Would you be more likely to eat at a restaurant where you wouldn't run into someone visibly carrying a gun?
If confronted with large guns in a Chipotle, my instinct would be to get my food to go.
We've seen several chains — Chili's, Chipotle, Sonic, Jack in the Box — express concern over open carry demonstrations, most notably in Texas.
Restaurants try to not get involved in political discussions. After all, restaurants are all about customers and food. They want left-wing and right-wing people to come eat there.
We've written about Chick-Fil-A from the other side of the political spectrum. Will gun enthusiasts react similarly to chains that discourage open carry?
The good news for those chains is that they may not have to pay a high price for their actions. Those on the left are more about boycotts than those on the right. Also, the restaurants are concerned with open carry vs. concealed carry.
To be honest, I'm still learning about concealed carry since I live in the last state to switch to concealed carry (and we didn't even vote on this) and next to the 49th state to go to concealed carry.
We see the tiny signs banning guns from property, reminders that guns would otherwise be allowed in the building. Still getting used to this new world.
Police officers eat a lot in restaurants, and they are armed. Open carry but not in a way that the open carry protesters are doing. They don't bother me in the slightest. First of all, you should eat where cops eat because they know the best places to eat. But if something were to happen, then I would feel safer.
The eating environment is preached on both sides of the political spectrum. Conservatives talk about family values and eating together as a family; liberals do too but conservatives are louder on this topic. The eating environment should be about comfort, whether dining at home or in a booth in a restaurant.
For most people, seeing heavily armed private citizens while eating in a restaurant is not a comfortable environment for digestion.
Drive-thrus, when available, offer a compromise. Those carrying serious guns can keep them in the car while ordering their food.
Open carry vs. concealed carry might be splitting hairs, but in a restaurant environment, this can make a huge difference. May never get used to the idea of concealed carry, but that looks smarter compared to open carry.
We mentioning the police. They are armed and everyone knows it. But the police do so in a way that isn't, well, obnoxious.
People need to respect guns. And people respect people who respect guns. Police really respect their weapons. These open carry protesters aren't respecting their weapons.
The eating experience doesn't always have to sacred, but it should be enjoyable. And ideally gun-free.
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