Last month, Liberty Market announced the 31 daily specials for its annual Burger Daze promotion in August. Included was a foie gras burger, which prompted the inevitable complaints.
Within 48 hours of the announcement, restaurateur Joe Johnson backtracked and eliminated the foie gras burger. The restaurant’s desire, he said, is not to “offend (customers) unnecessarily.”
So it was a little surprising when MXSW learned Sarah Palin would host a Republican campaign rally Monday at Liberty’s sibling eatery, Joe’s Farm Grill.
As might be expected, many Joe’s Farm Grill customers weren’t too pleased to see the restaurant team up with one of the country’s most polarizing political figures.
“Guess after all my years as a loyal customer I will no longer be eating at any of your restaurants after allowing the fear-mongering, hate spewing Sarah Palin to serve food along with her lies at your establishment,” one customer wrote on JFG’s Facebook wall.
Another commented: “I cannot give them my $$ ever again. And that’s a shame cuz I love Liberty Market.”
“Why did Joes have to get political?” asked another. “If I am forced to choose, my choice is not to return.”
Of course, there’s seemingly an equal number of posts of support from conservative customers. And the event did draw a huge crowd, estimated at well over 1,000 people, despite the 106-degree heat.
Politics aside, was this a smart business move for a local restaurant? If you say yes, would you feel the same if it had been a campaign rally for, say, Nancy Pelosi? Or does it not really matter either way in the long run?
Thoughts?
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