Déjà Vu: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Asked to Leave Little Rock Restaurant
“[T]he group started shouting, ‘It’s time to leave,’ and giving her the middle finger in front of other guests.”
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.
Last week I was having lunch with two other moms at a restaurant when 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.
Arkansans are known for their warm hospitality, and… https://t.co/oYtZQNkX8o
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) March 19, 2026
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.
They are getting reckt on Yelp:https://t.co/karX7Ao5KZ pic.twitter.com/H6fOyu8Jrq
— Mr Wizard (@The_Mr_Wizard) March 19, 2026
After Scher’s post about the incident was published, several of the restaurant’s employees sent him a message:
UPDATE: After our story posted, employees at The Croissanterie posted this defiant picture. And now it all makes sense.
“I’m proud af to be gay” https://t.co/jAxjQl0bFL pic.twitter.com/OmYbzJtCmG
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) March 19, 2026
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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Comments
The appropriate thing is to send ICE and the FDA and all the state agencies to go through that restaurant with fine-tooth combs.
Sure would suck for them if their illegals got deported and their restaurant’s hygiene wasn’t up to snuff.
Eh, careful, that sort of rapid retaliation would be seen as, well, retaliation. That would not do the governor any favors.
Better to have a long memory. Plenty of time later to settle the family business.
Oh, noes!
In a world where Susan Rice is promising to punish any person or business who works with the Trump administration, well, frankly, I don’t really care.
Not in the eyes of those of us who are sick of these arrogant snowflakes, their AWFUL Tiktok ramblings, and their virtue signaling.
Shut up and bake the croissants, gay people.
Your point? I don’t see any reason to take the high road when it comes to communist retards.
You’re right, Doc. Remember, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”
My sentiments exactly.
Swift retaliation strikes fear into enemies.
A long memory allows enemies to create narratives.
When they strike you, strike back, fast and to end them.
That way leads to victory.
Do it gradually. The FDA with a fine tooth inspection with the DEA outside with a 2 block net on ID checks with random days for repeat visits. As I said gradually,
I think ICE is already working down there. We don’t hear much about it since the State is happy to assist them.
No need to do a thing. The Red Hen went bankrupt within a year when this happened to her last time. Right now people are making it quite clear to them that they are finished. Vote with your feet is our best power to take down these places.
Health department. They will be closed tomorrow.
Imagine how deranged you’d have to be to make a scene like that in public.
You have to be mentally ill, deluded, dead or illegal to vote democrat these days.
They already announced they are queer, that’s all the mental derangement needed to act like idiots in public.
Deranged enough to poison the food of anyone you thought disagrees with you. No one conservative should ever eat there again, for their own safety.
As the reference to the Yelp reviews – and the Red Hen – indicates, the public’s reaction to this incident will take care of the situation.
Yelp will note the sudden influx and cut off further input. That’s what Yelp does.
“Unusual Activity Alert
“This business recently received increased public attention, which often means people come to this page to post their views on the news. While we don’t take a stand one way or the other when it comes to this incident, we’ve temporarily disabled the posting of content to this page as we work to investigate whether the content you see here reflects actual consumer experiences rather than the recent events. Please note that we apply this same policy regardless of the business and regardless of the topic at issue. Read more on Yelp Support.
“If you’re here to leave a review based on a first-hand experience with the business, please check back at a later date.”
But if you sort by newest, the entire first page is one-star reviews,,,
They already have. I don’t think Yelp is going to be needed here, though. It didn’t matter to The Red Hen who had their moment of fame then closed up shop.
Doesn’t matter what Yelp does. The public will decide that The Croissanterie no longer needs their business.
The Red Hen got favorable reviews from media, I believe the NYT and stayed open for many years. There needs to be swift retaliation from the private sector against these neo-segregationists.
Frankly, I have no desire to have someone who feels entitled to harass a customer because of differing social viewpoints anywhere near my food. The owner’s response has pretty much sealed the fate of that establishment. As an aside, I am unaware of anything Sanders has ever said or done that was anti-gay.
She isn’t actively a lesbian, which is sufficient to earn their ire.
Is she passively lesbian?!?
Leftist psychos cancelled Charlie Kirk, based on garbage fed to them by communist groups like SPLC, ACLU, BLM, MSDNC, and “Stinky” Soros’ HRC.
The owner has apparently never heard of the Streisand Effect.
She is welcome to support any cause, policy, party or candidate she and her staff wishes.
But her sanctimonious display of virtue signally is nauseating in the extreme.
I think she’ll come to regret her stupidity, and Huckabee won’t need to say another word.
The Governor delivered a very classy response after a classless action by the business and their customers. Conservative voters in Arkansas will now have their say on the future of this business, The Governor doesn’t need wallow in the mud that The Croissanterie has stirred up.
I wonder if those idiots will be proud to be unemployed. Probably so,
“the individual who made an inappropriate hand gesture was a customer”
Perhaps if they spent a week in one of the cages Obongo and Brandon built for invaders, that individual might develop an appreciation for the freedoms only America offers.
they wont fire the workers b/c you cnat find anyone to do the jobs so the customer service is being run by the mentality of the
black matriarchy
your hurting my feelings etc
and the laws put into place to support the racism that affrimaction brings allows workers ,,hurt or not, to claim racism etc and drain companies of money via lawsuits
This insane. These people have rendered the term “feeling safe” to be meaningless. Apparently feeling safe means you must be surrounded at all time only with people who think juyst like you have all the same pet opinions as you. When a terrorist plows a car into a Jewish precshool we need moe context because he was grieving you see and Jews make him feel “unsafe”. So his violence needs context. Last I checked Sanders has never been violent to anyone. Actual violence is a safety risk not being around people you disagree with politically (who are paying customers at that)! The prejudice and intolerance of this type of treatment where it is dressed up as being bravely virtuous is disgusting. There is nothing virtuous about mistreating customers plain and simple.
The Leftist definition of “tolerance” is “you have to agree with me.” Or, as William F. Buckley put it many years ago “Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”
Yep. Some of the folks who claim to be tolerant and inclusive are anything but welcoming to any who don’t subscribe to the wokiesta, leftist orthodoxy. The sad part is they believe they are heroic for this act of intolerant discrimination.
This never would have happened in a red blooded meat and potatoes restaurant. Guv, stay out of effete phony french dives and give the joint a bad yelp review to counter their sissy statement.
No, the proper response would be for the restaurant management to invite those who objected to the governor’s presence to leave that establishment.
This is the evil of democracy exposed: the majority overrides what is right. If you don’t like what is happening, leave. Leave the restaurant, leave the country.
Don’t impose your will on others. To do so is dictatorship.
You say you want a revolution?
When you decide to act like children we’ll retort as one would to a misbehaving toddler.
Keep up the antics, expect resistance.
Kudos to Gov. Sanders for taking the high road. She had no better option.
For the restaurant and its associated fascist snowflakes, karma is a bitch!
4 AWFL’s and a gay guy were threatened by the Gov entering a restaurant and eating lunch which is what I presume the restaurant is in business to do. Sounds legit.
“When we became aware that the governor had arrived at the restaurant [un]announced, we were surprised and uncertain how best to respond.”
It might just be me but when guests arrive at a restaurant for lunch the best way to respond would be to seat them and serve them lunch.
Why were they feeling unsafe? Kitchen staff illegal aliens?
These people clearly have mental issues.
Yeah, they’re sociopaths.
The Red Hen near DC closed eventualy after that first incident with Sarah Huckabee. This restaurant I think, has chosen the same path. The employees may be celebrating now, but karma may be just around the corner.
It should be a law that no one can be removed from a place of business unless the reasons for removal are stated plainly and conspicuously on the door to the business. A huge sign stating “Conservatives/MAGA are not welcome” would be most appreciated!
Racist restaurant owners in the South used to post WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE signs as a way of keeping out black customers. So it’s not surprising that modern Communists -the ideological heirs of the Dixiecrats- want to revive that concept.
Perhaps the restaurant could have staff dress in white hoods and robes. That would certainly capture their business spirit!
Ooooh, they feel “threatened “? I’d send in a crew to REALLY make them feel threatened.
“Wimps and woke activists ruin lunch for the Governor” would be a better headline. This is what America looks like today.
We live in the day and age of thin skinned aholes.
Well, being asked to leave is probably better than having them spit in your food.
This Governor and her entourage made them feel “unsafe” ? What kind of weak-minded, ignorant, pathetic people work in that restaurant ?
This is nothing new. The complainers’ ancestors doubtlessly felt threatened by the federal troops Republican President Eisenhower sent to Little Rock to enforce desegregation of its public schools.
Segregation.
It’s time to call it what it is. The only difference is the post-modernists want people segregated by worldview instead of skin-color.