That Fuddruckers, with its parent company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, would go out of its way to alienate a large segment of its customer base is indicative of the judgment that led to the chain's insolvency. From The Dallas Morning News business columnist Will Deener:
"Fuddruckers was managed by bankers, accountants and Wall Street types," [Capstone Investments restaurant analyst Stas Kiselev] said.
Which would go a long way toward explaining why management was so detached and clueless to the rights and concerns of gun owners. From The Wall Street Journal law blog:
The hamburger chain Fuddruckers is unleashing the raw anger of pro-gun advocates, after a move by its Austin, Texas, corporate parent to begin enforcing a no-weapons policy.
Earlier this month, Fuddruckers managers in some locations informed their patrons carrying visible pistols that—unless they were police — they’d have to leave.
...Dwayne Chambers, senior vice president of marketing and brand development for Fuddruckers parent Magic Brands LLC told the Law Blog that there had always been a no-weapons policy at the company, which operates about 60 Fuddruckers locations in about 10 states, as well as 13 Koo Koo Roo restaurants in California. That just “wasn’t communicated openly,” he said. “We’ve chosen to make sure the policy is communicated in a uniform way.”
"But now," columnist Deener tells us, "something quite remarkable has happened, and it might just save the company. The Pappas brothers announced recently that they plan to buy Fuddruckers Inc. for $63.45 million."
Who?
Luby's. The deal will bring them 63 stores where they set weapons policy, and 138 franchises, where the owner does.
Luby's. Where then-Texas edicts prohibiting carrying guns enabled a massacre of the law-abiding by someone with no regard for human life, let alone unenforceable rules. And where someone who may have been able to stop the violence instead observed the law and was powerless to prevent the murder of her parents and others:
With this as background, on Wednesday I called Luby's Investor/Media Relations number and left a message on their voicemail telling them who I was and that I had some questions about the Fuddruckers acquisition and their armed patron policy. I received a call back from DRG&E, Luby's contracted investor relations firm and spoke with their Vice President and Investor Relations Counsel. I asked her three questions, putting them in writing in a follow-up email, and she informed me she would pass them on to Luby's management.
Here's my email:
Thank you for responding to my telephone request. As I said, I write columns that promote the right to keep and bear arms, and my readership is interested in knowing which businesses allow their choice to lawfully carry and which prohibit them.
Luby's is of interest for two reasons:
First, the tragedy recounted by Suzanna Gratia Hupp in her book "From Luby's to the Legislature."
Second, because of the current effort to acquire Fuddruckers, which recently stirred up a controversy with their "No Guns" policy.
Because of the acquisition, my readers will be interested in knowing what corporate policy is and will be. Here are the three questions I am requesting a "for the record" position on:
1. Do Luby's locations prohibit lawful open and concealed carry or defer to state law?
2. Do you anticipate Luby's policy replacing the current Fuddruckers "No Guns" policy?
3. (This question is only applicable if a "No Guns" policy is in effect) If someone disregarded your policy, what would Luby's be prepared to do to protect its customers?
Per our discussion, I have included the publications I write for in the links below my name.
Thank you for your attention to this. I'd like to be able to post a column this week--if more time is needed, please let me know.
I followed up yesterday with this:
[A]s no one has indicated they need more time to answer the questions, I'm going to go ahead and run with this as my column tomorrow.
Based on the all-too-evident results, Luby's is utterly incapable of protecting its customers, nor should they be expected to. By the same token, if they expect gun owner patronage, we deserve to know their position on our ability to protect ourselves, and if we can expect to see any changes in Fuddruckers policy once they assume ownership and control.
UPDATE
I just received this email reply from Luby's:
Good Afternoon Mr. Codrea,
Thank you for your correspondence.
We appreciate you bringing this to our attention. Management will be sure to take the following under advisement.
We appreciate your interest in Luby’s & Fuddruckers.
Thank you & have a good day!
Typical corporate-speak that addresses nothing. Here is my response:
Please advise them of this:
I would be happy to publish their statement in this matter.
If they give me one, I will.
Comments
Well, these are just more places not to go. If they care nothing about individual rights, they are not worthy of my business.
I believe a store owner has the right to set their own policies, as much as people have a right to vote with their feet.
Hey David,
I watched the video with that gal I'd always heard about but had never seen. I could tell that she pretty much wanted to get up and wring their scrawny Rad Leftist SP necks!!!!
I take it from the Poster Pic up above that she won election to the Texas State Congress?
Here in Casper, I'm going to try to get people together to confront (reasonably, peaceably, and legally) the Albertson's "No Weapons" policy.
Their policy doesn't even allow for pocket knives, much less side arms.
So....if you've any advice, I'd appreciate it...and if you could do a piece on Albertson's that might also help to get the ball rolling in other cities where that corporation has stores.
Thanks again David.
Cheers and have a great weekend.
That explains it! My favorite gun store in Houston Texas, "Carters Country" is located in the same retail strip as a BBQ rest. and Fud's. You have to wait in line to get into the BBQ rest. and Fud's is empty!
David, I don't know enough about other States' carry laws (open or concealed) to be able to comment, but here in Montana, it's simple:
Any retail establishment that really doesn't want to let law-abiding legally carrying patrons in, just has to serve beer/wine and/or alcohol. Case closed, by state law you may not carry a firearm into those establishments.
The law was penned to avoid drunken brawls going all south-central Hell-A on us, but has been abused to the extent possible, even here ine MT.
JR: Yes, she was elected five times to the TX House of Reps and did not seek reelection in 2006. A very nice and approachable lady--my son and I spent a few minutes chatting with her at the Second Amendment March. Let's address Albertsons via email.
URU- Mike Stollenwerk, the DC GRE and co-head of Open Carry.org posted a column on 7/3 titled "43 states now allow gun carry where alcohol is served" and Cleveland GRE Daniel White has been writing about Ohio's efforts on this front. I can't post urls in comments, but if you go to these guys' pages in the link box on the bottom of my column you can find their articles.
I would disagree with you on one point David. If a customer is allowed into an establishment yet forced to leave his or her legal self protection outside (no dogs considered here just guns and knives)then the establishment by default has chosen to provide protection for that customer and should be required to do so and demonstrate how it will happen to prevent loss of life. A call to police, a silent alarm, etc are not timely enough to invoke an immediate response to a life threatening situation. Every person who believes in self protection, right to carry and bear arms, and the second amendment should boycott these places and whenever they can remind their friends why they are doing so. I have friends who now buy coffee from starbucks that never did. I never supported Starbucks until i started reading the articles. I think you will notice a lot of hot rodders and motorcyclists carry guns and fuddruckers sponsors a lot of their runs. Maybe you should reach out to them to boycott.
I've been to the Fuddruckers in Aurora, Colorado several times in the last few years and never saw any signs prohibiting carry. It looks like there is no need for me to return and see if they have it posted now.
Will the Lubys and their ilk never learn?
Hunh. I would have thought that Luby's would know better after the Hupp incident. And that corporate weaselspeak is just plain insulting.
I haven't been to a Fudd's for a while, but like their food. My family and I go to Luby's about 10 times a year.
I've never seen a 30-06 sign (the one that keeps Texas CHL holders out) at either restaurant, and neither one serves enough alcohol (51% of revenue from on-site consumption) to keep CHL holders out. I'll have to see if they've posted signs in either of them around here (San Antonio). I will refuse to enter either establishment if they prohibit lawful carry - and I'll let them know that.
Oh, BTW, the middle of this page has 3 coupons for Fuddruckers. Rather ironic.
Huh. I was completely unaware of Fuddruckers' policy. We have one within driving distance, but I haven't gone there in most of a decade. We had a Luby's on the same road, but ironically it went out of business last year.
So is Fuddrucker's policy actually "no weapons" or "no VISIBLE weapons?" Because they are listed as "CCW-friendly" at asrpa.com/html/ccw_cafe_s.html .
Paul from TX: Yeah, I guess the Examiner program places ads based on text without context.
Henry Bowman: While open carry was what triggered the Fuddruckers corporate statement, their response indicates blanket: "Fuddruckers has had a no weapons policy for several years but it wasn't being enforced in all locations. By enforcing its no-weapons policy, Fuddruckers is enforcing its rights as a private business to create the sort of dining environment we believe best suits and appeals to all or the majority of our guests."
No idea why the ASRPA site lists them except they may be franchise operations, which, as noted in my column, set their own weapons policies, as opposed to corporate-owned outlets, which are set by the suits. If there has been any change, they have not made it known since this came to the fore in April.
Do you spend money with other organizations that also want to "infinge" your Second Amendment rights? If you have insurance with GEICO you do!!
These names are like Play Doh. There's so many things you can do with them.
Even the dame who wrotye the book has a funny name.
Pardon my old English.
What was the topic again? Ohhhh guns.
Keeps the government in it's place. Nuff said.
x
This is a GREAT revealing article, I may not comment on all of them BUT you always hit the nail on the proverbial head thank you David!
Support liberty. Vote with your wallet and your feet. Eat elsewhere.
I've been into several Pappas Bros. restaurants (privately owned corp - HQd in Houston) and to Luby's (Pappas are big shareholders as it's a public company and do not set policy without other board members from what I understand). The only Pappas restaurant that's posted is in PHX. Th previous GM posted because he thought that was how all of the stores were. He was a big 2A guy,just thought he was following employer policy. He has since left and I don't know if the new GM has removed the sign or not. But none of the stores in Houston that I have dined at are posted. I don't know much about the brothers, But most of their stores are in Texas.Texas has a few CHL holders. Why lose customers unnecessarily in this economy?
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