Frisch's Inc. CEO claims your personal safety not at risk due to his CCW Ban

UPDATE: Frisch's Inc. signs coming down!

Frisch's Inc. has begun to respond to customers who voice their displeasure with a new interstate policy discriminating against CHL-holders in their restaurants.

In a letter from President & CEO Craig F. Maier, Frisch's Inc. takes the official position that the safety of their customers "is not being compromised by our prohibition of concealed weapons in our restaurants." Click here to download the letter in .pdf format.

A letter submitted to Frisch's by one concerned customer reminds Frisch's of a lesson learned in a Texas Luby's, and a New York Wendy's a few years ago - banning firearms certainly DOES compromise customer and employee safety. To read the letter, click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

March 3, 2004

I've recently learned that your company is instituting a policy banning the lawful carry of concealed weapons on your properties.

I believe this is a mistake.

Texas used to ban concealed carry of firearms. That policy changed
after George Hennard drove his truck through the wall of a Luby's
Restaurant and systematically killed 23 people and wounded 23 more.
Suzanne Gratia lost both parents that day because Texas law forced her
to leave her gun outside - just as your policies would. She couldn't
sue the state - but she ran for the Texas legislature and later forced
the adoption of "shall issue" concealed carry laws.

Or perhaps the scenario you have in mind doesn't involve customers at
all. Like the Wendy's murders in New York, where seven employees were
bound, gagged and shot in the head. Five died. Two were seriously
injured. The criminals took about $2000 and were quickly caught. But
the fact that the employees were unarmed meant they had no chance
against the criminals who were.

There is one big difference between your situation and the situation in
these stories. In the examples above, the victims were disarmed by the
government. Any lawsuit had to first clear governmental immunity
defenses. But guess what? If you disarm your customers, and they are
injured as a result, you won't have state immunity. Your liability
will be weighed by a jury.

Now it may be that you decide not to prevent the most law-abiding group
of people on the face of the earth from carrying guns. Yes, I refer to
concealed carry permit holders who are statistically less likely to
commit felonies than the legislators who enact laws or the policemen
who enforce them. And if you decide not to strip these people of their
right to self-defense, perhaps nothing will happen. But perhaps
something will happen that is better than you expect.

Consider the Shoney's incident that occurred in Georgia a few months
after the Luby's massacre. Two felons out on parole, using stolen
firearms. held up a Shoney's. One held a gun to the assistant
manager's head as he herded him and the rest of the customers into the
walk-in freezer - the same action taken by the New York duo before they
bound, gagged and executed their victims.

As the victims - employees and customers were herded into the freezer,
the other thug checked the restaurant - to make sure they hadn't missed
anyone. It appears they didn't want any witnesses. Fortunately, they
had missed someone... a man hiding under a table. When discovered, the
man fired two rounds from his .45ACP through the table top, killing the
first thug. The second criminal wheeled around and fired at the man -
and promptly received two bullets for his trouble. Though the thug
survived, he won't be robbing any citizens any time soon. As for the
employees, the customers, and the hero with the concealed weapon - they
all went home safe and sound.

So which scenario appeals to you? The ones where customers and
employees are killed or wounded - where you face millions of dollars in
lawsuits? Or the one where an armed citizen does what armed citizens
have traditionally done in America - stopped crime cold.

Think about it.

One more item. I won't be eating in any of your restaurants until I
receive confirmation that concealed-carry permit holders are WELCOME to
visit while carrying arms. And as this information spreads, expect
millions of other gun owners to "vote with their feet" as well.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Kurt Amesbury, J.D.

If you want to make
your voice heard at Frisch's, visit http://www.frischs.com/contact2.asp.