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One of the lamer stories of the year

This is pretty silly and lame on the part of the particular Olive Garden.. seriously, how much room does a flag take up? If the Kiwanis club had been bringing in a whole bunch of stuff, that would be one thing, a flag and their banner? That shouldn't be an issue.

ANNISTON, Ala. -- Officials with the parent company of Olive Garden restaurants say they're sorry if a decision regarding an Alabama Kiwanis club's desire to display the American flag caused any concern.

The comments come after 80-year-old Marti Warren of Anniston said she wasn't allowed to bring an American flag into an Olive Garden for a planned Kiwanis Club banquet in the east Alabama town of Oxford.

Warren learned the night of the banquet that she wouldn't be allowed to display the flag or the Kiwanis banner in the restaurant, she said.

"I was so angry," she told WBRC-TV. "I felt like I had been slapped in the face."

Orlando-based parent firm Darden restaurants said in a statement that "like all Americans we have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for the American flag and everything it symbolizes."

The Oxford Olive Garden lacks a private dining area, which led to the decision, company officials said.

"To be fair to everyone and avoid disrupting the dining experience for all other guests, they're unable to accommodate flags or banners of any type in the dining room," according to the statement.

Without a flag at the Kiwanis banquet, Warren said she asked club members to close their eyes and picture the flag waving in the wind as they said the pledge of allegiance.

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Permalink Reply by Willy on October 13, 2011 at 11:00am

A simple solution is, go to another restuarant. I would have canceled immediately and gone to Burger King if needed.

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Permalink Reply by Dave on October 13, 2011 at 11:58am

Yeah, Olive Garden at that location surely cost themselves some business at that location. Not only will the Kiwanis members that were there probably not return, some of the guest probably wont return either as well as people that read about the incident. Its funny sometimes how these places don't look at the big picture.

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Permalink Reply by masonco on October 13, 2011 at 6:18pm

I saw it on FB and they are planning to boycott Olive Garden. As this spreads, more vet groups might boycott them as well.

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Permalink Reply by XLFD on October 13, 2011 at 2:00pm

I don't think that branch of the Olive Garden made the right business-sense call in this instance, and if they don't have such restrictions in their written policy, they should get one that clarifies it on the corporate level before they lose more non-Greek customers.

Be that as it may, if some other peaceful group came into Olive Garden with a confederate flag to display, would that change this scenario? Be aware, this happened in Alabama and there is a fair share of folks who may get offended by its prominent display.

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Permalink Reply by AQUAMAN on October 13, 2011 at 9:06pm

I totally agree with Willy, they should have gone elsewhere where the US Flag was admired and allowed. And I do hope other Vet groups join in any future boycotts so the message is clear and undeniable in the future. I can't think of ANY VALID reason to disallow the display of our national banner, no matter whom complains, it simply is anti-American to do otherwise, irregardless of political correctness or some other flimsy excuse. There are plenty of other Italian/Greek type restaurants that should approve in that area I would hope.