Virginia restaurant refuses service to conservative advocacy group

[Cow Poke]

I'd rather a business let me know they don't want to serve me than go through the motions of serving me tainted food.

This happened to a local restaurant. An employee refused to serve a police officer at the drive-thru (at the height of the "George Floyd is an Angel" era) so he politely left and went to another restaurant run by a known pro-cop guy. Word got out, and over the next few days, multiple private citizens had very unfortunate vehicle breakdowns in the drive-thru lane, virtually shutting down their drive-thru at peak hours.

It wasn't long before that manager announced he had fired the offending employee, made clear the "pro police" policy, and apologized to the police department and the community.

(That was actually a very turbulent time where our officers were told NOT to frequent local restaurants in uniform, but to have family or others pick up their food)

I forgot a critical factor --- a friend of this idiot posted on Facebook that he didn't refuse service, he just spit in their food. That's what prompted the reactions.

[Diogenes]

A business denies service to an LGBTQ group/person:
The Right: Private businesses should be able to deny service to whomever they want for whatever reason they want and if you don't like it you should just take your business elsewhere and stop whining.
The Left: What an outrage! Businesses shouldn't be allowed to practice discrimination! They should have to serve everyone equally! Comply or die

Fixed it.

[Cow Poke]

Fixed it.

Either way, what one can do and what one should do may be two different things, and, in either case, nothing prevents you from being sued.

[oxmixmudd]

I wonder what his basis is for claiming that the group made the "staff feel uncomfortable and unsafe"?

I wonder? Do you suppose it might have been because the staff there told him that group made them feel uncomfortable and unsafe?

[Cow Poke]

I'm pretty sure it was the staff there telling him that group made them feel uncomfortable and unsafe.

On the basis of?

[oxmixmudd]

Unlike the case in Colorado with the web designer, this is a textbook case of violating the Civil Rights act of 1964. They were denied service for their religious views. And this has nothing to do with coercing views like with the web designer or cake decorator. This is simply eating in a restaurant from a standard menu.

What if the restaurant's employees were "uncomfortable" serving blacks?

While what you say is true, he might not have had a choice. If his staff put their collective feet down and said they'd walk if he served them, he pretty much had to cancel them. Otherwise he'd not only have to close anyway, he'd have to hunt down new staff, which isn't so easy these days.

No evidence that was part of this, but just sayin'

[Bill the Cat]

I wonder? Do you suppose it might have been because the staff there told him that group made them feel uncomfortable and unsafe?

Boo hoo...

[Cow Poke]

While what you say is true, he might not have had a choice. If his staff put their collective feet down and said they'd walk if he served them, he pretty much had to cancel them. Otherwise he'd not only have to close anyway, he'd have to hunt down new staff, which isn't so easy these days.

No evidence that was part of this, but just sayin'

So, opinion.

[Cow Poke]

So the motivation for canceling the reservation was...

However, the restaurant added, “We have always refused service to anyone for making our staff feel uncomfortable and unsafe and this was the driving force behind our decision.”

The restaurant noted that many staff members were LGBTQ or women and that it believed the Family Foundation “seeks to deprive women and LGBTQ+ persons of their basic rights in Virginia.”

Not that the rejected group did anything or said anything, but because the "LGBTQ or women" were a bunch of bigots.

As for the "unsafe" part --- it's based on "thought police" crap.

I'd add that restaurant (or any similar) to my list of "don't bother to book anything there".

[CivilDiscourse]

While what you say is true, he might not have had a choice. If his staff put their collective feet down and said they'd walk if he served them, he pretty much had to cancel them. Otherwise he'd not only have to close anyway, he'd have to hunt down new staff, which isn't so easy these days.

No evidence that was part of this, but just sayin'

Do you agree or disagree with his actions?

[seanD]

So the motivation for canceling the reservation was...

However, the restaurant added, “We have always refused service to anyone for making our staff feel uncomfortable and unsafe and this was the driving force behind our decision.”

The restaurant noted that many staff members were LGBTQ or women and that it believed the Family Foundation “seeks to deprive women and LGBTQ+ persons of their basic rights in Virginia.”

Not that the rejected group did anything or said anything, but because the "LGBTQ or women" were a bunch of bigots.

As for the "unsafe" part --- it's based on "thought police" crap.

I'd add that restaurant (or any similar) to my list of "don't bother to book anything there".

Putting aside the fact that this is undoubtedly a precursor of things to come that will get far worse, the restaurant did them a favor. Can you imagine what they could have potentially done to their food, and Godless liberals are especially amoral and nasty folks.

[Bill the Cat]

While what you say is true, he might not have had a choice. If his staff put their collective feet down and said they'd walk if he served them, he pretty much had to cancel them. Otherwise he'd not only have to close anyway, he'd have to hunt down new staff, which isn't so easy these days.

No evidence that was part of this, but just sayin'

Or maybe just shut his mouth about who the group represented and just serve them.

[oxmixmudd]

So, opinion.

Not even that. Just speculation that complaints from the staff may well have triggered or influenced his decision. If that was part of it, it might come out if lawsuits are filed.

[oxmixmudd]

Or maybe just shut his mouth about who the group represented and just serve them.

Umm, he can't run the restaurant if his staff quits. Musk has had to deal with that a bit lately as well. The younger ones just aren't as easy to push around on the job these days.

[Bill the Cat]

Umm, he can't run the restaurant if his staff quits. Musk has had to deal with that a bit lately as well. The younger ones just aren't as easy to push around on the job these days.

Well his business is currently getting bombed on Yelp, Facebook, Instagram, and picketed outside the restaurant. And the lawsuit is in the works. His pride will be his downfall. Restaurants in that area are a dime a dozen.