The Christian chicken sandwich fast food chain known as Chick-fil-A has had no shortage of enemies due to its unapologetic Christian stances, and despite attempts to stymie its growth, the power of delicious chicken could not be stopped.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Atlanta based chain that was founded in 1967  is poised to rise to the top thanks to rapid growth and unbridled success, only falling under McDonalds and Starbucks in terms of most successful fast food chains:

Now, five decades later, the closely held company this year is poised to become the third-biggest U.S. restaurant chain by sales behind McDonald’s Corp. and Starbucks Corp., according to food-service consultancy Technomic Inc. The growth reflects Chick-fil-A’s expansion over the past decade, as well as consumers’ broader turn toward chicken.

“We’ve been pretty consistent in how, over multiple decades, we’re going to take it slow and steady,” Mark Moraitakis, a Chick-fil-A senior director, said about the company’s expansion. “It’s paid off for us.”

Sales from Chick-fil-A’s restaurants have tripled over the past decade, reaching $10.2 billion last year, Technomic said, even though the chain is closed on Sundays, a practice implemented by its conservative Christian founder.

Chick-fil-A, also known for its customer service, has nearly doubled its store count to about 2,400 restaurants since 2007. The company now has locations from Manhattan to Hollywood. Its growing presence will test whether consumers will stick with the chain as they have in the South, Chick-fil-A’s historic base.

This success comes in defiance of the consistent barrage of hate it receives from leftist activist groups and journalists. Recently, the San Antonio city council banned Chick-fil-A from its airport after a Think Progress report published the company’s donations. New Jersey’s Rider University also forbid Chick-fil-A from setting up a location on its campus over its Christian values.

The media also did its fair share of trying to halt Chick-fil-A’s meteoric rise in popularity, as one Huff Po writer attempted to do after they opened up a location in New York. The writer informed everyone that they could either choose to support the LGBT community or continue to eat that nefarious “hate-chicken.” He had drawn battle lines in the sand.

Everyone seems to have ignored the lines altogether.

The fact is that the very Christian values that activists and journalists on the left hate about Chick-fil-A are the same values that continue to make it wildly successful. The customer service is so good that it’s taken on a life of its own, even going so far as to become a meme. The phrase “it’s my pleasure” immediately makes you crave waffle fries.