Former White House press secretary and current Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders shared on X that while having lunch last week with two friends at The Croissanterie, a Little Rock restaurant, “the owner approached a member of the State Police Executive Protection Detail and said my presence made their employees feel threatened and told us to leave.”
Huckabee Sanders took the high road as she typically does, noting that “Arkansans are known for their warm hospitality, and while that restaurant didn’t meet that standard, my administration will continue to focus on lifting Arkansans up, not tearing others down.”
The Daily Wire editor Brent Scher, who interviewed Huckabee Sanders by telephone, described some of the more disturbing aspects of the incident:
The only people to talk to her during her just over an hour meal at The Croissanterie came over to thank her for the work she was doing in the state. By the time they were booted, they had already eaten and paid.When her security detail was informed that they were being asked to leave, she decided that they’d leave without making a scene. But then the group started shouting, “It’s time to leave,” and giving her the middle finger in front of other guests.
Following the incident, the restaurant issued a statement that must be seen to be believed:
When we became aware that the governor had arrived at the restaurant [un]announced, we were surprised and uncertain how best to respond. By the time we entered the dining room, she was already seated and eating. At that point, we chose not to interrupt, expecting that the party would complete their meal and depart without issue.However, as the presence of her security detail became more widely noticed, by both employees and guests, questions were raised about them remaining in the restaurant. As business owners and members of this community, we recognized that any course of action carried consequences.Allowing her to stay risked being perceived as a lack of support for the community that makes up the majority of our team, as well as their families and friends. Conversely, asking her to leave could be viewed as denying service based on differing beliefs.Ultimately, we made the decision to support our employees and guests who expressed they were uncomfortable. To clarify, we do not recall any statements indicating that anyone felt threatened.Approximately one hour into the visit, a member of the security detail was quietly approached and asked to encourage the governor to conclude her visit, as she had finished dining. Beverages were offered to the party for the road. Nearly 30 minutes later, the party remained on the premises.As the 90-minute table seating limit approached, the security detail was approached a second time and informed that approximately 10 minutes remained. Around this time, another customer attempted to involve themselves in the situation and was asked to step away.After reviewing camera footage, we confirmed that a member of the security detail did send a message to the governor following the initial request; however, it was not seen at that time. Once the message was received, she and her party departed without incident.It is also important to note that many guests in the main dining room were unaware of the situation, and there was no applause or disruption as has been suggested. Additionally, the individual who made an inappropriate hand gesture was a customer – not an employee – and the matter has been addressed.We regret being placed in this position and having to make a difficult decision. However, we stand by our choice to support our employees and guests.
According to one X user, the restaurant is already “getting reckt on Yelp.” As they very well should.
After Scher’s post about the incident was published, several of the restaurant’s employees sent him a message:
If this story sounds familiar, it’s because Huckabee Sanders and her family were kicked out of a Lexington, Virginia, restaurant called The Red Hen under much the same circumstances in June 2018. Her crime? She was President Donald Trump’s press secretary.
The following day, Huckabee Sanders posted on X: “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.”
For its part, The Washington Post published a puff piece about Stephanie Wilkinson, the co-owner of the restaurant, whom they praised for “taking a stand” against Huckabee Sanders.
Scher noted that the Red Hen permanently closed in 2023. Good.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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