Mississippi restaurant’s ‘straight couples’ discount sparks angry backlash
A restaurant in Mississippi is facing a huge online backlash over a “straight couples” discount. The owners of Darwell’s Happiness Café in Long Beach, Mississippi took to Facebook on 25 March to share details of the discount in a post that has since been deleted. Nettie Yeager and her husband, Darrel, said: “If you come […]
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A restaurant in Mississippi is facing a huge online backlash over a “straight couples” discount.
The owners of Darwell’s Happiness Café in Long Beach, Mississippi took to Facebook on 25 March to share details of the discount in a post that has since been deleted.
Nettie Yeager and her husband, Darrel, said: “If you come in within the next hour and a half as a couple who can produce a child, we’ll give you something for free.”
“How do you like that, folks? Y’all come on in and see us. Real food for real people, made for real couples,” Darrel concluded.
‘Hate makes you look old and evil’
On X, someone responded to the video, writing: “‘can produce a child couple’……so they’re also discriminating against the elderly and infertile, since they can’t produce a child.”
“Hate makes you look old and evil,” someone else wrote.
@pinknews Restaurant owners in Mississippi are facing backlash after offering a discount to “straight couples” only. In a video posted to Facebook on Tuesday 25 March, which has now since been deleted, Nettie Yeager and her husband Darwell, who own Darwell’s happiness Cafe in Long Beach, Mississippi, said: “Husband-wife, boyfriend-girlfriend, guy and girl couple, the real kind of couple, “When you come in for the next hour and half and you are a couple — can produce a child couple — we’ll give you something free. How do you like that, folks? “Cause we don’t do the trans or the lesbians or gays. I’m sorry, but that’s down the street.” In another post, which has also now been deleted, Nettie issued an “apology”, writing: “I would like to apologise to all my friends. If I wrote or said something that offended you… I’m not perfect”. However, since then she has changed her profile and cover photos on Facebook to a sign which says: "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone". #heterosexual #restaurant #lgbtqcouples #mississippi #transrights #lgbtqia ♬ vlog, chill out, calm daily life(1370843) – SUNNY HOOD STUDIO
Another commented: “Darwell’s Cafe in Long Beach… You should have kept your stupid comments to yourself.”
The restaurant owners posted several follow-up posts in a bid to defend their decision, all which have since been deleted.
‘My business is not gonna fail’
In one post, Netti wrote: “Have fun you woke lesbian… write all the bad reviews all you want…plus just remember what the Bible says about having sex with the same sex…”
Darrel wrote in another post, which included a photo of him holding a knife: “I’m completely tired of being bullied by the left. My business is not gonna falter. My business is not gonna fail. I have lots of people who will support me because of my beliefs.”
He went on to plead with people to stop “bullying” him and his family over the initial Facebook post, writing: “Just don’t eat with me if you don’t like me.”
Despite briefly posting an apology to her friends, Nettie has now changed her profile and cover photos to an image of a sign that reads, “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone”.
‘Hate has no home here’
In a statement the Board of Gulf Coast Equality said: “It’s disheartening to see a local business like Darwell’s publicly express views that alienate and exclude members of the LGBTQ+ community. No one should be made to feel unwelcome simple for being who they are.
“When a business chooses bigotry over belonging, it’s up to all of us to show that hate has no home here.”
The board went on to call for people to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community by refusing to spend money at establishments that do not value it.
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