Wild Wings Cafe

[AUChizad]

Saw this story and thought, "Wow, if this is true then THIS is some racist shit."

But I had a feeling there was more to the story. Couldn't imagine this playing out as it was represented in the media in 2013.

http://newsone.com/2698376/michael-brown-wild-wing-cafe-south-carolina/

NewsOne Speaks To Members Of Black Group Asked To Leave Cafe Over Alleged Racism
Aug 27, 2013
By Terrell Jermaine Starr   


Members of the group posing for a photo taken by a member of their party after leaving the North Charleston Wild Wing Cafe on July 31, 2013.

Michael Brown (pictured below) and a group of 24 of his friends and family were looking to enjoy one last bite together at Wild Wing Cafe in North Charleston, S.C., before his cousin moved to Atlanta, but they ended up not being seated because one of the sitting White customers allegedly did not feel comfortable with their presence.

In an interview with NewsOne, Brown said that he and his party arrived at the cafe around 8 p.m on Wednesday July 31. According to Brown, he called ahead to notify the cafe staff that a large party would be coming. Once everyone arrived, they were told to wait for an area in the cafe to become available.

After 45 minutes, a member of their group allegedly asked the night manager for an update and was told the staff was still working on a spot. Another 45 minutes reportedly passed, and again, they asked about seating. “We’re working on it,” Brown remembers the manager telling the group.”We almost got it ready.” But around 10 p.m., the group grew impatient and asked what was going on.

“We asked [the shift manager], ‘Why can’t we sit in that area over there?’ Brown said, pointing to a row of empty tables in the cafe. “She said pretty much that costumer over there feels threatened by you guys and she asked that you not be seated by her.”

The manager did not say that the customer cited race as a reason why she was uncomfortable with the group, but Brown says when he saw that the sitting patron was White, it was impossible not to conclude that race was a factor.

“You can say it’s not racially motivated, but here’s the thing: If you’ve got two people who are in a conflict and the other person is eating and the other is sitting hungry after two hours, then we have a problem,” Brown said. “That’s unacceptable.”

Marlon Brown, another member of the group and Michael’s brother-in-law, told NewsOne that the manager should have been more honest with them about what was going on. “If this was the case, and [the manager] knew this was going on the whole time, she could have told us two hours ago and saved us all of this time, and we could have eaten somewhere else,” he said.

At one point during the ordeal, Marlon pulled out his cellphone to record what was happening. It was at that point that the manager allegedly asked the group to leave the establishment, a request that baffled Michael.

“I said, So you’re telling me, after you made me wait for two hours, and discriminate against me, and have us waiting and we called ahead — all of these things and we actually still want to patronize your establishment. Now you [are] telling me you want to kick me out?” he reportedly asked the manager.

Watch the news story of the alleged racial incident at Wild Wing Cafe below:

But before they parted ways, they took a group photo (pictured at top) that has since gone viral. The next day, members of the group wrote e-mails and made phone calls to Wild Wing Cafe’s corporate office in Mount Pleasant to complain about their experience. However, Brown says three weeks went by without a reply. So he took to Facebook to express his anger:



This caught Wild Wing Cafe’s attention, so they reached out to Brown.

The group was offered a free meal for their trouble, but Brown said that’s not enough. “We went there to patronize the business,” he said. “It really wasn’t about a free meal.”

Wild Wing Cafe released a statement to NewsOne in which the company admits that they did not respond to any of the group members e-mails and phone calls until August 22. The company also stated that “a breakdown in our own internal communication,” not race, spurred the July 31 incident:

    We understand the magnitude of the larger conversation that is taking place and we regret that it has gotten to this point because of a failure to respond to a customer complaint three weeks earlier. We understand the frustrations that are felt because of our lack of responsiveness. It is inexcusable.

    As soon as the owners and the senior management team were made aware of the situation on the afternoon of Thursday, August 22, we responded swiftly.

    We are incredibly disappointed and sorry that any guest felt disrespected or discriminated against. The customers have a right to be upset with our lack of timely responsiveness. However, the color of their skin did not play a part in this situation. It was a breakdown in our own internal communication.

    I can assure you that we have zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind and that there is a full and ongoing review of the entire incident.  Our ownership group, home office staff, and restaurant staff represent the diversity that our great country is made up of and these accusations do not reflect our values. The incident that occurred in the restaurant is under investigation. The manager involved is on leave while we continue the investigation.

    Wild Wing is a place for all people, and we continuously strive to make sure that anybody that walks in the doors of Wild Wing is treated with love, and utmost respect and care.  We have had productive conversations with members of the 25-person party, and will continue to do so. There are meetings scheduled for this week with members of the party.

    Action has been taken internally throughout Wild Wing Cafe to make certain that we avoid future failures to respond to customer issues.

    At this point, further details of the action being taken are part of the internal review and ongoing private conversations with members of the 25-person party.

Since the story has gone national, Wild Wing Cafe’s Facebook page has been inundated with comments on every status update, most of which support the group. Many commenters implore the company to fire the shift manager who asked the group to leave. Others say the company should be sued.

When NewsOne asked Brown what he and other group members wanted to happen next, he said that they planned to meet and discuss the “pros and cons” of what they want their next steps to be. Brown added that the group and Wild Wing Cafe management planned on meeting this week to discuss the incident.

There is some irony to this whole situation, though. Last year, Wild Wing Cafe, which has some 20-plus restaurants throughout the country, was bought by private equality firm Axum Capital Partners of Charlotte, N.C, according to The Post and Courier. One of its managing directors is Muhsin Muhammad, an African-American and former pro-football player for the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers. In a video interview, he explains how his professional sports and entertainment connections will help him build the restaurant chain’s brand. “I’m excited about how big Wild Wing Cafe can be,” he said.

Coming from the multi-billion dollar enterprise that is the NFL where the vast majority of players are Black, Muhammad knows all too well the need to ensure that a brand does not alienate an economic base that can produce revenue. On July 31, the Wild Wing Cafe in North Charleston lost 25 customers. If the chain does not adequately address the social media uproar alone that has taken over its social media platforms, it stands to lose many more.

And here is the kicker: What if Muhammad or a notable Black celebrity had experienced the poor service that night instead of Brown and his friends?

As we approach the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I have a dream speech,” it seems like racial prejudice is still keeping us away from having a seat at the counter–even if a Black man has a financial stake in it.

Watch Muhammad promote the Wild Wing Cafe chain below:

And now:
http://www.radiofacts.com/woman-wild-wings-contacts-radio-facts-states-black-patrons-asked-leave-several-reasons/#

Woman from Wild Wings Contacts Radio Facts, States Black Patrons Asked to Leave for Several Reasons
– Posted on August 26, 2013

A woman contacted Radio Facts who works at the Wild Wings restaurant that asked the black patrons to leave. and asked that we allow her to be anonymous. She states there are several reasons the group was asked to leave (below)  Radiofacts.com,

You’re only getting one side of story here. I work at the restaurant and your representation of the events is way off base. The group was being loud and obnoxious to both customers and staffers. They kept complaining about their long wait and were talking about how “whitey” was able to get seated, but they were not. The problem was that they had a large group and insisted on sitting next to each other. We only had one area that could accommodate their large group and the patrons in that area were not done. So yes, some “whities” were able to be seated before them, but only because they were going to a different area. We also seated non-whites in other areas too…They made this a racial issue before anything. One of the guests also insulted a deaf white girl because she didn’t respond to one of them telling her to move (she was deaf and didn’t hear them) They were also all standing in the middle of the walk way, making it difficult for customers to leave. We asked them if they could move over, but they said they can stand wherever they want, and if we wanted them out of the way then we should seat them. The customer that was offended was offended by a particular individual’s constant uses of the word “n*gger” When asked to stop, he threw out a long string of racial epithets against one of my co-workers.

[AUTiger1]

There is always two sides to the story.

[dallaswareagle]

There is always two sides to the story.

But only one is ever reported.

Beside the chick cow in front needs to skip a meal.

And don't be surprised if you start seeing more of this, raise a ruckus about some slight you perceive, have "your" witnesses ready and get on the news, get free stuff, sue somebody.

[CCTAU]

But only one is ever reported.

Beside the chick cow in front needs to skip a meal.

And don't be surprised if you start seeing more of this, raise a ruckus about some slight you perceive, have "your" witnesses ready and get on the news, get free stuff, sue somebody.

If you are a filthy mouthed rude-assed person, I don't give two shits what color you are, you need to go!

If you think because you travel in packs that you can get away with ti, think again.

For the most part, humans get treated like humans, animals get treated like animals. I tell my kids(white. gasp!) this all of the time. Act right, you get treated right.

[WiregrassTiger]

If you are a filthy mouthed rude-assed person, I don't give two shoots what color you are, you need to go!

If you think because you travel in packs that you can get away with ti, think again.

For the most part, humans get treated like humans, animals get treated like animals. I tell my kids(white. gasp!) this all of the time. Act right, you get treated right.

Well, yes but they called ahead. Looks like color was the main factor to me.

[dallaswareagle]

Well, yes but they called ahead. Looks like color was the main factor to me.

Yea, never mind that the other party that was already there wasn't ready to leave. The manager should have just told the sitting party to leave when the other party showed up. Because they were special.

[AUJarhead]

If you are a filthy mouthed rude-assed person, I don't give two shits what color you are, you need to go!

You're going to be awfully fucking lonely on this board.

[dallaswareagle]

You're going to be awfully fucking lonely on this board.

 

[AUTailgatingRules]

Have you ever waited tables and had to take care of a large table of blacks?  Trust me it is not a money making experience

[AUChizad]

Have you ever waited tables and had to take care of a large table of blacks?  Trust me it is not a money making experience

This is not the point.

What I'm saying is there was probably no racial discrimination at play, as was alleged and widely reported.

What you're saying is they and all black people should be discriminated against.

I want to state for the record that those are two different things.

[CCTAU]

You're going to be awfully fucking lonely on this board.

I'm never lonely. i got me...and me...me too....

[Snaggletiger]

I'm never lonely. i got me...and me...me too....

I've done no harm, I keep to myself
There's nothing wrong with my state of mental health
I like it here with my childhood friend
Here they come, those feelings again

[Saniflush]

I've done no harm, I keep to myself
There's nothing wrong with my state of mental health
I like it here with my childhood friend
Here they come, those feelings again

Who dat be?

[Tiger Wench]

Who dat be?

Is it Da Man come to take me away?

Just try it mothafucka!!  I cap yo ass!

[Kaos]

Have you ever been unfortunate enough to be seated in a restaurant next to a group of 20 or more "african americans"? 

It's impossible to enjoy your meal or carry on normal conversation. 

It's always loud. It's always rude. It's always vulgar. It's always nearly unintelligible.  "Conversation" is a series of shrieked and shouted verbal assaults complete with over-emoting physically including flailing arms, chairs shoved around, leaping up, head-bob dancing and other mass motions.

I don't like it. 

[AUTailgatingRules]

What you're saying is they and all black people should be discriminated against.

If you don't know how to tip

[Snaggletiger]

Have you ever been unfortunate enough to be seated in a restaurant next to a group of 20 or more "african americans"? 

It's impossible to enjoy your meal or carry on normal conversation. 

It's always loud. It's always rude. It's always vulgar. It's always nearly unintelligible.  "Conversation" is a series of shrieked and shouted verbal assaults complete with over-emoting physically including flailing arms, chairs shoved around, leaping up, head-bob dancing and other mass motions.

I don't like it.

Plus, the waitress will get a shitty tip

[AUTailgatingRules]

Have you ever been unfortunate enough to be seated in a restaurant next to a group of 20 or more "african americans"? 

It's impossible to enjoy your meal or carry on normal conversation. 

It's always loud. It's always rude. It's always vulgar. It's always nearly unintelligible.  "Conversation" is a series of shrieked and shouted verbal assaults complete with over-emoting physically including flailing arms, chairs shoved around, leaping up, head-bob dancing and other mass motions.

I don't like it.

Don't forget the 14 separate checks

[Townhallsavoy]

Have you ever been unfortunate enough to be seated in a restaurant next to a group of 20 or more "african americans"? 

It's impossible to enjoy your meal or carry on normal conversation. 

It's always loud. It's always rude. It's always vulgar. It's always nearly unintelligible.  "Conversation" is a series of shrieked and shouted verbal assaults complete with over-emoting physically including flailing arms, chairs shoved around, leaping up, head-bob dancing and other mass motions.

I don't like it.

I refrain from eating at Applebees and TGI Fridays so I've managed to avoid this situation.

[GH2001]

Has to be bogus. No smart business man in his right mind kicks 25 blacks out of a place that sells wings. That's friggin money.