Olive Garden has apologized to a uniformed cop for asking him to leave one of its Missouri restaurants on Sunday because he was wearing his service weapon.
Kansas City police officer Michael Holsworth, who was in uniform when he arrived at the restaurant in Independence, said he thought the employee was joking when he was asked to leave because guns were not allowed in the restaurant, reported the
Kansas City Star.
Holsworth wrote on
Facebook that it was his birthday and he came to the restaurant to celebrate it with his family. He was in the restaurant's lobby waiting on family members when he was approached.
"I actually thought it was a joke at first so I asked her 'Are you serious?' She replied back with 'Yes,'" said Holsworth. "So I told her, 'Well I can leave I guess.' She then replied back, 'Yes please leave.' Now I never in my wildest thoughts would of thought this would happen in the Kansas City area."
"I see it happening all over the United States to other officers but never thought it would of happened to me," said Holsworth.
Brad Lemon, president of the Kansas City Fraternal Order of Police, blasted Olive Garden for how Holsworth was treated with a Twitter post.
Olive Garden spokesman Rich Jeffers told
WDAF-TV that the restaurant's president Dave George called Holsworth to apologize for the incident. Jeffers said it was a hostess and not a manager who asked the officer to leave, according to the television station.
The company also posted a message on Twitter.
Holsworth's treatment sparked a backlash online.
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