Whataburger's Gun Policy (Ugh)..........

[Abraham]

I love Whataburger's burgers.

That said, I NEVER go inside.

No fast food restaurant's inside appeal to me. The atmosphere is always awful...

I'd much rather get my burger at the drive through, take it home and eat it or simply park in the lot and eat it there.

So for me, their gun policies don't bother me one iota.

[Taypo]

I really don't expect to open carry - much - but one of my reasons for wanting OC is my tendency to work around the house carrying and I hate to have to make the extra effort to conceal in order to make a quick run to the hardware store, or even for my wife's request that I make a "drive by dining" lunch run. I don't tend to use drive through anywhere, because they frequently are in too much of a hurry to get my order right, so even if my bride requests McDonalds I go inside to order. I am considering OCing on January 1st 2016 just for the sake of it.

I think it looks exceedingly strange to be wandering into McD's or Home Depot in a Hawaiian shirt over a sweat soaked t-shirt and jeans, so I would find it convenient to OC. If my bride wants Whataburger (I can take it or leave it, nothing that special about them) I want to be able to walk in with my .45 on my hip, place my order, pick it up, and leave without someone telling me I have to put my gun in my car before I get service.

If that happens, I will ask to escalate to management, card them (no argument, just statement), and never go back. There are several stores in the DFW metromess that I have carded due to their 30.06 signage (valid or not) that I have never gone back to and I have never missed them.

OTOH, Bass Pro, which seems to be the only place around to buy REAL black powder, wrote me a real nice letter and took down their (non-compliant) signage after I carded them.

Bass Pro was posted? That's interesting, considering their market. More points for Cabelas, I guess.

[mojo84]

I wonder how much Whataburger's headquarters and senior executives being located here in Texas where they had significant exposure to the open carry antics had to do with this policy?

[VMI77]

I really don't expect to open carry - much - but one of my reasons for wanting OC is my tendency to work around the house carrying and I hate to have to make the extra effort to conceal in order to make a quick run to the hardware store, or even for my wife's request that I make a "drive by dining" lunch run. I don't tend to use drive through anywhere, because they frequently are in too much of a hurry to get my order right, so even if my bride requests McDonalds I go inside to order. I am considering OCing on January 1st 2016 just for the sake of it.

I think it looks exceedingly strange to be wandering into McD's or Home Depot in a Hawaiian shirt over a sweat soaked t-shirt and jeans, so I would find it convenient to OC. If my bride wants Whataburger (I can take it or leave it, nothing that special about them) I want to be able to walk in with my .45 on my hip, place my order, pick it up, and leave without someone telling me I have to put my gun in my car before I get service.

If that happens, I will ask to escalate to management, card them (no argument, just statement), and never go back. There are several stores in the DFW metromess that I have carded due to their 30.06 signage (valid or not) that I have never gone back to and I have never missed them.

OTOH, Bass Pro, which seems to be the only place around to buy REAL black powder, wrote me a real nice letter and took down their (non-compliant) signage after I carded them.

Thanks....I was wondering where I could find some real black powder.

[thetexan]

The only way Whataburger can discriminate against a patron for having a gun is to notify him with a proper 30.06 or 30.07 notification which includes a verbal notification by someone with authority to give it.

If a worker were to simply say, for example..."I'm sorry sir, I can not serve you"...and that's all he said that would be walking on very thin ice. They would need to expound on the reason and properly notify me verbally that I can not stay while carrying a weapon. Otherwise their discrimination would be non specific and someone my want to take them to court. They could simply post a 30.07 sign. But why don't they?
There must be some reason they do not want to do so. Ever thought about the why behind the action. I speculate that it is because they do not want to overtly seem anti-gun; that they want their cake (armed patrons to be there in case of trouble) and eat it too (keeping the other patrons from becoming alarmed).

In any case, this is a good reason why open carry will cause more problems than it solves. I have yet to find a good reason to open carry. With one exception...I will do it once at Walmart just because I can! Then I will have it out of my system and continue to carry concealed.

I know a local Whataburger owner and will try to reason with him. That's what I can do.

tex

[Oldgringo]

There must be more to this than Whatburger's suspected position on OC? In the east Texas hamlet (Pop. 4,000) of our permanent residence, there are no less than five (5) other places to get a hamburger that is as good as, if not better than, a Whataburger.

[RetNavy]

I wonder what their policy would be if you open carry in the drive thru--- since you would have already placed your order before getting to the window......

[locke_n_load]

The only way Whataburger can discriminate against a patron for having a gun is to notify him with a proper 30.06 or 30.07 notification which includes a verbal notification by someone with authority to give it.

tex

Incorrect. If you walk past a proper 30.07 sign and a cop sees you, or if someone calls the police on you (wihout any notification to you) and the police show up, you can be ticketed for a class C misdemeanor. If someone with authority asks you depart and you don't, then you can be given a class A misdemeanor.

[txglock21]

I wonder what their policy would be if you open carry in the drive thru--- since you would have already placed your order before getting to the window......

I don't see that as a problem because depending on where you carrying, they probably won't see it anyways and if they are sincere in their "statement", it is because of the other customers. Now I can see a problem if you point your gun at them and demand all their money.

[ShootDontTalk]

I'm running out of "fast" burger joints. Our local Burger King got caught swiping HPD officers debit cards and skimming their bank accounts. Chains and padlocks followed. Then remodeling, inside and out, tried to erase the stigma. The franchise got revoked. Now they are open again, but nobody goes there.

My Whataburger trips are always to the drive up, although like others, I have to check my order carefully before driving off.

[Dave2]

OC is controversial specifically because people "make a stand" or create a scene about it. Don't throw a hissy fit, don't storm out, do not get agitated, and for the love of anything DO NOT SCARE THE HORSES*, and this will all smooth over. Probably just in time for the release of whatever they come up with for their next delicious special.

And just to up the hot button content... Are you offended by by what goes on in the stereotypical gay pride parades? If so, does such behavior make you more inclined to support them? Consider that the anti-gun folks likely view OCing a gun in much the same way; if you're OCing just to make a point, ask yourself if it's really worth irritating everyone who doesn't agree with you. If that doesn't bother you, consider that they're unlikely to forget the encounter and will likely vote accordingly.

*Yeah, you can probably find an instance or two throughout history in which OCT-like tactics have "worked", but I'd bet my life** that other tactics would've had a better outcome.

**Yes, really. It's in Proverbs somewhere.

[thetexan]

The only way Whataburger can discriminate against a patron for having a gun is to notify him with a proper 30.06 or 30.07 notification which includes a verbal notification by someone with authority to give it.

tex

Incorrect. If you walk past a proper 30.07 sign and a cop sees you, or if someone calls the police on you (wihout any notification to you) and the police show up, you can be ticketed for a class C misdemeanor. If someone with authority asks you depart and you don't, then you can be given a class A misdemeanor.

That's what I just said...if you walk past a sign you are in violation. If you have been notified by a written document and trespass you are in violation. If you are verbally notified and you continue you are in violation. What I said is that if they wish to LEGALLY discriminate against you and not give you service it had better be due to a LEGAL method or else they run the risk of LEGAL problems. Someone coming up to me and stating the following six words..."sir, you will have to leave" does not LEGALLY verbally notify me according to either 30.06 or 30.07. They would need to be more specific such as for example..."sir, if you want to continue to carry your gun I will have to ask you to leave. Else I could say they didn't like me because I was fat or old or the wrong gender or whatever. A fine point but that's all I was saying.

I don't think they have a problem with a gun they cannot see or that can't be seen. They object to it being visible.



tex

[suthdj]

Did anyone read the tiny print at the very bottom?

[suthdj]

The only way Whataburger can discriminate against a patron for having a gun is to notify him with a proper 30.06 or 30.07 notification which includes a verbal notification by someone with authority to give it.

tex

Incorrect. If you walk past a proper 30.07 sign and a cop sees you, or if someone calls the police on you (wihout any notification to you) and the police show up, you can be ticketed for a class C misdemeanor. If someone with authority asks you depart and you don't, then you can be given a class A misdemeanor.

That's what I just said...if you walk past a sign you are in violation. If you have been notified by a written document and trespass you are in violation. If you are verbally notified and you continue you are in violation. What I said is that if they wish to LEGALLY discriminate against you and not give you service it had better be due to a LEGAL method or else they run the risk of LEGAL problems. Someone coming up to me and stating the following six words..."sir, you will have to leave" does not LEGALLY verbally notify me according to either 30.06 or 30.07. They would need to be more specific such as for example..."sir, if you want to continue to carry your gun I will have to ask you to leave. Else I could say they didn't like me because I was fat or old or the wrong gender or whatever. A fine point but that's all I was saying.

I don't think they have a problem with a gun they cannot see or that can't be seen. They object to it being visible.



tex

Read again they dont want "weapons" in there. No exceptions, except LEO's

[jmra]

The only way Whataburger can discriminate against a patron for having a gun is to notify him with a proper 30.06 or 30.07 notification which includes a verbal notification by someone with authority to give it.

tex

Incorrect. If you walk past a proper 30.07 sign and a cop sees you, or if someone calls the police on you (wihout any notification to you) and the police show up, you can be ticketed for a class C misdemeanor. If someone with authority asks you depart and you don't, then you can be given a class A misdemeanor.

That's what I just said...if you walk past a sign you are in violation. If you have been notified by a written document and trespass you are in violation. If you are verbally notified and you continue you are in violation. What I said is that if they wish to LEGALLY discriminate against you and not give you service it had better be due to a LEGAL method or else they run the risk of LEGAL problems. Someone coming up to me and stating the following six words..."sir, you will have to leave" does not LEGALLY verbally notify me according to either 30.06 or 30.07. They would need to be more specific such as for example..."sir, if you want to continue to carry your gun I will have to ask you to leave. Else I could say they didn't like me because I was fat or old or the wrong gender or whatever. A fine point but that's all I was saying.

I don't think they have a problem with a gun they cannot see or that can't be seen. They object to it being visible.



tex

Read again they dont want "weapons" in there. No exceptions, except LEO's

I read it again - the memo deals specifically with open carry and how to address it.
"We respect our customers’ Second Amendment right regarding gun ownership, however Whataburger does not allow the open carry of firearms in restaurants for the safety and comfort of our other customers and employees.”
From the story in the original link.