Restaurant gives 15% off for saying grace

August 1, 2014
John B. Chilton

A restaurant receives praise and anger for its policy of giving 15% off if your table says grace.

And some people wondered aloud if the restaurant’s practice amounts to discrimination. The Department of Justice says that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on religion in a public accommodation, such as a restaurant. Whether the diner is in violation isn’t immediately clear.

We put in a call to the DOJ for clarification and will update this post if we hear back.

What do you think? Is this discrimination on the basis of religion?

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Ann Fontaine

August 3, 2014 9:33 am

RE: ashes and praying in public

Chris H.

August 3, 2014 9:24 am

According to a note on Facebook by the owner, the prayer doesn’t have to be “out loud”, so theoretically an atheist prayer or a Muslim, or Hindu would be acceptable if the owner noticed them.

I’m really not seeing how this is different than senior discounts, military discounts, etc. If I’m paying the stated price on the menu because I’m not 55 or an airman/vet etc. they aren’t cheating me. At least this is a discount I could participate in, instead of, say going out to eat after church and being the only person at the table who has to pay full price because I’m not a senior.

Do you suppose the Christ’s ban on praying in public would also ban “Ashes to go”? Every year there’s a controversy around here whether wearing the ashes is “ostentatious” and whether the ban means that we should wash off the cross before going to work, etc.

Chris Harwood

Ann Fontaine

August 3, 2014 12:17 am

Last time I checked the law – if you have a business that is open to the public – you cannot discriminate.

Fr. Will McQueen

August 2, 2014 11:45 pm

Last I checked the owner of this restaurant is entitled to give a discount to anyone he wants to give one to. His business, his rules. If someone happens to get “offended” that he didn’t get a discount, then I might suggest finding a new dining establishment.

tgflux

August 2, 2014 7:28 pm

“At this table, we’ve not only evolved to have brains capable of reasoning there’s No God, but are joyfully grateful for this evolution process”: I wonder if this would pass muster w/ the restaurant owners? *

JC Fisher

* Not my own belief, of course, but I’ve hung out w/ enough atheists to get this (possible) drift…

wpDiscuz

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