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.
Is that Rachel Jentel second fro right? /s
Could be that they went there just to be able to get up and leave and say that a white person complained and were told to get out by the manager. Something doesn’t smell right about this story.
What? They look like simply people to me. That is a group, not a "gang".
Why the fear? I'm not seeing earmarks of them being threat, just from the photo, though admittedly they could have been 'broadcasting' some form of threat, either expressed or implied when inside the restaurant.
they are standing in the rain after being booted out of the restaurant--after waiting for two hours... you expect them to look friendly? are there any examples of racial injustice to blacks that some Freepers would agree is really racism or "raciality," whatever the word might be????????????????
Who wouldn’t that bunch in their restaurant?
I’m guessing the “going away” party for the cousin involved the Georgia Department of Corrections.
> Worst tip I ever got, back when I was working at a supper club, was from a group of county and municipal judges.
Actually, I have seen that. A local JP took me to lunch and only left a $1.00 tip on the check so I told him I needed to go use the bathroom as we were leaving out the door and dropped a few more dollars on the table as as I walked by. I was actually a little embarrased by it to be honest.
But again, anyone that has worked as a waiter knows that br and large the Amish do not tip as a general rule though I’m sure there are exceptions.
LOL...I was thinking the same thing, may God forgive me.
The article is curiously quiet about the person who allegedly complained.
There is much more to this story, and there are only 15 people in the photograph. btw, the rain is irrelevant.
There was a time when this story would have bothered me, and also a time when that crowd in an eating establishment wouldn’t have gotten my attention, but those days are over. These days a crowd like that makes me hope no unsuspecting white person gets hurt. My family would not go near that for safety reasons.
RE: There was a time when this story would have bothered me, and also a time when that crowd in an eating establishment wouldnt have gotten my attention, but those days are over.
About when did that change?
One of my kids’ friends delivered pizza and said that if people did not tip him for on time delivery he would tell them:
“If I was going to have my dinner sitting alone in the car with a guy for 15 minutes, I’d want that guy to know I cared about him enough to give him a dollar or two.”
A subtle warning, to be sure.
I agree. I don't understand everyone assuming that the restaurant was in the right.
What makes it all stranger is that North Charleston is about 50% black and is one of the highest crime cities in the country. I assume the restaurant managers see people who are much more dangerous looking than this normal looking family group.
“There was a time when this story would have bothered me ... “
I agree with your post. It’s the same for me. Sadly, Obama and the MSM are doing all they can to encourage racial division, and it’s working.
Look at the movies. I used to enjoy movies like “Glory” that told stories about struggles the black man had in America. Now, with either remakes of old movies with blacks in the lead, or another story of downtrodden blacks who survive in spite of evil white people, I’ve had enough.
Now add to that the violent nature of the black urban culture and the recent run of black on white crime, and it’s all coming to a nice boil for Obama and the MSM.
“are there any examples of racial injustice to blacks that some Freepers would agree is really racism or “raciality,” whatever the word might be????????????????”
I still want to hear the managers’ and customers’ side of the story. They could have been been lou, ugly with reverse racism and threatening. Let’s hear the other side first. Or are you also convinced that Zimmerman is a racist?
Agree with you 100%.
I get grumpy with a party of 7 and having to wait 20 minutes.
Stand in the rain for two hours and not get seated. Yeah, I’d be real grumpy, send a “jeer” to our local paper, never go back and tell everybody I talked to what a crappy place that Wild Wings was.
Um, that’s what you get when 25 people show up without a reservation.
> The group looks like any other middle American decent family group. Shame on everybody here taking jabs at the photograph.
Shame.
I wonder if our attitudes might have something to do with the continual race baiters in the Obama administration and MSM, recent killings of whites in response for Trayvon (supposedly), and the hostile environment in the U.S. In general that has been fanned by the administration?
For the record, I have no problems withe decent, respectful, hardworking people of all races but do have a problem with people who are willing victims for profit that keep stoking the fires.
Those poor people. What on Earth did they have to listen to one white lady for. The worst part is having to wait 2 hours for dinner. I know that I wait a bit for The Outback but normally call ahead to get on the list so that when my family gets there, we may only have about 30-45 additional minutes to wait. I do know that people wait 2 hours to get into The Outback, but I call ahead which makes it much more tolerable. Give them a free meal every week for five years at a minimum.
Okay, they look goofy, is that better?
> Those poor people. What on Earth did they have to listen to one white lady for. The worst part is having to wait 2 hours for dinner. I know that I wait a bit for The Outback but normally call ahead to get on the list so that when my family gets there, we may only have about 30-45 additional minutes to wait. I do know that people wait 2 hours to get into The Outback, but I call ahead which makes it much more tolerable. Give them a free meal every week for five years at a minimum.
You forgot to add the /s tag
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.