A Virginia restaurant’s request for White House press secretary Sarah Sanders to leave prompted a flood of good and bad Yelp reviews over the incident.
On Friday, a server for the Red Hen, Jaike Foley-Schultz, posted on Facebook that Sanders was asked to leave. “I just served Sarah huckabee sanders for a total of 2 minutes before my owner asked her to leave and she complied. Her family left on their own accord, we didn’t actually refuse service or ‘kick her out.’”
The Red Hen is located in Lexington, Virginia, roughly three hours outside of Washington, D.C.
Sanders confirmed the incident in a tweet, stating “Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS and I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so.”
Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS and I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so
— Kayleigh McEnany 45 Archived (@PressSec45) June 23, 2018
After the incident went viral, the restaurant saw a deluge of both one and five star reviews on its Yelp and Facebook pages, with none of them having anything to do with the quality of the food.
One reviewer who approved of booting Sanders, wrote: “The best. I’ve heard that they serve crow to those deserving of it.”
Another positive review brought up the Colorado baker who had refused to create a wedding cake for a gay couple as an example of a double standard.
“Think it’s a bit rich that a bunch of people who think bakers should be able to turn away gay couples are pissed that Sarah Sanders, the Leni Riefenstahl of the Trump Administration, was asked to leave. Five stars just to oppose hypocrisy.”
While the reviews on Yelp were mixed, on Facebook it skewed much heavier towards those who were angry that Sanders would be asked to leave, leaving comments like, “They hate Americans and use their restaurant for support of progressive crazy ideas. This is a hotbed of hatred here.”
Other reviewers called for a boycott of the restaurant. “Your restaurant is doomed for failure! When ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ stop frequenting your business, you’ll know you should have left Trump’s White House Secretary alone!!! She is awesome, and doing this will be your ruination!!!” One reviewer gave a suggestion that the “red” in the Red Hen’s name is an inaccurate description: “Please change the name to The Blue Hen.”
Political commentator Ana Navorro and Sanders’ father, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, also weighed in.
Bigotry. On the menu at Red Hen Restaurant in Lexington VA. Or you can ask for the “Hate Plate”. And appetizers are “small plates for small minds” https://t.co/rHEVdcQwwh
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 23, 2018
Ok, so how about this…We'll support people who are complicit with this morally bankrupt Administration not being denied service, if you support a gay couple who want to get married not being denied service. Deal? https://t.co/I1QondM89d
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) June 23, 2018
Yelp has since posted an “active cleanup alert” on Red Hen’s review page.
