A traveller from Oregon shared a photo of the big inscription on the front window of a Dairy Queen in Kewaskum, Wisconsin, on Facebook, raising worries about its purported exclusivity. This sparked a furious online discussion.
Along with highlighting the restaurant’s political incorrectness and its frequent usage of holiday greetings like “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Easter,” and “God Bless America,” the sign also prominently features the US flag and shows support for veterans who get free sundaes on Veterans Day. The franchise owner, Kevin Scheunemann, clarified that the message, which has generated controversy for almost four years, was meant to be open about his and the staff’s commitment to serving God and the country.
Scheunemann defended the posting of the sign by citing a patron’s grievance regarding the playing of Christian music within the eatery. Up until the latest commotion on the internet, the sign has not generated any more problems since then.
Before it was removed, a post made by a tourist from Oregon went viral and attracted both praise and criticism. While some people lambasted the person who published the photograph, others discussed their thoughts on the message. Local business owners, on the other hand, defended Scheunemann’s choice, stressing that patrons are free to depart if they don’t agree with the restaurant’s values.
Little Kewaskum seems to have taken the sign in stride, considering it a private statement of its proprietor’s convictions. Conversely, Dairy Queen dissociated itself from the dispute, formally declaring that the sign expresses the owner’s opinions alone. The business made it apparent that it disapproves of Scheunemann’s methods and that all employees and franchisees should treat every client with respect and decency, regardless of their religious convictions.
