Ihop anti-2a??

I posted briefly about this in the hampton roads topic, but I think it needs wider attention than that.

Tonight, I had dinner with my family at ihop, and as I was entering ihop, I noticed a no guns sign. (This includes ALL weapons) I ignored the sign and went inside. I enjoyed my meal without harassment, and before I left I asked for their corporate number.

I was then Approached by an assistant manager and asked if he could be of assistance. We went to a closed portion of the restaurant and I told him I was concerned about the sign out front, and that OC there frequently and have never seen the sign or had problems.

According to the manager, they had received a corporate level complaint from a customer that a group of OCers were dining there, and the sight of the guns frightened their young child. The couple with the children left.

I got the following contact information from the manager

Steve Brown - manager
Cell: 757-359-7330
Restaurant - 757-455-2880

1295 North Military Hwy
Norfolk, VA 23502

How should we proceed with this? I told the assistant manager that if I complained that a black man sitting next to me scared me, he would not post a sign saying "no blacks allowed". By the same token, discriminating against another group of law abiding citizens shouldn't be allowed.

sight of the guns frightened their young child

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maybe the children should complain about cops when they see them walking in their school hall ways. :uhoh::uhoh::uhoh:

Also, they should probably remove their parking lot, because you know all those cars are weapons of 2 tons.

Esanders2008 said:

How should we proceed with this? View attachment 9618

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Very carefully and tactfully...at first anyway. Sounds like it can be salvaged.

If one person complained about the sight of LAC with firearms scaring them to the point they decided to leave. Then I think a complaint bomb from people like ourselves with the general message of no guns no money should work. Given their response from one person who decided to leave I don't see why they wouldn't revert their policy after seeing the threat of loosing a greater amount of money. I'm no a seasoned as a lot of people on here, but that's my two cents.

I believe that most (all?) are franchise operations.

Never had a problem OCing in IHOPS in Richmond - there are several and I have been to each from time to time. I prefer the one on Midlothian next to VSP headquarters. Wonder if they'll ever go back to using their "smoking room" for that purpose on the week-end.

Grapeshot said:

I believe that most (all?) are franchise operations.

Never had a problem OCing in IHOPS in Richmond - there are several and I have been to each from time to time. I prefer the one on Midlothian next to VSP headquarters. Wonder if they'll ever go back to using their "smoking room" for that purpose on the week-end.

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I have OCed several times at my local ones with no problem. This seems to be a recent complaint. I am going to call the manager tomorrow, and see if I can't work something out. I would just like some tips on what to say to him

Oh, man. I love IHOP.

Never had a problem in one of their stores.

Of course, my rugged good looks and wonderful personality go a long ways.

Esanders2008 said:

.......and as I was entering ihop, I noticed a no guns sign. (This includes ALL weapons) I ignored the sign and went inside. .....................

How should we proceed with this?

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Next time, obey the sign and take your business elsewhere. Disregarding the sign was a mistake.

Esanders2008 said:

I have OCed several times at my local ones with no problem. This seems to be a recent complaint. I am going to call the manager tomorrow, and see if I can't work something out. I would just like some tips on what to say to him

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I wouldn't call. I would go in person during a slow period--avoiding breakfast, lunch, supper.

Use whatever rapport you've developed as a customer and just tell him you would like to continue eating there.

Also, you could point out to corporate that the signs have little legal status--they have to call the police anyway and the cop has to witness the refusal to leave (or whatever the exact evidentiary rules the courts follow on trespass). And, troublesome customers or criminals aren't going to pay attention to them. Far better for them if they take down the sign and handle each situation as it comes up.

Separately, point out in so many words that guns do not emit fear-waves. If a child is scared, its because of what he was taught by parents and school, for which a different costumer was penalized.

You can also just gently ask the manager who he would prefer to have as a customer: a person who doesn't even take responsibility for being able to defend themselves or their children, or one who is trained and could, god-forbid, defend every patron if something really bad were to happen.

One of these days I'm gonna get a T-shirt that says "Mobile Crime-Free Zone."

I OC at the Ashburn and Sterling Ihop's all the time..

Ok I went back to ihop today. The general manager wasn't there, but I spoke to his assistant.

I found the corporate policy on the Internet and printed a copy. Their official policy is to follow state law. I left that with the assistant, and he said Mr. Brown will follow up with me by Monday.

IHOP is one of my favorite places, I kinda doubt it is corporate. I doubt a company would change nationwide policy over one complaint.

I am not sure of the kind of response I will get from the manager, so I sent an email to IHOP corporate as well, and the confirmation they sent me said I can expect a reply from them within 3-5 days. So this is where we stand.

I have actually had a conversation with the GM at this location about this very issue. It turns out that they were robbed awhile back, and the robber supposedly paraded the employees around the store at gunpoint. I believe he did say someone was shot and killed. Anyway, regardless of the details, this robbery is the cause of the sign. The manager seemed to understand my position, but seemed caught between out rights and the fears of his staff. His staff's fears won. He stated that he did not want to put up the sign, but his employees were too afraid to come to work if he didn't.

I have walked right past the sign OCing on several occasions and never once noticed it. It is not in plain sight for sure.

gearup said:

I have actually had a conversation with the GM at this location about this very issue. It turns out that they were robbed awhile back, and the robber supposedly paraded the employees around the store at gunpoint. I believe he did say someone was shot and killed. Anyway, regardless of the details, this robbery is the cause of the sign. The manager seemed to understand my position, but seemed caught between out rights and the fears of his staff. His staff's fears won. He stated that he did not want to put up the sign, but his employees were too afraid to come to work if he didn't.

I have walked right past the sign OCing on several occasions and never once noticed it. It is not in plain sight for sure.

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While I understand his employees fears, it does not give someone license to break the rules. In this case I am referring to the corporate policy of following state law.

But at any rate, would a gun-buster sign have stopped that robbery? No.

gearup said:

I have actually had a conversation with the GM at this location about this very issue. It turns out that they were robbed awhile back, and the robber supposedly paraded the employees around the store at gunpoint. I believe he did say someone was shot and killed. Anyway, regardless of the details, this robbery is the cause of the sign. The manager seemed to understand my position, but seemed caught between out rights and the fears of his staff. His staff's fears won. He stated that he did not want to put up the sign, but his employees were too afraid to come to work if he didn't.

I have walked right past the sign OCing on several occasions and never once noticed it. It is not in plain sight for sure.

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I've heard that story before:
http://news.oldva.org/?p=1262

The company response:
http://news.oldva.org/?p=1281

The result:
http://news.oldva.org/?p=1365

gearup said:

I have actually had a conversation with the GM at this location about this very issue. It turns out that they were robbed awhile back, and the robber supposedly paraded the employees around the store at gunpoint. I believe he did say someone was shot and killed. Anyway, regardless of the details, this robbery is the cause of the sign. The manager seemed to understand my position, but seemed caught between out rights and the fears of his staff. His staff's fears won. He stated that he did not want to put up the sign, but his employees were too afraid to come to work if he didn't.

I have walked right past the sign OCing on several occasions and never once noticed it. It is not in plain sight for sure.

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Somebody needs to get a OC group to that location to show employees that OCers WOULD prevent such a robbery in the first place. If possible print up some flyers for the employees, invite them to this site. The employees should feel safer with OC LAC regularly doing business. In fact you should suggest they put up a 2A welcome sign, and maybe host regular OC get together for the BG's to see that their customers are not victims.

I hope not...i have a figure to maintain...er..i..mean lose..

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Well I like the idea of a get- together at IHOP once the sign comes down. I'm actually very certain that it will, I just need to wait for next week. These things take time I suppose.

Also a quick google search turns up NO information on this IHOP being robbed or anyone shot and killed. I think this story is a fabrication on management's part, and conflicts with the story told to me by the assistant manager.
ETA: I did find this, but notice the date. http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/police-investigate-shooting-in-norfolk
And also note that the shooting occurred outside and no one was "paraded around." Just another reason to carry everywhere, everyday.