Not only does the owner of the Red Hen restaurant have no regrets about kicking out Sarah Huckabee Sanders, she insisted Saturday she would do it all over again, saying people need to “uphold their morals.”
Stephanie Wilkinson, owner of the 26-seat eatery in Lexington, Virginia, said she asked the White House press secretary to scoot after receiving a call from her chef at about 8 p.m. Friday alerting her to Ms. Sanders’ presence, then conferring with her staff.
“I would have done the same thing again,” Ms. Wilkinson told the Washington Post. “We just felt there are moments in time when people need to live their convictions. This appeared to be one.”
Ms. Wilkinson cited the press secretary’s work for the “inhumane and unethical” Trump administration.
“I’m not a huge fan of confrontation,” Ms. Wilkinson said. “I have a business, and I want the business to thrive. This feels like the moment in our democracy when people have to make uncomfortable actions and decisions to uphold their morals.”
After a flurry of news reports based on a waiter’s account on Facebook, Ms. Sanders confirmed Saturday that she agreed to leave after being confronted by the owner, adding that, “Her actions say far more about her than about me.”
Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS and I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) June 23, 2018
The Red Hen, which is not affiliated with the Red Hen restaurant in Washington, D.C., was promptly “Yelp-bombed” as thousands of commentators went online to post politically motivated one- and five-star reviews based on the Sanders incident.
The Red Hen’s Facebook page and Twitter account were also deluged with comments ranging from “Thank you for standing up to the fascists” to “Nobody wants to eat at a place that bases service on politics.”
This reads like the owner of Red Hen was told an armed and dangerous fugitive had just shown up in her restaurant pic.twitter.com/VwRxOe2dTX
— Rich Lowry (@RichLowry) June 24, 2018
Well since the popularity of the Red Hen incident it looks like Sarah Sanders is going to have to either learn how to prepare a meal or learn how to not be a horrible lying person.
— Tommy Campbell (@MrTommyCampbell) June 24, 2018
*Orders apron and cookbook.
Liberals two weeks ago: A Christian must be forced to bake a cake against his beliefs and will!
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 24, 2018
Liberals today: A restaurant owner is totally allowed to kick out Sarah Sanders because the owner can’t be forced to serve someone he disagrees with or go against his beliefs!
🤔
Sarah Sanders is whining about not being served at the Red Hen restaurant, because she is a terrible person who lies for Trump and hurts this country. Yet, she fought the right for a business to not serve someone because they’re gay. Cry me a river. Go eat at a kkk restaurant.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) June 23, 2018
Ms. Sanders’ party of eight had already been served cheese boards when Ms. Wilkinson said she asked to speak to the press secretary outside on the patio.
“I was babbling a little, but I got my point across in a polite and direct fashion,” said Ms. Wilkinson. “I explained that the restaurant has certain standards that I feel it has to uphold, such as honesty, and compassion, and cooperation.
“I said, ‘I’d like to ask you to leave,’” and Ms. Sanders didn’t hesitate, replying, “That’s fine. I’ll go,” according to Ms. Wilkinson.
The other guests at Ms. Sanders’ table offered to pay for the food items already served but Ms. Wilkinson said she told them it was “on the house.”
The incident comes a few days after Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was heckled and booed at a Mexican restaurant by other patrons, while White House senior adviser Stephen Miller was reportedly called a “fascist” by another diner at a cantina in Washington, D.C.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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