Buffalo Wild Wings Incident: 'What Race Are You Guys?'

Buffalo Wild Wings managers who reportedly tried to cater to racist diner are fired
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 4, 2019 11:37 AM CST
Staff Who Tried to Cater to a Racist 'Regular' Are Fired
A stock photo of a Buffalo Wild Wings location.   (Getty Images)

Employees have been fired after a racist incident at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Illinois. Mary Vahl posted on Facebook about the Oct. 26 incident, which took place at a Naperville location where their group of 18 had gathered to eat. Her husband, Justin, revisited the host stand to clarify that their party wasn't 15 people as originally communicated—and was asked by the host, "What race are you guys?" The host, who Justin tells the Naperville Sun was black like much of the Vahls' group, explained two regulars who were seated next to the table being prepared for their party were racist and didn't want black people seated next to them. The Vahls' group sat there anyway, and Justin says multiple managers subsequently asked them to move.

One manager told them the table had actually been reserved for a different party of 18, though the Sun reports a reporter who called the restaurant was told reservations aren't accepted. "Meanwhile, we've told our waitress what was happening and she makes a comment indicating that she’s already aware he's a racist because he's a regular," writes Mary; her Facebook post shows the back of that "regular," who appears to be white. "How is an establishment ok with serving people who try to control which types of people sit around them?! ... If you don’t want to sit next to certain people in a public restaurant then you should probably eat dinner in the comfort of your own home." The family ultimately chose to leave. A rep for the chain told the Sun that after conducting an internal probe, a service manager and shift manager were fired. (More racism stories.)

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