Chipotle is telling customers: No guns at the dinner table, please. The move comes after gun rights advocates brought assault rifles into one of its Texas chains.
"Have you seen this picture? It has gone viral. Two men in a Dallas Chipotle with military-style assault rifles. Now the Denver-based company is responding, making the bold move not to allow guns in its restaurants." (Via KMGH)
The restaurant seems to have been swayed by the group Moms Demand Action, which called for a change in policy. Several parents founded the organization shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy last year.
Earlier the group tweeted, "Let Chipotle know on Facebook that this isn't acceptable. … #BurritosNotBullets" (Via Twitter / @MomsDemand)
That slogan led to an online petition demanding action, and it looks like the restaurant listened. (Via Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund)
In a statement Monday, Chipotle stressed, "We are respectfully asking that customers not bring guns into our restaurants. … The display of firearms in our restaurants has now created an environment that is potentially intimidating or uncomfortable." (Via Moms Demand Action)
"Good Morning America" points out Chipotle's wording in the statement hints this is not an "outright ban" but rather a stern suggestion. This is the same policy enforced by coffee giant Starbucks as well.
The Denver food chain has traditionally complied with local laws regarding open and concealed firearms at its 1,600 locations.
But only authorized law enforcement personnel will be allowed to carry a firearm from here on out. Texas Gov. Rick Perry was on hand at CNBC Tuesday morning. As an advocate for protecting the Second Amendment, the hosts asked Perry:
ANCHOR: "You have a problem with that?"
PERRY: "People get to make decisions about where they shop every day, and if you want to do that in New York or Texas, that's your call. And then people will decide where they're going to shop." (Via CNBC)
Chipotle's actions came surprisingly swift. It only took 48 hours from the first Moms Demand Action tweet for the company to change its official stance.
