Manager at Texas Whataburger denies service to detective because of his gun

[spectre]

Whataburger has a policy of no open carry, but concealed is fine. Just like HEB.

It's just a dress code policy. Whataburger isn't anti gun. Concealed carry is fine. The guy should have complied with the dress code and covered up. Show some respect for private property rights and enjoy your meal. Instead he makes the news in a major metropolitan area because he won't follow the rules. This in-your-face activism doesn't win support and his extremist behavior sets their cause back and wastes political capital. On the heels of Art Acevedo and Tony Leal openly attacking Second Amendment rights for ordinary Americans, his antics just make things worse for his profession.

[mojo84]

Whataburger has a policy of no open carry, but concealed is fine. Just like HEB.

It's just a dress code policy. Whataburger isn't anti gun. Concealed carry is fine. The guy should have complied with the dress code and covered up. Show some respect for private property rights and enjoy your meal. Instead he makes the news in a major metropolitan area because he won't follow the rules. This in-your-face activism doesn't win support and his extremist behavior sets their cause back and wastes political capital. On the heels of Art Acevedo and Tony Leal openly attacking Second Amendment rights for ordinary Americans, his antics just make things worse for his profession.

[LDB415]

Better yet, a sign at the door saying "Good people are not a problem and no threat to anyone. Therefore we welcome all legally armed citizens and point out how much safer it makes us and all our customers while they are here. So, for your safety we are going to continue welcoming those good people who may just save your and our lives. If you value your safety come on in. If you'd rather risk death then please feel free to go to another establishment that prohibits good citizens while unfortunately doing nothing to eliminate bad people from their premises."

[Liberty]

Whataburger has a policy of no open carry, but concealed is fine. Just like HEB.

It's just a dress code policy. Whataburger isn't anti gun. Concealed carry is fine. The guy should have complied with the dress code and covered up. Show some respect for private property rights and enjoy your meal. Instead he makes the news in a major metropolitan area because he won't follow the rules. This in-your-face activism doesn't win support and his extremist behavior sets their cause back and wastes political capital. On the heels of Art Acevedo and Tony Leal openly attacking Second Amendment rights for ordinary Americans, his antics just make things worse for his profession.

I tend to agree, allowing out of uniformed LEO special rights denied to the common folk reeks of special class treatment. We LTC holders have a lower crimerate than LEO. If we are expected to coverup why can't they. The whole concept of making us coverup is belittling, but cops shouldn't be treated differently than the rest of us. Maybe the simplest solution would be for What a Burger to respect everyones rights.

[puma guy]

Whataburger has a policy of no open carry, but concealed is fine. Just like HEB.

I’ve open carried after hunting at the whataburger in Boerne off 10 and I believe 46. No one said a thing. I ate in peace and left. I believe the tolerance for OC varies according to stores and managers.

I visit that area often and eat there a lot. Plenty of Bulverde police to keep you company. I don't think I've ever been there without seeing a couple of officers.

[puma guy]

Whataburger has a policy of no open carry, but concealed is fine. Just like HEB.

I eat there at least once a week.... No signs up so how am I supposed to know their policies???

They will notify you if you are openly carrying.

If they indeed know the policies.

[rotor]

Whataburger has a policy of no open carry, but concealed is fine. Just like HEB.

It's just a dress code policy. Whataburger isn't anti gun. Concealed carry is fine. The guy should have complied with the dress code and covered up. Show some respect for private property rights and enjoy your meal. Instead he makes the news in a major metropolitan area because he won't follow the rules. This in-your-face activism doesn't win support and his extremist behavior sets their cause back and wastes political capital. On the heels of Art Acevedo and Tony Leal openly attacking Second Amendment rights for ordinary Americans, his antics just make things worse for his profession.

When you make a LEO with a displayed badge leave because he is open carrying a gun you think that is not an anti-gun policy? I don't know but perhaps he is required by his department to carry. This is an anti-gun policy and stop making excuses for a hamburger joint. What do they do when a BG comes in with a mask on and wants to shoot everyone, escort him out with a warning? No matter how you describe it this is an anti-gun policy. Good thing the cop didn't come in while they were being robbed, he would have been told to leave and let the robbery continue.

[ScottDLS]

I can’t believe nobody knew that Whataburger requires shirt and tie and no openly displayed guns as part of their dress code. True, they’re not posted, nor do they have a sign anywhere specifically saying jacket and tie required, nor saying that they don’t want openly carried guns. But you should just know. Luckily for the cop, The great Texas tradition (dating back to the Texas Republic) of honoring private property owners’ dress codes has always had an exception for cops, and VESP, and people parking in their employer lots, and special investigators, and security guards....

[Liberty]

The cop didn't have to disarm all he had to do was cover it up. Just like us of the lower classes are required to do. What bothers me is that people for some reason this guy is entitled more than the rest of us.

[The Annoyed Man]

If they would toss me or any other citizen out for wearing a gun, why shouldn't they kick out gun-toting cops without a uniform? Cop can either cover it or leave it in the car, just like the rest of us. Seems like he is just looking for special treatment. We've known how so many of them get turned off about the "Do you know who I am?" defense. This time the shoe is on the other foot.

So because they don't respect our constitutional rights they should treat law enforcement just as poorly? I can see us having the same rights to carry as law enforcement and I don't think a LTC holder or LEO should be asked to leave especially when there is no posting. Dump Whataburger. If they don't want open carry they should post. This has been covered many times on this forum.

Sure, they have property rights, but how about they have enough respect for their customers to post 30.07 signs, to save their customers the embarrassment of being kicked out of one of their stores? This stuff cuts both ways. Whataburger does have a right to enforce its dress code, but it ALSO has a moral duty to inform its paying customers of that dress code, via the mandated-by-law signage .......then everybody is happy, no employee is placed in the position of having to eject an armed person, and no LTC holder will be publicly embarrassed. There’s rights, and then there’s “the right thing to do”. Whataburger has rights, but they’re not doing the right thing.

In ‘N Out is better anyway.

[Jusme]

Whataburger's open carry policy was well documented and publicized when OC first passed. This however was the result of one or two things, either the manager did not know that 30:07 does not apply to LEO either in uniform or plain clothes, or he/she was anti LEO.
Since there has been more than one incident involving LEO at Whataburger, I think they need to do more vetting of their employees, and make sure their training involves fully understanding Texas laws regarding LTC.
I have OC at the Whataburger in Alvarado, but just because I forgot their policy before entering. No one said anything, but if they had I would have simply, untucked my shirt. JMHO

[Smokey613]

The cop didn't have to disarm all he had to do was cover it up. Just like us of the lower classes are required to do. What bothers me is that people for some reason this guy is entitled more than the rest of us.

Not entitled, simply covered by Texas laws. I frequently wear a polo shirt and slacks on duty. I have my Glock 19.5 in a Safariland ALS, extra mag and cuffs in combo holder on off side and my badge in a holder on my belt right in front of my gun. This IS my uniform when dictated by my agency and duty assignment. Off duty, I carry concealed simply to reduce unwanted attention. If you read the entire account of the incident, the officer explained that he was a Texas PO but after the employee continued his stance, the officer graciously exited the business without further escalation. This was the proper way to handle that situation. While I agree with most of what is said, bottom line in Texas, the 30.06/30.07 laws do not apply to POs or even retired PO with proper credentials. We have all types of "entitled persons" in the USA. The list is long and growing longer. It's just the way it is.

[The Annoyed Man]

Whataburger's open carry policy was well documented and publicized when OC first passed. This however was the result of one or two things, either the manager did not know that 30:07 does not apply to LEO either in uniform or plain clothes, or he/she was anti LEO.
Since there has been more than one incident involving LEO at Whataburger, I think they need to do more vetting of their employees, and make sure their training involves fully understanding Texas laws regarding LTC.
I have OC at the Whataburger in Alvarado, but just because I forgot their policy before entering. No one said anything, but if they had I would have simply, untucked my shirt. JMHO

I agree...... I would have simply untouched my shirt too. But I still don’t think that absolves Whataburger from the obligation of doing the right thing, and posting their stores with 30.07 signs. Just because their position was “well publicized” at the time, that doesn’t make it any more relevant. OC became law on January 1st 2016 - two and a half years ago. How many people did their message reach back then? It almost certainly was ignored by anyone without an LTC. It was absolutely unknown by people moving into the state since then. It very well may not have been on the radar of LTC holders back then who are NOT members of this forum. We are a group who tends to stay on top of the news when it is related to firearms carry - but we’re only a few thousand of the more than 1 million people with active LTCs. Whataburger’s policy was well discussed on these pages, but there’s no way we can seriously claim that word of Whataburger’s position reached the eyes/ears of all LTC holders, then or now.

Therefore, if Whataburger wants to ban open carry in their stores, it has TWO moral obligations to its LTC customers: (1) post all of its stores 30.07 to save those customers the embarrassment of being publicly refused service and made to leave, just like its competitor In ‘N Out does; and (2) make a better burger like In ‘N Out does.

It’s a matter of showing your customers a little respect.

[bigtek]

The cop didn't have to disarm all he had to do was cover it up. Just like us of the lower classes are required to do. What bothers me is that people for some reason this guy is entitled more than the rest of us.

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."