Maggiano's Little Italy Apologizes After Hosting White Nationalist Dinner

[brooklynite]

Washington City Paper:

On Friday night, Maggiano’s in Friendship Heights was the inadvertent site of a protest that caused us to close our restaurant to protect the safety of our Teammates and Guests.

The protesters were upset because of a banquet we were hosting for a group called the National Policy Institute (NPI). This was a last-minute booking made Friday afternoon, and the reservation was made under a different name. Therefore we were not aware that NPI was dining with us or what the group represents. After the event, an attendee sent a tweet in which she made a “Sieg Heil salute” in support of Hitler and white supremacy. This expression of support of Hitler is extremely offensive to us, as our restaurant is home to Teammates and Guests of every race, religion, and cultural background.

We want to sincerely apologize to the community of Friendship Heights for inadvertently hosting this meeting, which resulted in hateful sentiment. We want you to know that at the suggestion of one of our Guests, we are donating the profits from our restaurant sales on Friday, $10,000, to the DC office of the Anti-Defamation League, which for decades has been working to bring people together in peace and understanding.

[lpbk2713]

1. Dumbasses.

If they had any clue what life was like 75 years ago they wouldn't be smiling.

[rzemanfl]

2. I understand men are not allowed to use the word

"****" so will one of you ladies do it for me?

[still_one]

5. Just call them what they are a bunch of racist bigoted assholes

[CincyDem]

3. Swift and appropriate response from Maggiano's

Nice touch on the ADL donation...putting their money where their mouth is.

Adding them to my list of places to support.

[wordpix]

13. me, too, also sending to my bro who has a company party there annually

[Lisa0825]

4. Does Tila Tequila know she is not white?

[Ligyron]

11. I wondered what she'd been up to.

A total lack of self-awareness apparently.

[yuiyoshida]

15. I just looked at her website

She is totally into the Nazi thing... omg..

[narnian60]

16. Had never heard of her.

Looked at her Wikipedia entry. Geez, her quotes are unbelievable.

[yuiyoshida]

17. She had a song out...

Its totally X-rated, ..I won't even post it, cause its totally offensive.

[mainer]

6. Great response by Maggiano's. But a legal question:

Can a restaurant refuse service to neo-Nazis? Would there be any ramifications for refusing service based on political leanings? I'm sure there are many restaurants who would never want to serve such people.

[brooklynite]

7. Political Leanings are not a protected class...

[HAB911]

8. Soon they cwill be able to use religion

to deny service

[TeamPooka]

10. Just bar them on religious values and tell them to take up with Mike Pence

[Retrograde]

12. Can a restaurant refuse service to Democrats?

The broader question is whether a restaurant can refuse service to a group based on its political leanings. Abhorrent as many right-leaning groups are, I don't think we want to say that that's ok. If they make obvious political statements or speeches, or bother other customers, or put up political propaganda, then, yes, they should be asked to leave and future bookings denied based on that disruptive behavior.

Given the new administration, I really don't think we should advocate discriminating based on beliefs alone.

[TeamPooka]

9. Woody Allen was right.

[Cooley Hurd]

14. I hate Illinois Nazis...

[SCVDem]

18. Restaurants reserve the right

To refuse service to anyone.

Signs are posted.