The black customers booted out of the Wild Wind Cafe in North Charleston, S.C.
Posted on 08/27/2013 7:04:35 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
After waiting patiently for two hours to be seated, a group of 25 black family members and friends were recently booted out in the rain from a Wild Wing Café in North Charleston, S.C., because a white customer felt threatened by their presence.
News of the incident, which is now spreading on social media, was first made public via a Facebook post on Aug. 22 after the company failed to respond to a complaint made on behalf of the offended customers three weeks ago.
"I will never go to Wild wings cafe in N. Chs again! We (Party of 25 family and friends) waited 2hrs, patiently and were refused service because another customer (White) felt threatened by us," noted Mike London in the Facebook post. "This type of racial discrimination is unacceptable and we have to put a STOP TO IT. The manager looked me dead in the face and said she was refusing us service because she had a right to and simply she felt like it. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS ESTABLISHMENT... PLEASE SHARE THIS POST…We need your help," the post continued.
The post was quickly followed up with a telling photo of the group standing outdoors shielding themselves from the rain with umbrellas.
In an interview with WNEM about the incident last week, Michael Brown said the group was celebrating a going away party for his cousin when the shift manager of the restaurant approached them and told them that there was a "situation."
"She said there's a situation where one of our customers feels threatened by your party, so she asked us not to seat you in our section, which totally alarmed all of us because we're sitting there peaceably for two hours," Brown told WNEM. "Obviously, if we were causing any conflict, we would have been ejected out of the place hours before," he noted.
He explained that during his conversation with the manager, a member of the celebrating party decided to record what was happening and the manager responded by refusing to seat them entirely.
"I asked her I want to be clear with you," said Brown. "I said so you're telling me I have to leave. She said I have a right to deny you service. I said so you're asking me to leave because you're upset because he was recording you, after we've waited for two hours, and after you've already pretty much discriminated on us, and she answered 'yes.'"
Since the matter became public, however, the company has been facing public scorn and has responded to the incident a number of times.
"With regard to the ongoing discussion about a customer complaint, we at Wild Wing Cafe are completely aware of the fact that we dropped the ball in communicating swiftly to a loyal customer. We take full responsibility for our lapse in response time, had the opportunity to call back and have no excuses for not doing so in 3 weeks," noted the company in a post on their Facebook page on Aug. 24.
"We have never tolerated racism from our employees and won't tolerate it on our Page either. Our biggest concern has always been our customers and our staff. We have always insisted on hearing all sides to an issue and treating people with respect... and this time is no different," it continued.
In a follow-up post on Sunday, the company further noted that they are now conducting a thorough investigation into the incident while apologizing again.
"We are conducting a thorough investigation and are taking the appropriate action. In the meantime, we are in regular and productive conversation with the individuals and we hope to keep all involved fans and friends of WWC," the company noted.
"We realize these are topics that engender emotional reactions. We truly believe that actions speak louder than words and we hope all are open to let ours speak for us as we move through this situation. We are committed to not repeat the mistakes that have been made and to make sure anybody who walks in the doors of WWC is treated with love, respect and care," it said.
Like to hear both sides of that story.
Is it wrong that this story makes me smile? Is it worse that I enjoy that picture?
Riiiiiight.
Smells like BS.
Many questions for Laz.
Works for me. If that bunch were in a buffet, the place would go out of business.
Stop
Sounds like a screw-up by the restaurant.
All whites, everywhere must be perfect ALL THE TIME. If one of them screws up anywhere, it’s national news, and shame on every white person.
RE: Works for me. If that bunch were in a buffet, the place would go out of business.
Why? I’ve been in a buffets with lots of black patrons.
For one thing, why hasn't the NY Times picked this up and run with it?
Where's 0bama saying ,"This could have been my family."?
It fits the media template a little too perfectly.
Sounds like what typically happens with militant muslim gangs on airplanes.
RE: With all the murdering that is going on out there I would be scared too..I think most whites are afraid for their life..
This group looks fairly decent.
Need to point out that there are still people living off their settlement with Dennys from 20 years ago.
“Is it wrong that this story makes me smile? Is it worse that I enjoy that picture?”
Ditto, what you said. They don’t look like very friendly peopel. I want to hear the other side of the story too.
Really??? Sounds like a "thank you Jesse Jackson moment." (google Jesse Jackson and Taste of Chicago for info on that one)
In fairness this group looks a little slovenly, but not really criminal.
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