When I’m feeling somewhat self-destructive, and want to shorten my life span by eating hideously unhealthy food, a careful set of criteria has to be considered before making my insta-food decision.

Time and inebriation are obviously two of the overwhelming factors.  For example, if I was to find myself meandering home from a much-frequented watering hole at some stage after midnight, Taco Bell’s 99 cent menu establishes number one ranking.

If, by chance, you find yourself feeling international, ‘Mexican’ grill Chipotle – or even Kentucky Fried Chicken, depending on how you view the southern regions of the United States – come to the fore.

And while those factors are just a handful of those that have to be considered in the quest to quiet stomach rumblings, the company’s stance on gay marriage was never one I had imagined.

Yet after the controversial comments from Atlanta-based chain Chick-fil-A, many people are doing just that.

Chick-fil-A has never been one to shy away from its conservative roots, donating significant funds to the Christian endeavors and keeping its doors closed on Sundays. Not many people seemed to mind the somewhat bible-founded policies, except for when searching for a hangover-curing feed on a seedy Sunday morning.

However, comments from company President Dan Cathy made when speaking on the Ken Coleman Show recently, changed the entire narrative surrounding the fast food chain.

‘I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about,’ decreed Cathy.

And with that, fast food suddenly became political.

Boston’s Mayor pledged to keep the chain out of his city, meanwhile some Chicago politicians threatened to block the opening of any further franchises in the Second City, while the city’s Mayor damning stated that ‘Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members.’

The backlash wasn’t just limited to City Halls’ and Municipal Courts’, with public outrage quickly spreading across social media channels. The LGBT rights debate is one of the more contentious in the current public scope, and thanks to its much publicised anti-LGBT remarks, Chick-fil-A became the face of the anti-side, and subsequently the target of the pro-side.

But forgive me for thinking of this Kentucky Fried scandal as a storm in a teacup.

That isn’t to say that I support the Georgian chain’s stance, but rather that it would be counter-productive to begin making commercial decisions based on the societal beliefs either stated, or conveyed by their corporate actions.

Does purchasing a pair of shoes by a company which exploits child labour, or talking into a smartphone where the company is known to pay its workers well below the minimum wage in a developing country, mean that I support any of this?

Of course not.  Just as at Chick-fil-A doesn’t determine my stance towards the LGBT community.

While many strive to create a narrative around the company, it’s worth taking a step back and pausing momentarily in careful consideration.

But remember, it’s just a sandwich, not a lifestyle choice.

Liam Quinn is a second-year Bachelor of Journalism student at La Trobe University, and is currently on exchange Michigan State University in the US.  You can follow him on Twitter: @liamquinn23