Posted on 10/12/2011 8:36:59 AM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear
“If I were patronizing the Olive Garden, I might have found their hosting a banquet in the regular dining room more disruptive than the flag.”
Agree, that’s odd. And why would anyone WANT to hold a banquet in a regular dining room? Maybe the use of the term banquet was a bit of an exaggeration, perhaps just a Kiwanis lunch? There seems to be something missing from the discussion.
Darden Restaurants, who owns Olive Garden, donates to Planned Parenthood.
Flags are fine. Moochelle collaboration on their food pretty much makes it so that Olive Garden is no longer a place I would eat.
Good luck Olive Garden, hope Moochelle’s humongous appetite keeps you is business.
“Indeed, and if you do go there, wear a red white and blue flag shirt.”
We should organize and all go to Olive Garden dressed in flag-type clothes the same day and time. :)
The no-flag thing might be a corporate policy. A flag stand could be a tripping hazard. I know (non-restaurant) situations where security guards have seized flagpoles because they could be used as weapons or fall over and hurt someone. Corporate headquarters has lawyers that write policies to lessen the likelihood of lawsuits.
If you allow one, you need to allow them all -- or face a discrimination lawsuit. That means allowing the sinister "flag" brought in by the known gangbanger, the two-poled homemade birthday banner that keeps falling over, and the odd contraption carried by the incoherent, smelly guy. Easier just to ban them all.
In a former life, I managed a public library with no meeting room; we held programs in the public area. For a group to use our (free) public space, they had to sign a sheet saying they understood what they weren't allowed to do. Olive Garden should have a policy like that -- but then, this wasn't a meeting room situation. And probably people make group reservations all the time and never mention the speeches and other behavior that will inconvenience nearby diners.
Hosted a neighborhood meeting once in that corner of the library ... maybe fifteen years ago? ... people were upset about ancient, dangerous sidewalks ... speaker was some community organizer from ACORN ... unfriendly black guy.
Don't remember when it was ... BHO was probably in the Illinois Senate by that time ... or maybe not.
Yes, I imagine there’s a good bit ‘lost in translation.’ Probably the occasion was what any of us would regard as their regular monthly lunch meeting.
And, if it was pre-arranged with the restaurant to reserve a large setting, they might have noted its purpose, their bringing their flag(s), and could have avoided a brouhaha to begin with by affording mgmt the opportunity to tell of their policy. The Kiwanis group could then have decided to continue with plans to meet at the Olive Garden or not.
But if I were the planner, I’d respect the restaurant’s policy and look elsewhere where I might have find a small, private room for my meeting. This isn’t striking me as any anti-Americanism or anti-patriotism in and of itself.
Well, you are speaking reality and I am speaking the way it should be if the country wasn’t in the dumpster because of people like that.
I a country where there was rationality, a judge would say to a claimant: “If you are offended by the sight of an American flag, then you are free to leave the United States and renounce your citizenship.”
They can take Michelle’s no fry rules and their anti-American flag BS and shove it. I won’t be eating there or at red lobster - ever - again.
Amen. It's ashamed the American flag, or the American way of life, is continually diminished or made into a controversy. I'm always disgusted when I see some kook burning the flag...
LOL - that was my first thought, too!
You can keep your crappy slop, Olive Garden.
Boy, me too. That just gets my hackles up.
Just another example of GMTA.
And whenever I hear a particularly odious politician
announce he won’t run for re-election “so he can spend more
time with his family”, I think, “Yeah, the Manson Family”
And you just know things have gotten out of hand when the KIWANIS CLUB (!) does something that’s considered disruptive.
BTTT.
The Anti Wookiee Defamation League is watching you o-O.
As a Wookiee friend, I strongly suggest you quit comparing that “Thing” to Wookiees, as it is hurtful and offensive to the great beings. :D
Congratulations, Olive Garden. You just lost six perfectly good American customers because of your asinine policy.
My wife and I were just in your place a few weeks ago, but that’ll be the last time.
*snort*
True to his red back ground.
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