Mor Chikin

Restaurants see flood of customers in day of organized support.

Thousands of people across the United States heeded the call of two former Republican U.S. presidential candidates to eat at Chick-fil-A on Wednesday to show support for the chain restaurant as it weathers criticism for its president's public opposition to gay marriage.

Business was so brisk at some of the privately owned chain's more than 1,600 locations that employees directed traffic in parking lots, lines remained long well past the lunch hour, and managers spoke of record sales.