Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:18 pm Post subject: Olive Garden's refusal to allow US Flag
I don't know if this is considered a banned political post and if it is I stand corrected, but there is a story out there about an Alabama Olive Garden refusing to allow a Kiwanis Club to post an American Flag after the restaurant agreed that they could conduct a meeting there. I have seen several different explanations that have been run out there by Olive Garden and it's parent company Darden, none of which is valid to me.
I support Olive Garden's Right to not allow the display of the American Flag, I also believe it is within my right to refuse to spend my American Dollars at that business and it's sister business. I hope others will give this some thought. _________________ R G Mutchler
M274A5
M-38 MC13312
http://willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules.php?set_albumName=rgmutchler&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
I have no problem with the posting of this type of topic. I do believe the first post should present both sides of the story.
In this case the private business was within their rights IAW the law and clearly had an established policy that was in place long before the incident.
I cannot think of any responsible organization scheduling a banquet in a public dining room of a privately owned restaurant without making all decoration desires known to the restaurant manager before the banquet. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Wes,
I guess it's all in what and where you read it. The club was scheduled to be in Banquet Rm 3, not in the open part of the resaurant , Olive Garden now says they had no such policy but initially they said that the Flag could be considered offensive to some of their customers. Olive Garden also said that they should have told the club when the reservations were made, but didn't. As to responsible organizations having meetings in restaurants, where do the Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club and probably others meet in your community. Most places I have lived they meet in the banquet rooms of the local restaurants.
Olive Garden would have come out much better if they had only made one press release instead of at least two with different stories.
You are right, as I pointed out, they don't have to allow the flag, and people that don't agree don't have to spend money there. _________________ R G Mutchler
M274A5
M-38 MC13312
http://willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules.php?set_albumName=rgmutchler&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
I only see two statements. One from Olive Garden and One from their parent company and neither states there were any Banquet rooms at the Annistan Alabama Restaurant. Both state no meeting or banquet room was available in that restaurant. If you have a verifiable statement from a party to the disagreement that confirms a banquet or meeting room was there and was used do post a link to it.
This is like any other wow story that gets hit from three sides by the press. I stay with official statements from folks actually involved and avoid reading the gossip tabloids and listening to the TV talking heads edit the material.
As for my area I have been involved in many scheduled club/group/party arrangements with halls and restaurants and when laying the groundwork for the event discussing decorations and alterations of their facility is always a known requirement that has to be squared away before you show up.
I would suggest each viewer of this post call a few of your local restaurants and ask their rule on posting flags and club banners in their main dining room for organizational meetings. Be sure to sample restaurants with and without meeting rooms or banquet rooms. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
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