Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) was asked to leave The Croissanterie in Little Rock after dining for over an hour with two moms and her security detail; they paid and left a tip. The owner cited employees feeling threatened and uncomfortable due to her political views.
For context, Sanders called it a failure of Arkansas hospitality and a case of discrimination. The restaurant said they initially served her but later asked her to conclude her visit per a 90-minute policy amid guest discomfort with her security presence; they denied any employee involvement in the gesture, attributing it to a customer.
In any case, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted, “Last week I was having lunch with two other moms at a restaurant when the owner approached a member of the State Police Executive Protection Detail and said my presence made their employees feel threatened and told us to leave.”
Building on that point, she added, “Arkansans are known for their warm hospitality, and while that restaurant certainly doesn’t meet that standard, my administration will continue to focus on lifting Arkansans up, not tearing others down with discrimination and hate.”
However, offering another side of the story, The Croissanterie issued a statement to local media. “By the time we entered the dining room, she was already seated and eating. At that point, we chose not to interrupt, expecting that the party would complete their meal and depart without issue,” the restaurant noted.
The statement added, “As her security presence became more visible in the dining room, some employees and guests expressed discomfort. After the party completed their meal, a member of the security detail was quietly asked to help conclude the visit in line with our standard 90-minute table policy.”
“We want to be clear: there was no disruption in the restaurant. Claims that an employee made an inappropriate gesture are incorrect—it was a customer, and the situation has been addressed. This was not a decision made lightly. We chose to prioritize the comfort of our staff and guests while continuing to provide service respectfully and without escalation,” the local business explained.
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“As business owners and members of this community, we recognized that any course of action carried consequences,” the management added, “Allowing her to stay risked being perceived as a lack of support for the community that makes up the majority of our team, as well as their families and friends. Conversely, asking her to leave could be viewed as denying service based on differing beliefs.”
Drawing attention to other similar events, a viral post noted, “It’s the Red Hen all over again. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Arkansas governor, was having lunch with two mom friends near her kid’s school in Little Rock. The owners asked her to leave because her politics made them feel unsafe.”
In the comments under this post, users blasted the woke restaurant. “And this is one reason I love Michael Jordan. Both sides buy shoes and eat at restaurants. Why would you alienate half your clients by saying this? You are asking to lose money,” one of the responses noted.
Watch Sanders skewer Biden’s border policies here: