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Asked to remove firearm at Olive Garden

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Fibresteve

Regular Member
Joined
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50
Location
Woodland, WA
My family and I were were enjoying a nice meal at Olive Garden in Vancouver last Friday night (November 15th). We were nearly finished and had just turned down dessert when asked by our server when the manager came to our table and politely asked me to put my firearm in my vehicle. I asked him if there was a problem and he said that they don't allow guns in the restaurant. Knowing ahead of time that this is not true (Darden, Olive Garden's parent company follows state law in all of their restaurants and allows CC and OC) I asked him if he knows Darden's corporate policy. He just said that they don't allow guns in their restaurants. I said OK and proceeded to get up and head to the car and leave my firearm in it. While I was walking out with the manager he said he was sorry for the inconvenience and would pay for our entire meal. He also stated that "I am sure you have a concealed weapons permit" I told him that is irrelevant due to the fact that I was OC. When I returned to my family inside the restaurant the manager was once again at our table apologizing for the inconvenience and stated he would pay for our meal. After that I looked at my wife and said that we are ordering dessert after all! I got the managers business card and once again informed him that Olive Garden's corporate policy was that they allow CC and OC. He said restaurant policy was no guns. Even for LEO (yeah right!). I told him I would be contacting Darden, Olive Garden's parent company, regarding this. He said if I prove him wrong he would by another meal there also. He was actuall very kind and polite. I just didn't like the fact that he didn't know his own companies policy.

So today I called Darden and talked to Nicole and I asked her what their policy regarding firearms in their restaurants was. She immediately told me it was to follow state law. Just as I thought. I told her what had happened and she is going to have her regional manager call me back within 24 hours. She did ask if there was alcohol at the table and I said yes (wife had one drink and I had one beer). She said usually when there is alcohol at the table then you can not have a firearm. If I am correct in WA state you CAN consume alcohol in a restaurant and carry, just not in a bar where minors are not permitted. She was very pleasant and said she would look into that and get back to me. Both the manager and customer relations were very polite and professional. It was just very embarrassing and inconvenient for me to have to get up and leave my family to put my gun in the car. Not to mention I don't like leaving a loaded firearm unattended in my vehicle. I am anxiously awaiting the response from the regional manager and am looking forward to another free meal at Olive Garden!

Here is Darden's statement from June of this year regarding firearms in their restaurants that I got form 2Acheck.com

Dear (2ACheck):
Our guests’ safety is our number one priority and we are committed to delighting all of our guests with an outstanding dining experience.

If a state or local government allows or does not specifically ban weapons (concealed and/or open) in restaurants that serve alcohol, we don’t ban them either. Even if businesses are allowed to “opt out” by posting signage indicating weapons are not allowed, we don’t believe in implementing procedures that conflict with what the state or local government intends. Our company has faced this situation in several cities and there haven’t been any issues from not posting an “opt out” sign.

We do not allow employees to carry weapons while working. However, if state or local laws allow employees to keep a weapon in their personal vehicle while on the job, we follow the law as written.

These policies are the same for all the brands in Darden Restaurants’ portfolio, and as with all of our company policies they are not subject to an individual manager’s discretion. If you were to see a “no guns” sign in a Darden restaurant where concealed and/or open-carry weapons are legally allowed, please contact our Guest Relations Department at 1-800-562-7837 and we will follow up with that restaurant management team.

I hope this answers your questions, (2ACheck), and we hope to see you in one of our restaurants soon!
We appreciate the time you took to contact us.

Sincerely,
Shari
Red Lobster Guest Relations
 
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MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
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6,331
Location
Nevada
Thank you for posting a thorough report. I await the follow-up from the manager!
 

Maverick9

Regular Member
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Apr 7, 2013
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1,404
Location
Mid-atlantic
Dear (2ACheck):
Our guests’ safety is our number one priority and we are committed to delighting all of our guests with an outstanding dining experience.

(As you well know, guns can, by themselves jump out of holsters, but only if they're visible, and start spraying bullets around. If we are robbed while you're eating here and our manager made you disarm, then tough noogies).

That's a whole lot of blarney just to say they support state law. Not sure I get it. Good to have a phone number and name though.
 

golddigger14s

Activist Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Messages
2,068
Location
Lawton, OK USA
Like you said the alcohol thing only applies to the over 21 only bar area. Enjoy your second free meal while OCing.
 
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MattinWA

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
278
Location
Spokane Washington
My firearm has been asked to leave olive garden here in spokane. I left with my family and have not been back. I did not receive a free meal.
 

SPOProds

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
464
Location
Orono, ME
My firearm has been asked to leave olive garden here in spokane. I left with my family and have not been back. I did not receive a free meal.

Did you contact corporate? If not, that's your fault. OG is gun friendly.

Individually Responsible.
Sent from the back of a black van
 

MattinWA

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
278
Location
Spokane Washington
Did you contact corporate? If not, that's your fault. OG is gun friendly.

Individually Responsible.
Sent from the back of a black van

That is the the worst advice of the day. When asked to leave an establishment, you are trespassing if you remain, regardless of company policy.
 

Maverick9

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
1,404
Location
Mid-atlantic
You keep saying the manager was 'very nice', but the truth is he waited until you were almost done eating and essentially told you to leave or be trespassed (had you refused, for example).

You then agreed to go disarm yourself. But how foolish would you have felt if a BG had been watching the parking lot, taken your gun and held up the place and shot your kids? THIS IS NOT A GAME! You presumably carry for serious reasons.

So instead of arguing, you should have said 'are you telling me to leave? If so and if you're paying for my meal, I'll go, but I will contact your corporate'.

All this wishy-washy 'put my gun in the car but didn't want to' is BS. Are you a man or a wimp? Is free food worth your life or your dignity?

Though it worked out well I think you need to take a lesson from this and not be doing what someone else tells you to like a frightened and cowed child, risking your families' lives. That is if you are SERIOUS about protecting them.

Just sayin'...
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
That is the the worst advice of the day. When asked to leave an establishment, you are trespassing if you remain, regardless of company policy.
Don't agree - it's not even bad advice.

It was not suggested that he remain, argue or refuse to leave. He was advised to follow through with corporate. That constitutes good advice.

As to the OP, it seems he has captured an elusive twofer.
icon14.png
 

MattinWA

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
278
Location
Spokane Washington
Don't agree - it's not even bad advice.

It was not suggested that he remain, argue or refuse to leave. He was advised to follow through with corporate. That constitutes good advice.

As to the OP, it seems he has captured an elusive twofer.
icon14.png

Meh, as much as I liked olive garden, I would rather spend money elsewhere. They are not gun friendly if they train their managers to make up policies. Plenty of more pro 2a places to patronize. Still going in bad advice column.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
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Meh, as much as I liked olive garden, I would rather spend money elsewhere. They are not gun friendly if they train their managers to make up policies. Plenty of more pro 2a places to patronize. Still going in bad advice column.

Plenty of friendlier places to support, why would I go back?

You of course are free to make your own decisions; however, one misinformed manager does not make them unfriendly.

Further if we all quit/abandoned a business with each such reaction, we'd be better off eating at home. I'm not willing to give up so easily - I'll continue to work to educate, inform, and spread the word at every opportunity. That is how we make progress.
 

MattinWA

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
278
Location
Spokane Washington
You of course are free to make your own decisions; however, one misinformed manager does not make them unfriendly.

Further if we all quit/abandoned a business with each such reaction, we'd be better off eating at home. I'm not willing to give up so easily - I'll continue to work to educate, inform, and spread the word at every opportunity. That is how we make progress.

One unfriendly manager (well two in my case, three if you include OP story) have allowed me to conclude that they are not gun friendly.

I have never been asked to leave my home for OC, perhaps that is one good point.
 
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Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
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May 21, 2006
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35,317
Location
Valhalla
If ya'all want to support wishy washy mixed signal attitudes towards OC, so be it. I will have no part
Then let it be. By continuing in this way, you belittle the efforts of those who seek to improve conditions.

Nothing in this world is perfect.
 
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