Stephanie Wilkinson was at home on a Friday evening when her phone rang at about 8 p.m. It was the chef at the Red Hen, the tiny restaurant that she co-owned just off Main Street in Lexington.
<div style="width:100%;text-align:center;margin:0 auto;"><iframe width="360" height="202" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hUQF7jIJ8Is" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
The chef informed her that Sarah Huckabee Sanders had just walked in and sat down.
"He said the staff is a little concerned. What should we do?" Wilkinson told The Washington Post. "I said I'd be down to see if it's true."
It seemed unlikely to her that President Trump's press secretary should be dining at a 26-seat restaurant in rural Virginia. But it was also unlikely that her staff would have misidentified the woman, who had arrived last to be seated at a table of eight booked under Sanders' husband's name.
Lexington, population 7,000, voted overwhelmingly for Clinton.
Wilkinson believes that Sarah Huckabee Sanders works in the service of an "inhumane and unethical" administration. That she publicly defends the president's cruelest policies, and that can not stand.
"I'm not a huge fan of confrontation," Wilkinson said. "I have a business, and I want the business to thrive. This feels like the moment in our democracy when people have to make uncomfortable actions and decisions to uphold their morals."
As soon as Wilkinson walked into the restaurant, she saw that there had been no mistake. Sanders was there with her husband, three or four men and women of roughly similar ages, and an older couple.
"They had cheese boards in front of them," Wilkinson said. Like any other family.
The kitchen was preparing the party's main course. Wilkinson interrupted to huddle with her workers.
Several Red Hen employees were gay, she said. They knew Sanders had defended Trump's desire to bar transgender people from the military. This month, they had all watched her evade questions and defend a Trump policy that caused migrant children to be separated from their parents.
"Tell me what you want me to do. I can ask her to leave," Wilkinson told her staff, she said. "They said yes."
She walked up to the press secretary's chair.
"I said, 'I'm the owner,' " she recalled, " 'I'd like you to come out to the patio with me for a word.' "
They stepped outside, out of the crowded restaurant.
"I was babbling a little, but I got my point across in a polite and direct fashion," Wilkinson said. "I explained that the restaurant has certain standards that I feel it has to uphold, such as honesty, and compassion, and cooperation."
"I said, 'I'd like to ask you to leave.' "
Sanders' response was immediate, Wilkinson said: " 'That's fine. I'll go.' "
Sanders went back to the table, picked up her things and walked out. The others at her table had been welcome to stay, Wilkinson said. But they didn't, so the servers cleared away the cheese boards.
"They offered to pay," Wilkinson said. "I said, 'No. It's on the house.' "
At the end of the shift, Wilkinson said, staff members left the usual overnight note in the kitchen for the morning manager: a problem with the credit card machine. Restock vodka and tequila.
If you've ever heard the term "to 86 someone," it comes from the restaurant industry - code for a table eviction.
"86 - Sarah Huckabee Sanders," read the note, below the reminder to buy more Pellegrino.
Conservative Momma @conmomma created a great satire video on this subject. It’s a must-watch video. Sad and funny at the same time.
<div style="width:100%;text-align:center;margin:0 auto;"><iframe width="360" height="202" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F8-Em_S8mIE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
One of the servers photographed the whiteboard before going home Friday. He had posted it to his public Facebook wall by the time Wilkinson woke up Saturday.
Wilkinson said everything had taken place with decorum. She had been polite; Sanders had been polite; the press secretary's family had been polite as they followed her out the door.
Wilkinson said the rest of Sanders’ party wasn’t asked to leave. If that’s the case then why did Wilkinson tail Sanders' in-laws across the street and along with a number of other people protest their presence at the restaurant to which they had chosen?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This restaurateur of The Red Hen Stephanie Wilkinson not only told <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Sanders to leave–acc to <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovMikeHuckabee</a> on my radio show today, she FOLLOWED Sanders' family across the street to harass them at the other restaurant they went to! <a href="https://t.co/DEo2QOAcTY">https://t.co/DEo2QOAcTY</a></p>— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) <a href="https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle/status/1011271233130958849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Wilkinson didn’t want to allow anyone related to Sanders to eat peacefully.
Red Hen waiter Jaike Foley-Schultz's posted on Facebook: "I just served Sarah Huckabee Sanders for a total of 2 minutes before my owner asked her to leave."
A fountain of alternately celebratory and outraged comments streamed from Foley-Schultz's Facebook wall into the Red Hen's social media accounts, then its Yelp review page.
Five stars: "Thank you for refusing to serve a person who lies to the American people for a living."
One star: "They made some snide remark about a 'spit souffle' for the Florida Nazi.'"
After the 2,000 comments, Red Hen's Yelp reviews averaged out to two-and-a-half stars.
A Red Hen in Washington has gone through pains to make clear that it has no affiliation with Wilkinson's restaurant.
Sanders confirmed the story in a late morning tweet.
"I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so," the press secretary wrote. "Her actions say far more about her than about me."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> 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</p>— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1010536237457924096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sanders' father, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, added on Twitter:
"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' "
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">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” <a href="https://t.co/rHEVdcQwwh">https://t.co/rHEVdcQwwh</a></p>— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1010541589737984003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Insightful and thoughtful analysis of why the left will regret it's condescending and smug crusade against those it considers "deplorables." All 63 million+ of us. <a href="https://t.co/jYhtxJGF3z">https://t.co/jYhtxJGF3z</a></p>— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1011219722623471616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I want to respond to the idiotic claims by the left that conservatives “have it coming” because this is just like that Christian baker who declined to make a same-sex wedding cake. No, it’s nothing like that. <a href="https://t.co/RcVpZnM251">https://t.co/RcVpZnM251</a></p>— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1011316857578643459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kipps Restaurant in S Wales NY looks like my kind of place! <a href="https://t.co/BM1p2O2yjH">pic.twitter.com/BM1p2O2yjH</a></p>— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1011450757726507008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Within a couple hours of the first news stories, "Red Hen" was trending toward the top of Twitter - 75,000 mentions.
"Whatever happens, we will soldier on," Wilkinson said. "Absolutely, yes, I would have done the same thing again."
"We just felt there are moments in time when people need to live their convictions. This appeared to be one."
<div style="width:100%;text-align:center;margin:0 auto;"><iframe width="360" height="202" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P-I-1A22Gec" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
A few weeks ago, the owner of Colorado's Masterpiece Cakeshop was a national villain to the left, including the Liberal Stream Media, for refusing to bake a custom cake to celebrate a same-sex marriage.
Liberals were outraged that the U.S. Supreme Court – by a 7-2 margin – refused to force the owner, Jack Phillips, to either set aside his moral objections to gay marriages and make the cake or shut down.
"The Court today has offered dangerous encouragement to those who would deny civil rights to LGBT people and people living with HIV," Lambda Legal CEO Rachel B. Tiven said.
"Bigotry Baked In" was the headline from the National Center for Transgender Equality.
Hollywood figure Seth MacFarlane took to Twitter to denounce the court's ruling.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/cRN6O07Ok8">pic.twitter.com/cRN6O07Ok8</a></p>— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) <a href="https://twitter.com/SethMacFarlane/status/1003671026226483200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Judd Apatow wrote, “the Supreme Court has approved of hate.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Supreme Court has approved of hate. We all need to register to vote!!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/RockTheVote?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RockTheVote</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/letamericavote?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@letamericavote</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RepresentDotUs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepresentDotUs</a> <a href="https://t.co/bYElBUM5mV">https://t.co/bYElBUM5mV</a></p>— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) <a href="https://twitter.com/JuddApatow/status/1003655785618948101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So refusing to serve someone because doing so violates your personal beliefs is ok only when it’s the left who is doing the “refusing”?
Hypocrisy at its ugliest.
<img src="https://media.8ch.net/file_store/38ec7a5ffb42767412e512b0bac27aa94f3bac818fbc2adec4c1e97e57a3c0a0.jpeg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit:<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/06/26/red-hen-sarah-sanders-visit-leaves-lexington-virginia-reeling/733196002/"> USA Today </a></span
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked to leave The Red Hen restaurant in Lexington, Va.
<img src="https://media.8ch.net/file_store/0f3b561a0585b006a9a29355639fca06f6730dd42b5f080f856f198b248d69fb.jpeg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit:<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/06/26/red-hen-sarah-sanders-visit-leaves-lexington-virginia-reeling/733196002/"> USA Today </a></span
Protestors stand outside of The Red Hen restaurant.
<img src="https://media.8ch.net/file_store/1740a0e77152121bf355d7636125f3d04d981d810b712da15155f2b2c60e804c.jpeg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit:<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/06/26/red-hen-sarah-sanders-visit-leaves-lexington-virginia-reeling/733196002/"> USA Today </a></span
A driver passes by Trump supporters protesting outside of the Red Hen restaurant. The driver stopped in the street to ask, "How is this any different than the Masterpiece v. Cakeshop court case?"
<img src="https://media.8ch.net/file_store/0fae8b3c2f24e59ba64d8166e05c66f5f2f9dc9765fb45788d64a7671b0968e9.jpeg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit:<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/06/26/red-hen-sarah-sanders-visit-leaves-lexington-virginia-reeling/733196002/"> USA Today </a></span
Chris Wayne, 35, of Monterey Virginia, holds a Trump flag while protesting in front of The Red Hen restaurant.
<img src="https://media.8ch.net/file_store/a0e9e18873de543515f875b399568b10539be25882c5804b491bab5be222ce48.jpeg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit:<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/06/26/red-hen-sarah-sanders-visit-leaves-lexington-virginia-reeling/733196002/"> USA Today </a></span
Grayson Jennings, 66, protests outside of The Red Hen restaurant.
<img src="https://media.8ch.net/file_store/89ac929f0273d9b51cd5577b0069a4d928808ecc84052a9723ea8847c5b55ec4.jpeg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit:<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/06/26/red-hen-sarah-sanders-visit-leaves-lexington-virginia-reeling/733196002/"> USA Today </a></span
A note of protest sits on the doorstep of The Red Hen restaurant.
<img src="https://media.8ch.net/file_store/4f67abfd97ac449c5aa262344069d0ae411229523c1d4beb73d4555cddba9527.jpeg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit:<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/06/26/red-hen-sarah-sanders-visit-leaves-lexington-virginia-reeling/733196002/"> USA Today </a></span
Claire, 12, and Ian Macdonald protest in front of The Red Hen restaurant.
<img src="https://media.8ch.net/file_store/e38a639e483a17678501c092dcb6dbe8528012147121caec9f05a19694d9a091.jpeg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit:<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/06/26/red-hen-sarah-sanders-visit-leaves-lexington-virginia-reeling/733196002/"> USA Today </a></span
Trump supporter Grayson Jennings, 66, protests with Trump and Confederate flags outside The Red Hen restaurant.
Related Sources:
https://www.newsleader.com/story/news/local/2018/06/23/why-small-town-restaurant-owner-asked-sarah-huckabee-sanders-leave-and-would-do-again/728497002/; https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/red-hen-owner-followed-sarah-sanders-family-to-protest-their-presence-at-different-restaurant-mike-huckabee-says; https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/commentary-the-message-86-ing-sarah-sanders-sent-to-conservatives/
<b>By: Lexy </b>
<b><i>On Twitter? Follow me:</i></b>
<a href="https://www.twitter.com/PoliticallyRYT">@PoliticallyRYT</a>
<strong><span style="color:red;">Have Information? Message me!</span></strong>
HINT: they didn't ban her because of politics… She was asked to leave because she's so fucking fat and hideous. They simply didn't want the attractive customers to vomit looking at her.
Consequences will always turn into a task master when we choose that which is not upright through and through. Guess following them was dumb, huh? Ya think!
What we need is a black Trump supporter to go to the rat hole oops I mean red hen and make it known they support the president. If they get the cold shoulder and are asked to leave it really will hit home with our colored population as they fought this shit for years. And guess what? The dems are segregating all over again!
Lexy, there seem to be no end to the hypocrisy of the left. I am going to say right here an now it is infinite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome article, Lexy. the scum who responded negatively are thugs.
In my opinion the owner is a bigot. Democrats are bigots and I hope that business is permanently closed down. Hopefully the Health Inspector will be a Trump Supporter. The Left is trying to pull our Country backward. We will never allow it. Great article.
To protest the baker rule and then support the same rule with a Republican…..What kind of logic is that? Pure Bigotry. Pure Hypocrisy.
There is a HUGE difference in the bakery and the Red Hen.
That difference is ie; religious persecution vs. political bigotry.
it simply takes common sense to know the difference.
Kay No. 30248
If you are upset about the ruling, you better seek help now. After the Kennedy slot, we have Ginsburg and Breyer coming up for retirement (or cause as the case may be). The Court is going to be locked for 2 generations and that's not the worst of it. All your heroes are going down in biblical flames. So here is what you do, fill out this form and tell your mental health worker exactly why you are upset about a "common sense" SC ruling. I ran out of forms by this used one will help you formulate your answers. Good luck, the ride is going to get a lot bumpier!!!
"The check informed get that Sarah Huckabee Sanders had just walked in and sat down."
Are your articles dictated via speech to text?