Restaurant Carry Where Alcohol Is Served In Other States?

[waynesan]

Didn't wan't to hijack the thread on "Restaurant Carry" so I'm posing this question here.

While browsing through some of the comment sections in online newspaper articles concerning the passage of the Restaurant Carry Legislation, I am seeing more and more posts that are saying something to the effect that many, many restaurants where alcohol is served will now just start posting to disallow carry into their establishments. This got me to wondering whether this is likely to happen in Tennessee. Since 38 other states currently allow concealed carry in restaurants that serve alcohol I would just like to know if many restaurants in those states really post "no-carry" signs in their establishments or is this just wishful-thinking on the part of antis in TN?

I posted this question on a nation wide forum that has thousands of members and got a lot of responses from folks all around the country and the consensus of opinion is that restaurants where alcohol is served generally do not post no-carry signs. Even the chain restaurants generally don't post. To be sure, some places do post but overall it isn't done a lot.

So, what is your experience when traveling to other states that already allow carry in restaurants the serve alcohol? Have you seen a lot of signs?

I would also be interested to know if anyone on this board has had any conversations with restaurant owners/managers to find out what they personally plan to do about signs and posting when this becomes law.

[Guest schizoguerrilla]

I moved here from Michigan less than a year ago. In MI, we were allowed to carry in resturants that served alcohol, but you could not enter bars. While in MI, I can not ever remember coming across a sign at a resturant. I came across a sign at a couple of stores ... but no resturants. I know they were out there, I just never came across them.

Hopefully we will see the same thing here in TN.

[DWARREN123]

Kentucky says you can enter a restaurant that serves alcohol if less than 50% of their income is alcohol.

Basically sell more in non-alcohol than alcohol.

Not seen many places posted.

[JayC]

Last year most restaurants took a pretty big hit from the no smoking laws. That chased a lot of business away, I seriously doubt you'll see a large number of restaurants legally posting, no reason to chase off more business.

The fact is that the anti-smoking law chased off the smokers to smoking only establishments, but didn't really increase the number of non-smoking customers.

Frankly, from a business stand point for most true sit down family restaurants, banning guns is a no win situation. Non-HCPs really don't make a choice on where they're going to eat based on if they allow carry or not. But, HCP holders do choose largely where to spend their money based off of where they can and can't carry. It's safe to say that I pick dinner locations based almost purely off of where I can carry legally, and refuse to spend money at places where I can't. As a business person, trying to make a living in hard times, the last thing I'm going to want to do is get myself posted on a website, or in an email to a large number of possible customers saying don't do business with me.

You might see some no open carry policies similar to what I've heard mentioned about WalMart just so the sheeple don't get too upset, but I seriously doubt you'll see very many sit down style restaurants make any effort to properly post.

For the record, both my family and my wife's family are in the restaurant business, and I work for my wife's family on the management team.

[TripleDigitRide]

Maybe it's time to open HCP Only restaurants.

[Guest HexHead]

I've traveled in about 1/2 dozen or so of these states and can't recall ever seeing a sign at a restaurant.

I think what we're seeing in the newspapers are the same figments of the imagination as all the wild eyed shootout scenarios these morons dream up.

Sure there may be a couple by guys that shot their mouths off like the owner of the Gold Rush in Nashville or Chase with his restaurants like Calhouns. Doesn't matter to me whether they post or not, they're dead to me based on their positions while this was going through.

We may see some "circle/ slash" signs, be we all know how much weight they carry. LOLOLOL

Seriously, restaurant business is down right now, I'm sure the last thing owners want to do is post a sign telling over two hundred thousand people you don't want their business.

Edited May 9, 2009 by HexHead

[Fallguy]

I have not seen any restaurants I've been to in AR or TX posted.

[Raoul]

VA and MS do not allow it. I would suggest checking the laws when you are out of state. The law may not require that it be posted so you better be aware of local laws. This is a good resource.

Concealed Firearm Permit Information By State

[Fallguy]

VA and MS do not allow it. I would suggest checking the laws when you are out of state. The law may not require that it be posted so you better be aware of local laws. This is a good resource.

Concealed Firearm Permit Information By State

VA does prohibit concealed carry, but not open carry in places that serve alcohol.

Also I believe you are misreading MS law. It seems to say you can not carry in a place thats primary purpose is serving alcohol. That generally means you can carry in a restaurant that serves alcohol. Both sources below say restaurant carry is legal in MS.

Handgunlaw.us

Map from http://www.opencarry.org/index.html

Edited May 10, 2009 by Fallguy

[Guest Seminole]

FL has a reputation as being the first state to institute a "shall-issue" law in regard to carry permits and has been at the forefront of the expansion of carry rights. You won't find any restaurants in FL that are posted, but it wouldn't do any good anyway, since such postings carry no legal weight in that state.

[Oh Shoot]

VA does prohibit concealed carry, but not open carry in places that serve alcohol.

Yep, known as the Virginia Tuck. Although more precisely would be the "untuck".

Also I believe you are misreading MS law. It seems to say you can not carry in a place thats primary purpose is serving alcohol. That generally means you can carry in a restaurant that serves alcohol.

Yep. We've had a number of Memphis folks post that they often go into Miss. just SO they can carry and eat in "wet" restaurants.

- OS

[Guest nraforlife]

Wondering if Chase will in fact post his restaurants. Whether or not you go there or not is not the point, I'm just wondering if he'll put his money where his mouth is.

[Garufa]

Much to the chagrin of the Commerical Appeal, Knoxville NS and other ignorant newspapers and TV stations of this state, restaurants are not going to start posting signs to keep guns out. Since the great majority of all the eateries that people get all warm and fuzzy about (at least in Knoxville) are crappy national chains, it will take some time for any type of ban.

For the other 5 or 10 % of the restaurants in the state that are owned and operated locally. Very few will post. First they have no idea what's going on, nor do they care! Secondly, it's hard enough to compete.

[Mike.357]

as long as Mandarin House does not post I will be freaking happy!

Loves me some General Tso's chicken!

[Guest HexHead]

VA and MS do not allow it. I would suggest checking the laws when you are out of state. The law may not require that it be posted so you better be aware of local laws. This is a good resource.

Concealed Firearm Permit Information By State

You're wrong about MS...

13. It is unlawful to carry a firearm in any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises that is primarily devoted to dispensing alcoholic beverages; any portion of an establishment in which beer or light wine is consumed on the premises, that is primarily devoted to such purpose

So restaurants would be legal. And if you ever go to Doe's Eat Place in Greenville, MS, you won't care what the law says. LOLOLOL

And you can open carry in VA restaurants.

[Guest crotalus01]

I have OCed in many many alcohol serving restaurants in Southaven/Olive Branch MS with no problems whatsoever. The only posted restaurant I have seen in MS is Wafffle House (all WH are posted, its their corporate policy).

IMHO very few, if any, restaurants in TN will post if the law passes. Those that do will not get my business. At any rate, it will vastly improve my dining out options which are currently limited to CKs, IHOP, Barksdales and The Cupboard...

Edited May 11, 2009 by crotalus01

[Tim Nunan]

I have OCed in many many alcohol serving restaurants in Southaven/Olive Branch MS with no problems whatsoever. The only posted restaurant I have seen in MS is Wafffle House (all WH are posted, its their corporate policy).

IMHO very few, if any, restaurants in TN will post if the law passes. Those that do will not get my business. At any rate, it will vastly improve my dining out options which are currently limited to CKs, IHOP, Barksdales and The Cupboard...

Having read that it is corporate policy for Waffle House to post I made a point of visting one in Morristown and it is not posted in any manner. I'm thinking it may be a franchise decision.

[Guest HexHead]

Having read that it is corporate policy for Waffle House to post I made a point of visting one in Morristown and it is not posted in any manner. I'm thinking it may be a franchise decision.

In any event, it's never properly posted.

[Punisher84]

I would be shocked if I saw any chain restaurants post. Maybe some family owned businesses might if they were heavily anti-gun, but I'm willing to bet they all understand that money is tight and people are choosy where they eat. Also, there are probably more people who are OK with guns or just don't care, as opposed to these liberal, whiny dingbats here in TN.

[Raoul]

You're wrong about MS...

So restaurants would be legal. And if you ever go to Doe's Eat Place in Greenville, MS, you won't care what the law says. LOLOLOL

And you can open carry in VA restaurants.

I stand corrected.

We've got a local free range in the Cherokee Forest near the Job Corps. You need to carry a gun just to carry a gun to this place.

[Fallguy]

I would be shocked if I saw any chain restaurants post. Maybe some family owned businesses might if they were heavily anti-gun, but I'm willing to bet they all understand that money is tight and people are choosy where they eat. Also, there are probably more people who are OK with guns or just don't care, as opposed to these liberal, whiny dingbats here in TN.

I tend to agree

[Guest crotalus01]

Having read that it is corporate policy for Waffle House to post I made a point of visting one in Morristown and it is not posted in any manner. I'm thinking it may be a franchise decision.

Look for a well weathered sign on the back wall, usually slightly visible from the remote corner of the parking lot above eye level. It is 100% corporate policy to ban any weapons - knives, guns, etc unless carried by on-duty LEOs.

Waffle House food sucks IMHO so they wouldn't get my business regardless, but with their corporate policy they doubley fail...emails to the corporate office will confirm that they are anti-self defense with an exception for ON duty LEOs. Even OFF duty LEOs are made defenseless under Waffle House corporate policy...

[Guest HexHead]

I would be shocked if I saw any chain restaurants post. Maybe some family owned businesses might if they were heavily anti-gun, but I'm willing to bet they all understand that money is tight and people are choosy where they eat. Also, there are probably more people who are OK with guns or just don't care, as opposed to these liberal, whiny dingbats here in TN.

I wonder if Speaker Williams is going to post his restaurant?

[Guest HexHead]

Look for a well weathered sign on the back wall, usually slightly visible from the remote corner of the parking lot above eye level. It is 100% corporate policy to ban any weapons - knives, guns, etc unless carried by on-duty LEOs.

Waffle House food sucks IMHO so they wouldn't get my business regardless, but with their corporate policy they doubley fail...emails to the corporate office will confirm that they are anti-self defense with an exception for ON duty LEOs. Even OFF duty LEOs are made defenseless under Waffle House corporate policy...

If they throw you out for packing, do you still have to pay for your meal?

[Guest MediaBuster]

Wow, I didn't honestly realize so many states weren't restricting it..