Restaurant That Booted Sarah Sanders Responds As Staff Contradict Their Own Story

The Arkansas restaurant that kicked the state’s governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, out, citing concerns that employees were threatened by her presence, has responded to the firestorm, with employees digging in even as ownership says politics had nothing to do with it.

Hours after The Daily Wire revealed the details of the incident at The Croissanterie in Little Rock, in which Sanders was asked to leave after having lunch with two mom friends, and was both shouted at and flipped off as she departed, the restaurant told local press that it had nothing to do with her conservative politics.

“After the party completed their meal, a member of the security detail was quietly asked to help conclude the visit in line with our standard 90-minute table policy,” the restaurant told KARK. “The request was not immediately received, and the party remained for an additional period before departing without incident once communication was established.”

Restaurant employees didn’t seem to get the memo. In a widely circulated Facebook post that was taken as a statement from restaurant staff, an employee called the governor “evil” and made it very clear that Sanders’ politics made the governor’s visit controversial.

“I’m proud af to work here! I’m proud af to be gay and I’m proud af to be an Arkansan,” the employee wrote. “My voice matters. Try again.”

The restaurant also denies there was any commotion, contrary to the account from the Sanders camp.

“We want to be clear: there was no disruption in the restaurant,” the statement said. “Claims that an employee made an inappropriate gesture are incorrect—it was a customer, and the situation has been addressed.”

READ MORE: Red Hen Déjà Vu: Sarah Sanders Kicked Out Of Arkansas Restaurant, Flipped Off By Staff

There was never any claim by the governor that an employee gave her the middle finger as she left. The Daily Wire reported on Thursday that as Sanders was leaving without making a scene, a group started shouting, “It’s time to leave,” and they flipped her the middle finger in front of other guests. It was not reported that an employee made the gesture.

This is the second time Sanders has found herself in the situation of being kicked out of a restaurant by liberal owners. Back in 2018, when she was White House press secretary, it made national news when a small Virginia restaurant called the Red Hen told her and her family to leave because she worked for Donald Trump. The incident earned the restaurant owner praise from liberal media outlets like the Washington Post, which hailed the owner for “taking a stand” against Sanders.

The Virginia restaurant permanently closed in 2023.

Though the Croissanterie appears to have received support from liberal members of the community, the social media backlash has been harsh.

“Absolutely VILE ppl,” wrote one self-proclaimed Arkansas user. “I hope this restaurant goes under just like the Red Hen.”

“What a classy establishment,” wrote conservative commentator Guy Benson. “They took her business & money before performatively throwing her out for ‘safety’ reasons, while giving her the finger.”