Posted on 11/13/2016 9:20:18 PM PST by nickcarraway
The Chili's Bar & Grill restaurant chain has apologized and vowed to correct a wrongdoing by one its managers, who took away a meal from a U.S. Army veteran from the Dallas area.
U.S. Army veteran Ernest Walker, 47, of Cedar Hill, said he was served the meal as part of a "free meal to Veterans" promotion on Friday, Veterans Day. He had finished his food and was preparing to leave the restaurant when the trouble began. Walker was accompanied by his service dog named "Barack."
Walker said he believes an elderly man wearing an American flag shirt and Trump sticker told the restaurant manager that Walker was not a U.S. veteran and should not receive the free meal because he was wearing his cap indoors.
In an encounter captured on video by Walker and posted to Facebook, the manager asked for Walker's military ID, which he provided. Walker also provided his discharge paperwork.
Walker said the manager then took his to-go meal.
"I looked around and I'm embarrassed at this point," Walker said. "People are looking. I'm a soldier. I'm a person and everybody's looking like I stole food."
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The manager also indicated the service dog was not a service dog despite having a red service vest and certified service tags.
On Sunday, Chili's issued the following statement on Walker's Facebook page and to NBCDFW. It reads:
"We are aware of the situation that occurred at our Chili's Cedar Hill restaurant on November 11th. Our goal is to make every guest feel special and unfortunately we fell short on a day where we serve more than 180,000 free meals as a small token to honor our Veterans and active military for their service, hence these actions do not reflect the beliefs of our brand. We are taking this very seriously and the leaders in our company are actively involved with the goal of making it right. Since the incident occurred, we have extended an apology and we are reaching out to the guest."
"They're doing what they should do, but they still haven't validated me as a soldier," said Walker. "I just need him to say 'I see your ID, I see your DD214, and I respect you as a soldier, and as a man and as a customer'."
Walker said he served in the Army's 25th Infantry Division, serving from 1987 to 1991. He said he was in an Army uniform without his name or rank on it on Veterans Day because he did not want to be mistaken for an active-duty soldier.
"And I wear this one day a year," said Walker. "I'm not some kook that's reliving the past."
Walker has retained an attorney, Kim Cole, who said she had a meeting planned with Chili's corporate on Monday.
He believes...but isn’t sure. Of course, no proof means that the media will print it any ways.
...
Well, it fits the agenda. Why bother to fact check?
Only when I go for my free meal :)
Veteran or not, they should have given the guy a free meal just for naming his dog Barack.
He believes it was another customer, an elderly white man, also a veteran, who doubted him.
“He said, ‘Well, I was in World War II in Germany and they didn’t have any blacks over there then.’ He’s an older guy so I let that stuff go,” said Walker.
I'm not buying this narrative.
Calling False Flag on this.
why in hell would you name a service dog Barack ?? the only work he’s gonna do for you is help u get to a golf course.
>>> “Out of curiosity, is it normal to have your discharge papers on you in addition to your Veteran’s ID?”
>>>>>> Only when I go for my free meal :)
BINGO!
As it happens, I *do* have a copy of my discharge that rides in the bag I usually carry to work & medical appts, due to ongoing treatments.
However, I was discussing the matter w/ another veteran on the day before Veterans Day, & his reaction was much the same as yours, disgust w/ the notion that he should have his DD-214 to prove eligibility for the vets’ discount/freebie. Yet he freely showed me the notary-stamped veterans ID card from filing his DD-214 w/ his local registrar of deeds, which is perfectly adequate proof of service. I don’t know what his problem could be.
Due to my work/sleep schedule, I almost never get to participate in Veterans Day discounts & freebies. This past Friday allowed me discounts of 10-11% at local grocery stores, free coffee & donut at Krispy Kreme, free 6-in sub & soda from Sheetz & dinner out w/ my honey (charge of $5 for our sodas). Many, many thanks to the participating retailers & restaurants!
The participants’ websites make it clear what proof of eligibility they expect. I voluntarily presented my VA card. KK, Sheetz & the grocery stores almost all said they’d take my word for it; the guy handing out the veterans menu tickets at Ap’s was asking proof from all veteran comers, resorting to asking at least one (that I heard) if he at least had a photo of himself in uniform.
>>> What? They required ID? It’s not like voting?
LOL! Sad, ain’t it? I was so thrilled when proof of ID was passed for voting in NC, only to have it invalidated in court later.
I got a free meal at Ryan’s Steakhouse and they didn’t even ask for paperwork. I guess the haircut was enough (though I did have my current ID). I think that was the first time I’ve actually been out on Veteran’s day and was able to take advantage of a freebie.
Trump’s win sure added to the atmosphere—I am so glad I’ll have his signature on my final DD214—I have been hanging on so I don’t get BO on my retirement papers. :)
Someone help me out here:
“the manager asked for Walker’s military ID, which he provided.”
When do veterans have ID’s? Is that something the Veterans Administration gives to those receiving VA health care, or what?
If true, aside from health care, just what is such an ID card good for?
I call total BS.
Wearing a "campaign sticker", "“I believe if it wasn’t for the temperature of America right now, I believe that man would have never reacted that way", "he plans to file assault charges against the manager and says that manager needs to get some sensitivity training".
I call total BS.
Here in WI you can get a Veteran Identifier stamped on your driver's license.
Especially since mooslims consider dogs to be unclean.
“Baruch” (Bet-Resh-Vav-Chet) in Hebrew means, “blessed.”
Slightly different spelling.
By my count that's TWO meals. I understood the offer to be ONE free meal. Greedy bastard or just bad reporting?
I was thinking the Vet was probably Conservative (I ALWAYS assume that veterans are going to be Conservatives) and laughed out loud when I read that he named his dog Barack. Then I read the rest of the article. Yep, it’s a dog whistle situation. I am so fed up with this type of manipulation being rewarded. He will probably get a nice settlement and our meals at Chili’s will go up in response. I would love to hear how his attorney proves he was subjected to an ‘assault’.
Something doesn’t sound right...
“He had finished his food and was preparing to leave the restaurant when the trouble began.”
Later in the story...
“Walker said the manager then took his to-go meal.”
Did the guy get two free meals?
Was the guy carrying a free meal back for another veteran?
Was the to-go box for the “remains” of his one free meal?
I smell either poor reporting or BS. Maybe both.
I retired in 1997. I have a retired air force ID allows me access to goods and services on military installations.
This guy was in for 4 years. He has a military ID? Unless he was medically retired, I don’t think they issue you an ID.
I also don’t carry my DD214 around with me.
Am I wrong to suspect this guy and his dog Barack?
Our nearest Applebee’s has lousy cold food. We live in a small rural community, and there are no real sit down places to eat. DQ gave out free ice cream cones. Lots of fast food places that did not do a thing.
We take and appreciate the advantage of Lowe’s and Home Depot’s Military discount, takes care of our sales tax of 10%. And you always have to present Military ID. They even apply it to having gutters put up on your house on the product, not installation.
“I am so fed up with this type of manipulation being rewarded. He will probably get a nice settlement and our meals at Chili’s will go up in response.”
As for me, I will no longer eat at Chili’s and because of that, I will not be paying more.
And more precisely, even due to their lost business from myself, my family and other Americans thats respect our military veterans, the demand for Chili’s food will go down and prices will also have to go down.
As for Ernest Walker, after he wins his lawsuit, he will be eating at much finer establishments than Chili’s.
““He said, ‘Well, I was in World War II in Germany and they didn’t have any blacks over there then.’”
Which is patently false. They damn sure did ‘have any blacks over there’.
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