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Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 6:25 am
by Richbirdhunter
Last night at the Whataburger in Lewisville two police officers were told we do not serve police officers.
First they say they won't serve the open carry crowd now this store won't serve police.
Seems anti American to me and this business doesn't belong in Texas.
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 6:31 am
by mojo84
Can you provide a link to more info?
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 6:32 am
by dlh
Is there a source for this?
If true, Whataburger will have to exercise huge "damage control." Same thing happened at an Arby's I think it was recently. All kinds of apologies, firing of the management staff, etc. etc. occurred after that.
Don't know if the Whataburger chain is wholly owned by mama company or has franchises.
I have trouble believing that refusal of service to LEOs at Whataburger is now its company policy or even the policy of a franchise if that is the case at the one in Lewisville.
dlh
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 6:39 am
by dlh
From the article source:
Whataburger responded to the situation Tuesday night on Twitter, calling the restaurant’s actions “completely unacceptable” and promising to “address this as soon as possible.”
Yep, exactly what I expected.
dlh
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 7:19 am
by Countryside
Not sure I want bozo employees like this fixing the food I eat.

Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 7:38 am
by mojo84
As the article says, it seems like an isolated incident and it will be dealt with. Not something to kick the company out of the state over.
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 8:26 am
by Taypo
Richbirdhunter wrote:Last night at the Whataburger in Lewisville two police officers were told we do not serve police officers.
First they say they won't serve the open carry crowd now this store won't serve police.
Seems anti American to me and this business doesn't belong in Texas.
A (totally legal and well received) corporate policy that affects a minute percentage of customers and the completely inappropriate actions of a (now unemployed) bozo at the store level is grounds for kicking a business out of the state?
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 8:37 am
by Abraham
Recently, an Arby's employee refused to serve a police officer.
The manager was fired and the employee was suspended indefinitely.
Why the clown wasn't fired is a mystery to me.
The police officer is a white woman and the clown is black.
I don't blame Arby's (though at first I did) for the actions of one idiot. Arby's bent over backwards to correct the error of one misguided (to be charitable) employee and a manager who allowed the employee to refuse service because the customer was a police officer.
I don't blame Whataburger for the actions of one idiot either.
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 8:55 am
by Mike S
Abraham wrote:Recently, an Arby's employee refused to serve a police officer.
The manager was fired and the employee was suspended indefinitely.
Why the clown wasn't fire is a mystery to me.
The police officer is a white woman and the clown is black.
I don't blame Arby's (though at first I did) for the actions on one idiot. Arby's bent over backwards to correct the error of one misguided (to be charitable) employee and a manager who allowed the employee to refuse service because the customer was a police officer.
I don't blame Whataburger for the actions of one idiot either.
Perhaps if the employee was fired they would have been able to receive unemployment compensation, which Arbys would have had to foot a portion of.
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:02 am
by Taypo
AndyC wrote:Any business serving the public food would be wise to nip this in the bud and start letting their employees know that anyone refusing to serve a police officer - or anyone else in uniform - will be terminated immediately.
I used to go to a local Wendy's at least once a week (don't judge me, I love their baked potatoes.). One day a couple of employees brought their new puppy into the restaurant and put him up on the counter so the other employees could play with him. While they were serving food. After speaking with the DM, it turns out she never specifically told employees that they couldn't put a dog on the counter and if she fired them for it, they'd have a legitimate unemployment claim.
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:25 am
by puma guy
Taypo wrote:AndyC wrote:Any business serving the public food would be wise to nip this in the bud and start letting their employees know that anyone refusing to serve a police officer - or anyone else in uniform - will be terminated immediately.
I used to go to a local Wendy's at least once a week (don't judge me, I love their baked potatoes.). One day a couple of employees brought their new puppy into the restaurant and put him up on the counter so the other employees could play with him. While they were serving food. After speaking with the DM, it turns out she never specifically told employees that they couldn't put a dog on the counter and if she fired them for it, they'd have a legitimate unemployment claim.
So following her logic unless she told her employees they can't wipe their boogers on the counter she can't fire them when they do it! Idiots supervising idiots.
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:39 am
by Taypo
puma guy wrote:Taypo wrote:AndyC wrote:Any business serving the public food would be wise to nip this in the bud and start letting their employees know that anyone refusing to serve a police officer - or anyone else in uniform - will be terminated immediately.
I used to go to a local Wendy's at least once a week (don't judge me, I love their baked potatoes.). One day a couple of employees brought their new puppy into the restaurant and put him up on the counter so the other employees could play with him. While they were serving food. After speaking with the DM, it turns out she never specifically told employees that they couldn't put a dog on the counter and if she fired them for it, they'd have a legitimate unemployment claim.
So following her logic unless she told her employees they can't wipe their boogers on the counter she can't fire them when they do it! Idiots supervising idiots.
I don't think it's so much her fault as it is that of Texas Workforce Commission. Compared to some other states I've been in, it is ridiculously easy to collect unemployment after someone is fired for cause.
Re: Whataburger refused service to police officers
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 10:04 am
by JALLEN
I very seriously doubt this represents Whataburger's policy. My dealings with Whataburger as one of their landlords was absolutely top notch, very straight forward.
I had nowhere near the number of employees they have at even one store, and for the most part mine were typically more educated, but every now and then, someone would do something really stupid, and I would have to bear the consequences.
I imagine WB will make amends, and more besides, and they will trade the offending employee to Burger King for a fry cook.