Should Restaurants Be Able to Offer Discounts to Churchgoers?
A Pennsylvania man has filed a complaint against a restaurant for offering a 10 percent discount to anyone presenting a church bulletin.
Our Sunday Midtown Patch Question of the Day involves restaurant discounts for churchgoers.
Offering discounts to various sectors of the population is a common practice with restaurants. Seniors get a discount on certain days, veterans on others, students presenting a report card with good grades sometimes receive discounts and the list goes on.
One common practice, especially here in the south, is offering a discount on Sundays to anyone who presents a church bulletin, but a restaurant in Pennsylvania is now under investigation for doing just that.
According to Fox News, an atheist from upstate Pennsylvania filed a complaint with the state against the restaurant, saying he was being discriminated against because he does not attend a church. This triggered an investigation that ended with the Pennsylvania restaurant being served with a 16-page complaint from the state.
The restaurant owner is challenging it in court. She told Fox News she has received support from around the country, particularly from Georgia and Texas, where this type of discount is offered a lot.
So what do you think? Is this discriminatory, or should a business be allowed to offer discounts at its own discretion?
Russell Sauve
12:21 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Private businesses should be able to offer whatever discounts they wish. But we also have the right to not visit businesses that discriminate.
James
12:26 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Even calling this discrimination is absurd.
Russell Sauve
12:30 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Discrimination defined: Noun: The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things.
Recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another.
Businesses treating customers differently based on religious beliefs is clearly discrimination.
SM
12:57 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
If it is a private business--it can offer a discount--just like if you run a 5k---you can get a discount at different running stores on that day. However, it would certainly be my choice to not attend that restaurant on Sunday or any other day of the week. Different religions have different days/times and types of worship and by offering this discount, it is likely to alienate those who do not attend church.
WB
6:28 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
I wouldn't consider this unjust. Bars have ladies night, theaters offer student discounts, restaurants offer senior discounts. The restaurant does not say you have to profess your faith to get a discount, just have a bulletin. If you really want 10 percent discount, just go pick up a bulletin/coupon and get you discount. Have you ever gone somewhere to pick up a coupon. I can't believe some people have the time or energy to make an issue out of this.