Sonny's BBQ Restaurant Policy

[PegLeg45]

We see and hear about corporate policies in the news, and on here sometimes, and never really think about it affecting us "at home" in our own back yards. Well, this week it did. Depending on where you live many of you may have heard of and/or eaten at the chain BBQ restaurant called Sonny's. Well, below is a story from our local newspaper from my town outlining what happened concerning policy and our local Sonny's franchise restaurant.




Tifton restaurant owner loses Sonny’s franchise


By Angie Thompson, Senior Reporter

TIFTON — Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q on U.S. Highway 82 West is now The Smokehouse Restaurant because local franchise owner Bill Davis refused to sell beer, wine or liquor in the “family restaurant.” Also, the Sonny’s corporation didn’t believe it was appropriate for employees there to wear “I Pledge...I Pray” T-shirts at work.

Rather than change his operation, Davis said Tuesday he decided to “stand up for God.” He said he has nothing against the Sonny’s organization and can’t understand why his decision has brought him so much attention.

“All I did was say I was standing up for God,” Davis said. “This should be a normal everyday thing. This should not be the event it has become.”

Davis said the company has been “super nice” over the 22 years he’s owned the Sonny’s Restaurant franchise in Tifton.

“They are very professional people and they have been very helpful, and they did a world of good for us and helped us build what we have today,” Davis said.

Davis said his 20-year license for his Sonny’s franchise expired two years ago. He drove to Orlando to the Sonny’s headquarters in February 2008 to meet with officials there; he said the company offered a new agreement with the stipulation that he sell beer, wine and liquor drinks in the restaurant.

“I just told them we didn’t want to,” Davis said. “They didn’t understand because they acted like that was the future of restaurants.”

The Sonny’s president, according to Davis, backed off the mandate that the Tifton restaurant sell liquor and offered Davis a two-year contract extension to decide if he would sell wine and beer. The president also told Davis that he might want to consider selling the restaurant, closing it or turning it into another business.

Then Davis received a letter dated Oct. 20, 2009, stating that his franchise agreement with Sonny’s would end Dec. 31. There were specifically two issues in the letter, Davis said, that he couldn’t agree with.
In the “Notice of Default and Notice of Termination” letter, the company stated that it had sent Davis a letter in April giving him time to sell the franchise and that “All system standards,” including beer and wine sales, would continue through the end of the year.

Davis also takes issue with Sonny’s disapproval of employees wearing clothing with American flags and Christian logos on them and with such items in the restaurant.

One paragraph in the letter reads, “Team members at the Tifton Sonny’s Store #92 were wearing white T-shirts with an American flag that stated on the front, ‘I Pledge...I Pray.’ There was also a ‘Jesus’ memento/trinket on the shelf at the cash register. The T-shirts are not an approved uniform along and the ‘Jesus’ memento/trinket are not within Sonny’s System Standards, which states as follows: Politics and Religion: Where we realize you are individual business owners with your own view on politics and religion, the Sonny’s brand must remain non-partisan. No political or religious signage is allowed on the property where a Sonny’s is located. This includes non-partisan races such as city and county government as well as holding religious services inside the restaurant. Any cash and food donations are at your discretion.”

“That’s where being politically correct came in and I really don’t care a rat’s a-- about being politically correct,” Davis said. “I’d much rather have God than any politician I know.”

Bold emphasis is mine.
http://www.tiftongazette.com/local/local_story_335220203.html




I personally find it appalling that a 22 year business has to end this way because his principles don't go along with the home office. What is odd, is that Sonny's Corporate has always been community oriented and charitable so this was even more of a shock. Heck, they have already taken his location off the map at the corporate web site.

I think he made the right choice and actually feel he will do even more business than he was already doing and now he doesn't have to deal with corporate red tape.

I say good on Bill Davis.......and I for one will never spend another cent in a Sonny's restaurant because I wouldn't want the "In God We Trust" or any symbol of the USA to offend their corporate sensibilities.

Sonny's = BASTARDS.    

Thanks for letting me rant,

Peg

[r_w]

Good on him. 

Franchises/franchiseees are becoming a mirror of the US revolution.  Sending more and more money away with less and less freedom to show for it. 

[Teresa Heilevang]

Isn't is scary what is happening all over and under our noses.. So ... now we know how many other people with Sonny's restaurant buckled and is giving up wearing shirts symbolizing God or America... and selling alcohol whether they wanted to or not..

Slowly like rotting flesh.. we are being taken over.................

It takes a real person with strong values to do what he is doing..

and you are right.. the people that are behind these corporate powers are bastards..

[Johnny Bravo]

They didn't have a problem taking in the money that states "IN GOD WE TRUST"on every bill.. Well it does for now?

[Big Frank]

What's wrong with having a drink with your meal? It's not a sin.

[Sponsor]

[Pathfinder]

What's wrong with having a drink with your meal? It's not a sin.

Davis may be Southern Baptist, they do seem to have some serious reservations where booze is concerned. It's not Biblical, but it is Southern Baptist. I know, I used to be one.

[tombogan03884]

What's wrong with having a drink with your meal? It's not a sin.

That isn't really the point. The point is that for whatever reason, maybe the Owner just didn't want to attract drunks to a restaurant that was already doing well with out the hassle, He chose NOT to be dictated to by some corporate bean counter.
GOOD FOR HIM !

[twyacht]

Sounds like he could open another restaurant in town, run it his way, and take business away from the corporate HQ in Orlando.

Which would be fine with me and all the folks that went there for a decent meal.

We had fish camps in NC, only open a couple days a week. Great food, no alcohol.  Packed on Fri & Sat night.

[Timothy]

Call the CEO of Sonny's and have them look at the back of every U.S. form of currency, he'll find ..."IN GOD WE TRUST" in nice big letters.

Hypocrites.....

[twyacht]

Call the CEO of Sonny's and have them look at the back of every U.S. form of currency, he'll find ..."IN GOD WE TRUST" in nice big letters.

Hypocrites.....

They don't call it "The Almighty" Dollar for nothing....