imported post
I had my first "negative" experience. I was at the Wendys in Federal Way (this is a corporate location, not a franchise), and I had open carried at the restaurant, as I had dozens of times being there (I have a thing for their frosties). I had an employee there see it, and I asked me if it was a real gun, I had stated "yes, it's legal in Washington to open carry", and then proceeded to order. She took my card and swiped it and then gave it back, and then went to the back. I then saw the manager and I was standing to the side, he then yelled back "What did he look like".
It was at this point that I realized that he was talking about me. I said "Sir, I believe that you're looking for me". He told me to conceal my firearm because he was concerned about causing csutomers panic in the store. I told him that no one in the store had complained or was panicking, and that the only person who said anything was one of their employees. He said it didn't matter. I did comply with his request.
It's very poor form to tell someone to do something AFTER you take a payment from them. They're on the hook for the food ordered now that it is paid for, and all it did was enrage me.
Even worse was when another customer piped up, not even involved in the conversation and said "It's unacceptable in modern society to openly carry a gun, you should be ashamed of yourself". This person rather enraged me, and rather than give him the finger after he said it, I said "Sir, with all due respect, open carry is legal in Washington State, I complied with the managers request, and I will take it up with district management later....." He started interrupting me and I basically stated the following: "However, you are being rude, you were not invited into the conversation, so I do not want you talking to me, and if you do not cease talking, I will contact the police and report you for harassment".
He shut up at that point.
Was it a bad thing to say that I would contact law enforcement for harassment? May not have been my best ambassadorial work on open carry. In fact, it was pretty terrible. However, thinking back, as open carriers we do not have any special exemption from not being victimized by others. If someone were to come up to me at a bus stop and tell me "You're a faggot and you're going to hell for being a faggot" when I'm wearing a t-shirt saying that I'm gay, and continuously did so even though even though I've told them "stop bothering me and don't talk to me", the police would ticket or arrest the person for harassment.
I was just unnerved, as it was never a problem before and when you get hit with something unexpected right out of left field.
The girl who told the manager then told me that there was a gang shooting outside of that store a few days ago, which is why the employees were on edge. I told her that "Well, last time I checked I'm not a criminal or gang banger, and I open carried plenty of times before without a problem". I did ask for contact information on the franchise, and they stated that they were corporate and to contact the corporate office in Dublin, Ohio if a complaint should be filed. I tried filing a complaint online but their online complaint form isn't working. I do intend to call them on Tuesday and get a real email address. I will post on the forum and on PNW Open Carry what that contact email is, along with a copy of what I sent them.
