# Name a place you will never go into that's popular. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 18, 2003, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873 "2003-11-18T08:38:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/121 "2003-11-19T19:06:41Z")
**SnoopyFan** , I googled “red lobster planned parenthood” and couldn’t find a cite for your claim that General Mills restaurants donate money to Planned Parenthood that didn’t come from a fundie site. Do you have a more reliable cite for this claim? It’s not that I want to find a reason to boycott these restaurants; I’ve got the opposite reason. I am very pro-choice and would like to patronize these restaurants if your claim is, in fact, true. Robin ---
**Author:** ![eeclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/49beb7/32.png) [@eeclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eeclem)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/122 "2003-11-19T19:32:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MsRobyn \* > \*\ ***SnoopyFan** , I googled “red lobster planned parenthood” and couldn’t find a cite for your claim that General Mills restaurants donate money to Planned Parenthood that didn’t come from a fundie site. > > Do you have a more reliable cite for this claim? It’s not that I want to find a reason to boycott these restaurants; I’ve got the opposite reason. I am very pro-choice and would like to patronize these restaurants if your claim is, in fact, true. > > Robin \*\* yay **Ms Robyn**! that’s what I was thinking! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/123 "2003-11-19T20:07:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*Anecdotes are good enough? Good heavens. Isn’t it much more likely that that particular manager of that particular restaurant had the problem, that it’s not a policy - official or not - of its restaurants? > > I can see avoiding that location; my apologies if that’s what you mean. But if you mean you’ll never set foot in any of their restaurants anywhere in the world because of the actions of one manager… well, that seems pretty bizarre to me. \*\* Right. There’s no way of telling if it was an isolated incident or a collection of incidents, which is why I have a problem with [this list](http://gratefuldread.net/act/qqa.html). They essentially say, “Boycott these anti-gay companies & organizations!” But they’re relying on links instead of giving their own reasons as to why one should boycott them. Three of those links don’t really give resons for the boycott! Applebee’s just goes to [the Applebee’s contact page](http://www.applebees.com/contactus.html). The Wal\*Mart link goes to [an anti-Wal\*Mart site](http://www.walmartdayofaction.com/) which has virtually no content. Coors? [An article at the Commercial Closet](http://www2.commercialcloset.org/cgi-bin/iowa/?page=column&record=64) which says the company is working to improve its image. Hey, morons, isn’t that your goal in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/124 "2003-11-19T20:24:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > **Anecdotes are good enough? Good heavens. Isn’t it much more likely that that particular manager of that particular restaurant had the problem, that it’s not a policy - official or not - of its restaurants?** Well, had it only been one anecdote, I would agree with you. But I’ve heard multiple accounts from a variety of sources, **TVGuy** being only one of them. Now, I have no reason to believe that **TVGuy** , or any of the other people I know who have told similar stories, are lying. Even if it isn’t an official position of Applebee’s to discriminate, apparently, managers who do so are still employed. That’s enough for me. I’m not trying to prove to anyone that Applebee’s is anti-gay (although the appology because of the ad during the gay marriage thing does strike me as rather anti-gay). I’m just satisfied that a corporate culture exists that allows for managers and staff to discriminate, so I, personally, don’t eat there. If you want to, be my guest. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/125 "2003-11-19T20:27:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Coors? An article at the Commercial Closet which says the company is working to improve its image. Hey, morons, isn’t that your goal in the first place? Well, the Coors thing is more about the activities and generous funding the owing family gives to anti-gay groups such as the > [@](#): > > [_From the Advocate story about Scott Coors, the gay son of William Coors and great-grandson of Adolph Coors Sr._](http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/850/850_coors.asp) > The fact remains, however, that much of the Coors family money that’s poured into the coffers of antigay foundations comes from Coors Brewing profits. The family foundations—the Castle Rock Foundation and the Adolph Coors Foundation—remain crucial backers of a who’s who of antigay politics. Other than the input allowed by his father, who chairs the Castle Rock board of trustees, Scott Coors has little control over the foundations’ giving patterns. For instance in 2002, Castle Rock gave $200K to Heritage Foundation. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/126 "2003-11-19T20:30:35Z")
Sorry, I meant to hit preview. “owning family” [strike]such as the[/strike] ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/127 "2003-11-19T20:55:25Z")
I boycotted a Fatz Cafe, a local family restaurant, for awhile as the result of some extraordinarily bad service (i.e. getting the salad after the meal, getting the order wrong, waitress lighting up a cigarette while refilling our drinks, etc), Then I decided to give them another chance since the food was pretty good. Boy, was that a mistake. The last time I ate there, the food made my sister so sick that she barely made it home before puking. I also refuse to go into Kmart for all the reasons other posters listed above. It’s just a nasty place. Sorta like a bargain-bin Walmart. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/128 "2003-11-19T21:54:14Z")
**Homebrew** , then they should be linking to that Advocate article instead of The Commercial Closet! I still say they’re morons. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/129 "2003-11-19T23:35:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alice\_in\_wonderland \* > \*\*That’s enough for me. I’m not trying to prove to anyone that Applebee’s is anti-gay (although the appology because of the ad during the gay marriage thing does strike me as rather anti-gay). I’m just satisfied that a corporate culture exists that allows for managers and staff to discriminate, so I, personally, don’t eat there. If you want to, be my guest. \*\* My opinion is that in this day and age people are more likely to make up a story about how a company is “anti” something rather than “pro” something. It is possible all of the anecdotes have plenty of truth to them. It is also possible that one or more people had a problem with one or more restaurants and decided to spread a nasty rumor about it. I agree that the more anecdotes there are, the more likely one of them is true, but they’re still just anecdotes, and you have to consider the source - good or bad. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/130 "2003-11-19T23:48:07Z")
Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/131 "2003-11-20T02:16:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Random \* > \*\*This surprised me. (I’m a semi-regular there and have generally been treated okay, and the hostess’ explanation here is bizarre.) If I didn’t know you, I’d probably think that there’s some other (legitimate or not) reason she didn’t like your group. > > _( **Random** briefly reviews past occasions when both he and **Gundy** were at a bar.)_ > > Hmm… Never mind. \*\* Oddly enough, this was one time where I hung back and didn’t say a word. AJ was with us, and I didn’t want to be all snappity in front of him. But it did happen. ---
**Author:** ![KeithT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@KeithT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KeithT)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/132 "2003-11-20T05:19:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blessedwolf \* > **My** money isn’t going to get anywhere near his blood-stained hands. Don’t worry. It won’t. And you can still enjoy your cardboard pizza. > [@](#): > > Whatever one might think of Tom Monaghan’s selection of social causes, and no matter how one views the question of direct versus indirect underwriting of them via pizza monies, it’s all moot now. These days none of the revenues that flow into Domino’s reach this controversial man, so no portion of what a customer pays for a medium pepperoni-and-cheese funds the causes he supports. Monaghan sold his Domino’s Pizza empire to Bain Capital Inc. for $1 billion in 1998. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/133 "2003-11-20T06:05:37Z")
**It’s not that I want to find a reason to boycott these restaurants; I’ve got the opposite reason. I am very pro-choice and would like to patronize these restaurants if your claim is, in fact, true.** In that case, find it yourself 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/134 "2003-11-20T06:38:35Z")
Yeah, Planned Parenthood. Terrible organization. Back when I was in college and working to put myself through school, it really sucked I was able to get a yearly pap smear for 15 dollars and birth control pills for 7 dollars a month. What a horrible organization to help a broke college student like that!!! Red Lobster…not only do they have the most delicious cheesey bread known to man but they also support Planned Parenthood? WIN!!! ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/135 "2003-11-20T11:27:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SnoopyFan \* > \*\ ***It’s not that I want to find a reason to boycott these restaurants; I’ve got the opposite reason. I am very pro-choice and would like to patronize these restaurants if your claim is, in fact, true.** > > In that case, find it yourself 😉 \*\* **SnoopyFan** , don’t be an idiot. It’s not my job to prove your allegations; it’s yours. So don’t be coy. Cough it up. And Planned Parenthood isn’t the eeeeeeeeeee-viiiiiiilllllllll organization you’re making it out to be. My local branch does not provide abortion services, but it does offer us students low-cost reproductive healthcare. Why shaft women and their partners? Robin ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/136 "2003-11-20T11:29:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MsRobyn \* > \*\*Why shaft women and their partners? > > \*\* Too… easy… must… resist… ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/137 "2003-11-20T11:53:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*Too… easy… must… resist… \*\* Please be gentle, I posted that at 6:30, before the ingestion of caffeine. Thank you. Robin ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/138 "2003-11-20T13:32:56Z")
I get my birth control through Planned Parenthood. They don’t JUST do abortions. They try to keep people from being in a position where that is even an OPTION. Sheesh. Unfortunately, in this town, if there’s a Red Lobster it’s sort of silly to go there what with all the excellent local seafood. ---
**Author:** ![stick\_monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@stick\_monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stick_monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/139 "2003-11-20T16:25:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Chick-Fil-A–It’s owned by raving fund-a-loonies who contribute a lot of money to anti-gay lobbying groups. While I will agree with the fact that the owner of Chic-Fil-A is a ‘raving funda-a-loonies’, in his politics, as well as social positions (not only does he come across as a homophobe he also comes accross as the type who still things the word ‘negro’ is ok, and that a woman’s place is in the home), please put the anti-gay money into a little perspective before you boy-cott him over it. He also (as well as the corporation), donate millions of dollars to charity, many of them VERY well deserving and needy. A lot of his giving is done on the sly, and he tries not to make a big deal about it when called on it. I met him and one of his sons on a couple of questions, and fundamentalist or no, both seemed to be genuinely generous people (and not people giving for the ‘glory’). I agree that in many ways he is an anachronism, like that when he had a children center built, he made them build 2 separate and enclosed pools, one for girls and one for boys (and I know a lot of people that abuse him for it), but christ, people, HE HAD A CHILDREN CENTER BUILT. Does every dollar he give away go toward something I agree with? Certainly not. But neither does the money you spend at any other store. If the fact that ANY money at all goes to a cause you are fundamentally against bothers you, by all means boycott it. But just keep in perspective that he does do a lot more ‘good’ (IMO) than most businessmen in his tax bracket, and genuinely does a lot more good than harm. On to places I boycott, and the **OP**. Walmart- I can’t go in there without being stuck for 45 minutes. Between the parking lots, long lines, hordes of the ‘ignorant unwashed’, and poor store layouts, a trip for toothpaste that should take 5 minutes takes 45. It might be worth it if I had kids, or could buy 6 weeks of groceries at a time, but otherwise, I will happily go to the quiet little publix that’s actually closer. Bank of America - I got stuck banking with them on more than one occassion because they kept buying out all the smaller banks I was with at the time, and every single time they screwed me. Unbelievable and criminal charging practices, poor customer service, and frequent accounting errors just does not equal ‘good bank’. Now I go to my companies credit union and keep an account with Washington Mutual, and have no problems. McDonalds - I read fast food nation and now I can’t bring myself to eat there, or pretty much anywhere than sells hamburgers (though occasionally I get the craving and hit a hardees or steak & shake). Ugh, and the beef isn’t even half as bad as their chicken nuggets. Nike - refuse to pay for chains on 6 year olds. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873/140 "2003-11-20T16:44:23Z")
This entire thread is making me crave Chik-Fil-A and waffle fries. **Homebrew** , I’ve seen where they’ve put that policy into place, but I don’t think there’s ever been acknowledgement or apology to the ones that they fired. I won’t patronize an establishment that does that and doesn’t make amends for it to the ones who were hurt. Ava [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-place-you-will-never-go-into-thats-popular/213873.md?page=8)