My Reply from Chili's

[KellyinAvon]

June 5, 2014

Dear Mr. XXXXX,​

Thanks for contacting us regarding Chili’s.

Recent “open carry” events have prompted diverse feedback from our guests. While we have asked guests to refrain from bringing their firearms into our restaurants, we are still following local laws. For example, under many local liquor laws, open carry of long guns is not permitted, so we won’t allow them in our restaurants. And if local laws permit concealed carry or open carry of a handgun in restaurant, we will continue to honor those laws.

Thanks again for reaching out to us.
Sincerely,

Chili's Guest Relations

 

[GNRPowdeR]

Not that I prefer Chili's, but I appreciate their current approach to the insanity!

 

[KellyinAvon]

Ok, here's my translation in italics. It's 0600 and I might be a bit cynical:

June 5, 2014

Dear Mr. KellyinAvon/LONG TIME customer who will stop spending his money here,​

Thanks for contacting us regarding Chili’s.

Recent “open carry” events have prompted diverse feedback from our guests (we underestimated the reaction from gun owners; who knew they outnumbered the anti-2A crowd by like 10-1 and all eat here. Maybe we'll add this to our surveys). While we have asked guests to refrain (word chosen by our lawyers, sounds better than "not to") from bringing their firearms into our restaurants, we are still following local laws (we're playing both sides here). For example, under many local liquor laws, open carry of long guns is not permitted, so we won’t allow them in our restaurants (using example from other states to fill up the paragraph and sound smart, lawyer's idea). And (terrible sentence structure, what was this guy's major?) if local laws permit concealed carry or open carry of a handgun in restaurant, we will continue to honor those laws (we are attempting to appease that wack-job from Zionsville, but we still want your money).

Thanks again for reaching out to us.
Sincerely,

Chili's Guest Relations

 

[MrsGungho]

Ok, here's my translation in italics. It's 0600 and I might be a bit cynical:

June 5, 2014

Dear Mr. KellyinAvon/LONG TIME customer who will stop spending his money here,​

Thanks for contacting us regarding Chili’s.

Recent “open carry” events have prompted diverse feedback from our guests (we underestimated the reaction from gun owners; who knew they outnumbered the anti-2A crowd by like 10-1 and all eat here. Maybe we'll add this to our surveys). While we have asked guests to refrain (word chosen by our lawyers, sounds better than "not to") from bringing their firearms into our restaurants, we are still following local laws (we're playing both sides here). For example, under many local liquor laws, open carry of long guns is not permitted, so we won’t allow them in our restaurants (using example from other states to fill up the paragraph and sound smart, lawyer's idea). And (terrible sentence structure, what was this guy's major?) if local laws permit concealed carry or open carry of a handgun in restaurant, we will continue to honor those laws (we are attempting to appease that wack-job from Zionsville, but we still want your money).

Thanks again for reaching out to us.
Sincerely,

Chili's Guest Relations

your translation is exactly how I read it. Trying to keep both sides happy

 

[ModernGunner]

Cynicism aside, it's a 'good' response to a gun-toter and 'neutral' in it's verbiage. So, IMO, there's no 'problem' with it.

Oh, I'm sure members of Open Carry Texas will be all up in arms (pun intended) over it. But I offer NO support to such whackjobs, anyway.

 

[brotherbill3]

Ok, here's my translation in italics. It's 0600 and I might be a bit cynical:

June 5, 2014

Dear Mr. KellyinAvon/LONG TIME customer who will stop spending his money here,​

Thanks for contacting us regarding Chili’s.

Recent “open carry” events have prompted diverse feedback from our guests (we underestimated the reaction from gun owners; who knew they outnumbered the anti-2A crowd by like 10-1 and all eat here. Maybe we'll add this to our surveys). While we have asked guests to refrain (word chosen by our lawyers, sounds better than "not to") from bringing their firearms into our restaurants, we are still following local laws (we're playing both sides here). For example, under many local liquor laws, open carry of long guns is not permitted, so we won’t allow them in our restaurants (using example from other states to fill up the paragraph and sound smart, lawyer's idea). And (terrible sentence structure, what was this guy's major?) if local laws permit concealed carry or open carry of a handgun in restaurant, we will continue to honor those laws (we are attempting to appease that wack-job from Zionsville, but we still want your money).

Thanks again for reaching out to us.
Sincerely,

Chili's Guest Relations

I don't think you're far off ... I suppose I have less cycism, as I've been reading alot on the issue, and I've recall how MdA, and "Think Progress" followed by the MSM twisted our one rally at the state capitol at the end of March 2013 ...

your translation is exactly how I read it. Trying to keep both sides happy

Kinda - but on with a serious note - the Long Gun OC thing was in TX
- where OC of long guns WOULD cost them their Liquor / Alcohol Sales License
- and majorly harm their business ... THEY HAVE TO SAY NO IN THESE CASES ...

Cynicism aside, it's a 'good' response to a gun-toter and 'neutral' in it's verbiage. So, IMO, there's no 'problem' with it.

Oh, I'm sure members of Open Carry Texas will be all up in arms (pun intended) over it. But I offer NO support to such whackjobs, anyway.

This is the same 'status' as EVERY other chain has taken, starting with Starbucks.
OCT has updated their policy - and left when told they had to IIRC
... If their members follow the new policy ... then this is a non issue ...

As to 'APPEASING' - they need to appease the MdA / ETfGS / MAIG / CSGV types
... who are far more "in your face" on their web pages, and have distinct advantage of $$$$$ (like 50 Million Plus)
AND control of the media. ...
The sheep between our side and theirs are far more likely to hear their side
... than they are the correct factual story on ours ...
... so in other words:
- - - "we've got the same policy - but"
- - - "we're saying no long guns where prohibited by laws that would negatively effect our business AND"
- - - "we don't want in this agrument"

The REQUESTS have not resulted in signs (force of law in some states) - even in TX as far as I'm aware.
I will continue to go there (Chili's); and infact I OC'd my glock in last weekend; right after the 'announcement' ...
as I have many times over the last year or 2.

 

[hoosierdoc]

They just want to sell food. They'd rather not get involved in gun carry debates. Their answer was solid and better than a no.

 

[iChokePeople]

They just want to sell food. They'd rather not get involved in gun carry debates. Their answer was solid and better than a no.

+1. Of COURSE they'd prefer to keep both sides happy. They exist to make money.

 

[st33da]

I thought it was a good response.

 

[TheSpark]

For example, under many local liquor laws, open carry of long guns is not permitted

No local laws even if they exist trump state law on that matter. I'm not aware of any Indiana law making long guns illegal where liquor is sold.

 

[singlesix]

They just want to sell food. They'd rather not get involved in gun carry debates. Their answer was solid and better than a no.

So true, some people don't get this simple fact. Any statement from a business that "asks" for no guns is being spun by MDA and other Antis as a win and many people are listening to the spin.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I agree. They probably don't want to be in the middle of this argument. ..they just want to sell you lunch or dinner. I'd be curious as to the replies the mad moms are getting to their letters.

 

[ATM]

No local laws even if they exist trump state law on that matter. I'm not aware of any Indiana law making long guns illegal where liquor is sold.

They have many restaurants outside of Indiana.

Their statement is correct and would need to be enforced (or risk losing their liquor license) in a state like Texas.

 

[Bill of Rights]

Ok, here's my translation in italics. It's 0600 and I might be a bit cynical:

June 5, 2014

Dear Mr. KellyinAvon/LONG TIME customer who will stop spending his money here,​

Thanks for contacting us regarding Chili’s.

Recent “open carry” events have prompted diverse feedback from our guests (we underestimated the reaction from gun owners; who knew they outnumbered the anti-2A crowd by like 10-1 and all eat here. Maybe we'll add this to our surveys). While we have asked guests to refrain (word chosen by our lawyers, sounds better than "not to") from bringing their firearms into our restaurants, we are still following local laws (we're playing both sides here). For example, under many local liquor laws, open carry of long guns is not permitted, so we won’t allow them in our restaurants (using example from other states to fill up the paragraph and sound smart, lawyer's idea). And (terrible sentence structure, what was this guy's major?) if local laws permit concealed carry or open carry of a handgun in restaurant, we will continue to honor those laws (we are attempting to appease that wack-job from Zionsville, but we still want your money).

Thanks again for reaching out to us.
Sincerely,

Chili's Guest Relations

I can see how you (or anyone) could translate that that way, Kelly.

May I offer another version?

June 5, 2014

Dear Mr. XXXXX,
​

Thanks for contacting us regarding Chili’s.

Recent “open carry” events have prompted diverse feedback from our guests. (We've had a metric crap-ton of letters on this, on both sides! We got shoved into the middle of someone else's war. We just want to sell food, f'r God's sake!) While we have asked guests to refrain from bringing their firearms into our restaurants, we are still following local laws. (Hell yes, we're playing both sides. We're a restaurant. We sell food. We're not a political forum.) For example, under many local liquor laws, open carry of long guns is not permitted, so we won’t allow them in our restaurants. (We have liquor licenses and in some places, we could lose those, so we set a corporate wide policy on that one issue. Still just here to sell food.) And if local laws permit concealed carry or open carry of a handgun in restaurant, we will continue to honor those laws. (We'd love to sell you a meal. Come in and eat with us. If you're lawfully armed, you're still welcome. Not everything is a political debate.)

Thanks again for reaching out to us. (We appreciate you asking us our position, rather than just assuming.)
Sincerely,

Chili's Guest Relations

My translation in red. If I go into a gun shop and start talking politics, that's welcome, expected, and I'll get a good discussion. What happens if I start preaching religion and making people uncomfortable? I'll be asked to leave. Joe's Gun Shop doesn't want to be involved in a religious debate, they just want to sell guns. You have a Natural and a 1A right to your religion, unencumbered by governmental action. You do not have a right to force it on everyone else.

You will not find someone more pro-2A than me. Perhaps my equal, but no one more so. I favor the unencumbered RKBA. I also favor a property owner's right to control his/her property, and the co-existing right to choose where you, a citizen, gun-owner, whatever, spend your money.

Choose not to go to Chili's, JitB, Sonic, KFC, whatever. Hell, I won't even go to a gun store if they have a "no loaded guns" policy. That's not a boycott, that's simply respecting their policy. If my gun is not welcome, as I carry it, neither is my wallet. No animosity, just mutual respect. All I'd suggest is that you (or anyone) make the decision with an open mind: When you look at it from their viewpoint of "aw, , all we want to do is sell good food! This is YOUR war, not our war!", suddenly, (at least to me,) it's not that they're against us or for us.

Had they said "no guns allowed. None at all.", I would view it differently, and as above, not go there. I might write a letter to convince them to change their mind, but with that policy in place, I'll respect it. My only exception to that respect is a situation of need, such as a doctor's office or hospital where someone important to me needs care. They can take their policy and shove it so far somewhere dark and smelly that it sees daylight again. I'll carry, they'll not know it, and everyone is happy.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[PistolBob]

I never eat there anyway....the food has enough salt in it to embalm a woolly mammoth. No thanks.

 

[PistolBob]

Ate lunch at Chipotle today...packing heat too boys and girls...but it was concealed so no one had to freak out.

 

[rhino]

Chilis has good burgers.

 

[Bravo-4-2]

Ok, here's my translation in italics. It's 0600 and I might be a bit cynical:

June 5, 2014

Dear Mr. KellyinAvon/LONG TIME customer who will stop spending his money here,​

Thanks for contacting us regarding Chili’s.

Recent “open carry” events have prompted diverse feedback from our guests (we underestimated the reaction from gun owners; who knew they outnumbered the anti-2A crowd by like 10-1 and all eat here. Maybe we'll add this to our surveys). While we have asked guests to refrain (word chosen by our lawyers, sounds better than "not to") from bringing their firearms into our restaurants, we are still following local laws (we're playing both sides here). For example, under many local liquor laws, open carry of long guns is not permitted, so we won’t allow them in our restaurants (using example from other states to fill up the paragraph and sound smart, lawyer's idea). And (terrible sentence structure, what was this guy's major?) if local laws permit concealed carry or open carry of a handgun in restaurant, we will continue to honor those laws (we are attempting to appease that wack-job from Zionsville, but we still want your money).

Thanks again for reaching out to us.
Sincerely,

Chili's Guest Relations

If this is really what you read, you should seriously stop and consider if you have the maturity required to carry a firearm. I mean that 110%. It is those like you who make responsible gun carriers cringe.

 

[Expat]

So in effect they have the same official position they did before. They just added an unofficial, if you would leave the guns outside, it would be neat-o.

 

[brotherbill3]

So in effect they have the same official position they did before. They just added an unofficial, if you would leave the guns outside, it would be neat-o.

Which they had to do to keep the R.I.F. disabled folks in Texas (and perhaps other states) ... and the Mother dimwit Annoyuses ... from screwing with their business prospects.