Veteran Ernest Walker posted a video of a Cedar Hill, Texas Chili’s manager taking his food from him. What made this especially egregious was that the Army veteran was enjoying the meal as a part of Chili’s free Veteran’s Day meal. The video went viral, and so did the posts. According to Walker he was sitting with his service dog, eating his meal when an older white man came up and questioned Walker about his service, saying something crazy racist like:
He asked if I was in the 24th unit, and I said "no the 25th". TRICK QUESTION. He said he was in Germany, and that they did not let Blacks serve over there. He left to the back, and came back and rubbed my dog Barack, who is a service dog.
According to Walker, he let it ride because the man was in his 70s and what can you do with an old scared racist. But that old white man went to the back and then suddenly the young white Chili’s manager Wesly Patrick showed up and asked to see Walker’s military ID—which Walker produced.
He asked for my military ID, I was calm, and provided it to him. I also provided him with my DD214 which is my discharge paperwork. At that point he should have just said "I am sorry Sir, thank you for your service' Instead he followed up with "the guest also said your dog is not a service dog." Barack had his Red Service Vest on, and his Certified Service Tags. I was sitting for 35 minutes prior with Barack beforehand. At this point I was grossly offended embarrassed dehumanized and started Recording...Mr. Wesley snatched my food away.
After his post went viral, Chili’s has been trying to pretend it’s not a big deal. This is a VETERAN’s DAY MEAL. At CHILI’S! Holy shit, what could it possibly cost them to tell their staff to not fuck that up?
Chili’s parent company, Brinker International sent us a written statement that reads in part, “We are taking this very seriously and the leaders in our company are actively involved with the goal of making it right.”
The restaurant chain also posted several responses to customers on its Facebook page writing in part, “Unfortunately, we fell short on a day that we strive to honor our Veterans and active military for their service.”
“That’s fine. They got to do what they do. I’m not a company. I’m just me,” Walker said.
Even with all of this Mr. Walker continues to be a far bigger and better and kinder man than everybody else involved.
Walker says the man who approached him first was wearing a Donald Trump campaign sticker. He feels it is no coincidence it happened days after Trump's election.
"I believe if it wasn't for the temperature of America right now, I believe that man would have never reacted that way, because I think he's probably a good person,” said Walker.
I don’t think I would go that far but you, sir, are a good man.