Police investigating sign found at Missouri Popeyes drive-thru that said it would ‘reserve the right to refuse service to white people’
- The sign appeared outside the fried chicken chain’s Lake Saint Louis location on Wednesday
- Police said they believe it to be a prank and are investigating
- Backlash from the sign was so intense the Popeyes was forced to close for a day
- A manager said the sign was not the work of any restaurant employees
- The location had been vandalized earlier this month with spray painted drive-thru signs, and police are looking for a connection
Authorities are investigating vandalism at a Popeyes in Missouri, where a sign appeared at the drive-thru Wednesday telling customers that new management would ‘reserve the right to refuse service to white people.’
Lake Saint Louis police reported that the sign was placed, ‘unbeknownst to the business,’ and that it could be related to vandalism at the same Popeyes earlier this month when several drive-thru menu signs were spray-painted.
Photos of the sign caused a furor on social media.
Police are investigating the appearance of this sign on Wednesday at a Popeyes in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri. Authorities say they believe it was vandalism, and that it was placed without the restaurant’s knowledge
Furor over the sign reached the point where the Popeyes was forced to close for a day
‘If you’re Caucasian you may not get chicken at this restaurant,’ Missouri resident Kimberly Stowers-Collier posted on Facebook.
‘What is going on at your store?’ Michelle Murray asked the restaurant’s official Facebook page. ‘Please advise. This is utter BS.’
‘Wow is all I can say,’ Shane Kirk posted.
The backlash over the sign forced the Popeyes to close Wednesday.
The restaurant maintains it had nothing to do with it. ‘It was nobody at the store that posted that,’ its manager told KMOV 4.
‘I saw it all over Snapchat,’ Abbigail Reed, a local customer told Fox 2. ‘I think it’s kind of immature for someone to put on there.’
‘It’s a very sad thought that people even came up with a joke like that,’ Marc Fritsche Jr., another customer told the network. ‘I just hope we can put a more positive input on life and kind of be more together instead of pushing farther apart. It’s pretty sad.’
Popeyes said it had nothing to do with the sign, and that it was cooperating with investigators
On Thursday, the restaurant’s corporate office released a statement, saying, ‘We have been made aware of the situation and are investigating the matter immediately. This type of behavior does not align with our brand values and we take such allegations very seriously. The franchise is cooperating with local authorities regarding this ongoing investigation.’
Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding the sign contact the Lake Saint Louis Police Department at (636) 625-8018.