But here's the thing: no matter where one works, there is no such thing as free speech on company time. In the employers eyes, you're there to do the job they hired you for, not express one's own opinions.
Yes, the customers were likely liberal arseholes, chances are the employer was looking for a reason to fire this waitress anyway. If she were any good, likely he'd have simply placated the "customers" until they left and asked her to simply remove it. There has to be more to this story than meets the eyes here.
One instance of being "inattentive" gets a waiter/waitstaff a warning or two at any decent restaurant. A history of it ceretainly gets one fired.
By the way, I ate at an Outback Steakhouse in Orland Park, IL ONCE. Whoever said "cheap cuts of meat at inflated prices" above had it exactly right. Once was more than enough for me.
If I really want a good steak, I head to Gibbons Gardens in Orland Park, or Ruth's Chris, or Chop House in Downtown Chicago. Anywhere else is a waste, IMO.
Most of our customers were great people, but of course some came in with attitudes, or were merely having a bad day. My waitstaff was allowed small ear rings and wedding bands only. Anything political wasn't allowed.
The worst customers I remember were a large table of Mooslimes who started complaining because we served pork. My response to them was "so order something else, our menu has chicken, duck, fish, beef, shrimp, oyster, and tofu dishes." They ordered egg rolls after being assured they would be chicken not pork. As I recall they were pigs themselves. Their children left half their food on the floor. Even though they got good service their tip was meager. They never returned.
Some of the local Thai restaurant have removed pork items from their menu's to avoid problems with the Mooslimes. Maybe that group didn't return because I didn't cave to their stupidity. Some Thai dishes such as Pad Kee Meao just taste better with pork.
“But here’s the thing: no matter where one works, there is no such thing as free speech on company time.”
The company I worked for made you get permission to work on someone’s campaign even on ones own free time. Of course it was a healthcare company and had no doubt donated to obama’s horrific obamacare cause.