A mom and pops restaurant that specializes in “home cookin'” is under fire after one of the owners decided to give two lesbians an unsolicited piece of his mind.
The incident happened last weekend at the Country Roads Cafe in Lehigh Acres, Florida.
A woman and her girlfriend say they were enjoying a nice lunch together when the owner of the restaurant, 77-year-old Bill Harrell, approached their table to say that, as a Christian, he found them to be “disgusting.”
The woman shared her experience on Yelp:
“It’s kind of disappointing because if you’re the owner of a restaurant, you should have respect,” the victim’s brother, who was also at the table, tells his local ABC station. “He should have just left it alone.”
Now, the owners of the restaurant are doing damage control.
“I’m so sorry that the whole thing happened because it’s not anything that I would’ve wanted to happen,” says Diane Harrell who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Bill.
Diane claims she wasn’t there when Bill insulted the women, but that he should be given a pass because he’s old and doesn’t know any better.
“I’m not saying that what he did or said was right, but you just gotta understand that the world is different than was back when he grew up as a child,” she says. “Things were totally different back then.”
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But folks on Yelp aren’t buying the excuse.
“Just discovered on the early morning news the owner is a homophobic and transgender bigot,” one reviewer writes. “You think because he’s 77 that’s an excuse? I’m 78 and had enough upbringing to respect others as I wish to be. Degrading people for who they are is disgusting.”
Bill has also taken to social media to try and make things right.
“My eyes were opened, and I learned a lot from this experience,” he recently wrote. “Come back in, and I will apologize in person.”
The Harrells say they really, really hope the incident doesn’t affect business because they just sold it to new owners who are supposed to take over in July.
Related: Man has homophobic meltdown over two port-a-potties placed outside his restaurant during Pride
Chrisk
This is Rich. You almost feel sorry for them but you could clearly see this is all about money.
Funny how these Christians are so self-righteous but the minute it affects them in the pocket they run for Cover. It’s all BS.
Frank
Of course it is BS…
Oops did I say that…please don’t take my money away from me….
Dr. Arthur Frederick Ide
The restaurant should be boycotted until the new understand that no one–even an old man (I am 73)–has a right to discriminate. I would not go there, nor would my spouse.
Kangol
Typical anti-gay Xian creep. Shine the light on them and let the world see their bigotry. People like him will either change or go out of business. It would be nice to highlight pro-gay workers and businesspeople like Terrance Mannery, though. After a recent Utah Pride Festival, he sheltered four gay men being chased by a dozen anti-gay thugs into the restaurant where he worked, and then fought back against the anti-gay thugs until a security guard came to his rescue. Strangely Queerty hasn’t covered this, but this young man should be at the top of your 2018 Pride 50 list.
Frank
well DUH…because the guy is black…no point of covering him here unless he is black and half-naked or effeminate or guilty of a crime against white gays…they way Queerty can rack up comments
crowebobby
Frank: I can’t remember for sure whether it was here or in the Advocate, but I definitely read about the Mannery hero. And since both sites cover the same stories, I image it was here as well.
Frank
It was not here on Queerty…so my point is valid until it is…
https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/06/us/utah-pride-homophobia-fight-trnd/index.html
Bob Scardino
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2018/6/06/lone-man-fights-antigay-mob-utah-pride
Celtic
Why do homophobes never ever think of the consequences “BEFORE” they open their bigoted jowls?
Frank
because the lesson of cause and effect is lost on them until it is about MONEY, POWER or STATUS then it is ALL about regret and false apologies….
Mack
Maybe the new owners will want to knock off some the money. If it were me buying that business either I would stop the sale because of stupidity or prepare to do lots of advertising to get back people this guy has probably ran away. I’m 70 and I don’t treat people like this. I was raised in the south where bigotry reign, but my daddy taught me to respect EVERYONE.
ProfessorMoriarty
Can the soon-to-be-owners sue the old bigot? THAT would be a nice lesson for the miserable SOB.
CarrieV
Queerty, I know you take a lot of flack for your clickbait headlines, but THIS headline made me crack up.
Extra glad the story matched the headline, as those dinosaurs who once ruled the earth (multi-phobic white people “from another time”) are dying out and being replaced by decent, tolerant folk.
James
AND WHO IS GOING TO GUARANTEE THEY DO NOT SPIT IN YOUR FOOD.
Chrisk
No one because no one’s going anymore.
TheBigOne
Looks like his Facebook page is gone…good thing!
skibum
Yes, the owner’s behavior and disgusting comment he made to that couple was shameful. They were doing nothing more than being paying customers of his restaurant, which he should have appreciated. But since the owner’s wife has stood up for the women customers and her husband has asked that they return so he can apologize in person, they should go back and if not eat there again at least show up and look into his face as he gives them the apology they deserve.
Chrisk
I’m sorry if you were offended.. Blah blah blah.
bjohnmasters
“I’m very sorry that I’m old and did not realize the power of social media to spread the word that I’m an asshole. Now I realize that and my wife’s made it clear I’m to keep my mouth shut, my eyes were opened.”
MaxTaste
What a selfish man. Sounds like he knew the restaurant was sold so he was just going to tell people what he thought. Now he’s potentially damaged the business, impacting the new owners.
jorgecruz
We really should thank Donald Trump because now all these closeted bigots, racists and misogynists feel comfortable letting us know how they really feel. We see it from people we thought were friends, from relatives we thought were tolerant, from coworkers we thought believed in equality.
CodyJ
typical senile fundie nutjob..admit it was different for him to apologize ($)….Surprised he didnt use latest SC ruling on to refuse them service..altho guess a cake was not involved (sigh)
DCguy
Notice how whenever there is a bigoted or racist incident, the first thing they try to do is send out their wives to try to apologize for them?
Wonder how many times she’s had to do that during their marriage.
Lastly, you have to wonder just how stupid people are to attack people who are GIVING THEM MONEY! Funny how Jesus spoke out against divorce but I never see ANY of these Christian bakers or restaurant owners ask their customers if they are divorced.