Waffle House Refused to Serve an Armed, Uniformed U.S. Navy Soldier

The company has a strict no gun policy.

This past weekend, an armed U.S. soldier was denied service at a Waffle House restaurant in Kentucky. According to a local NBC station, when U.S Navy officer Billy Welch — who was in uniform — sat down for a meal at the Nicholasville location of the 24-hour chain, he was told he'd need to disarm or leave the restaurant.

If I can't have my firearm, then I can't be here

Welch, who had his firearm holstered at his side when he walked in the door, was only asked to leave after he'd placed his order and the server noticed the gun. When she asked him to leave his gun outside, he refused. He later told the news station, "You know, if I can't have my firearm, then I can't be here. I walked inside to the other waitress. I said, 'thank you, but no thank you ma'am. I'm gonna have to leave.'"

A witness took to Facebook to express his discontent at the incident.

I too would have rated Waffle House a ZERO if it were possible!I cannot believe you would refuse service to a member...

Posted by Karl Kaucher on Monday, September 28, 2015

Waffle House restaurants across the South are frequently the scenes of deadly or bizarre crimes involving guns, and at least one commenter noticed the irony in this Waffle House's policy and actions. Laura Zolman wrote, "and if some crime took place there best is an armed military person who knows how to handle a weapon."

Waffle House's official policy bans guns from its restaurants with the exception of law enforcement.

The restaurant's franchise owner released this statement: "For many years we have had a 'No Firearms' policy in place in our restaurants. We continue to believe this is the best policy for the safety of our customers and associates." Reached by phone, Waffle House's corporate communications department told Eater that this particular location was a franchised-owned location, and so the owner of this location may have been enforcing a slightly different rule. Waffle House's official policy bans guns from its restaurants with the exception of law enforcement.

Open carry remains an issue in public places like restaurants across the U.S. While many states and cities ban guns from dining establishments, controversial gun-themed restaurants have popped up in recent years. Notably, the staff at Shooters Grill in Rifle, Colo. wear loaded guns as part of their work uniform. Outside of Las Vegas, Bullets and Burgers — a combination shooting range and restaurant — had to close after an instructor accidentally shot and killed a 9-year-old student. The restaurant has since resumed operations.

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