Gay rights activists plan 'kiss day' at Chick-fil-A restaurants

(CNN) - Gay rights activists are planning a "Kiss In" at Chick-fil-A outlets nationwide Friday amid a controversy over a company official's stance against same-sex marriages.

Organizers used social media to urge same-sex couples to participate in the event and post pictures and videos online. Organizers are encouraging homosexual couples to go to Chick-Fil-A restaurants with their partner and kiss each other, showing support for same sex marriage.

The organizers of Friday's protest say the event isn't about showing hate, it's more about sharing the love.

"It's a way to show Chick-Fil-A and the rest of the country that, you know, our love is just as good as heterosexual love," said organizer Carly McGhee.

Organizers say the issue isn't about freedom of speech, it's about equality and human dignity.

The latest campaign follows a Wednesday event dubbed "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" in which Americans lined up at eateries nationwide to support the company.

Chick-fil-A said it set a sales record Wednesday, but declined to release the numbers.

"We can confirm reports that it was a record-setting day," said Steve Robinson, the executive vice president of marketing.

The controversy started after an interview with the fast-food restaurant chain's president, Dan Cathy, appeared in The Baptist Press on July 16. He weighed in with his views on family.

"We are very much supportive of the family - the biblical definition of the family unit," Cathy said. "We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."

His statement caused an uproar, with activists saying the president voiced opposition to gay marriages.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee created a Facebook page urging people to buy food at the chain during the "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" after a backlash ensued following the statement.

Throngs of people heeded his call, snaking around various Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide Wednesday, including in Texas, Georgia and Tennessee. Turnout was high at Tri-State Chick-fil-A restaurants as well.

Proponents of same-sex marriage organized a simple counterprotest for Wednesday, asking people to donate the approximate cost of a Chick-fil-A meal, about $6.50, to gay and lesbian rights groups, according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, known as GLAAD.

CNN's Ben Brumfield contributed to this report