WASHINGTON — Panera Bread on Monday asked customers not to bring
firearms into its restaurants, joining a growing list of retail and fast-food
chains that have declared their establishments gun-free zones.
The company said it wants to ensure that "customers and associates
feel comfortable and welcome” in its restaurants.
“We ask that guns not be brought into this environment unless carried
by an authorized law enforcement officer," the eatery chain, which boosts
1,800 locations in the United States and Canada, said in a statement Monday.
"Panera respects the rights of gun owners, but asks our customers
to help preserve the environment we are working to create."
Chains such as Starbucks, Target and Chipotle already have adopted
guidelines asking patrons not to bring guns into their locations following
pressure from gun control advocates, principally Moms Demand Action for Gun
Sense in America.
Panera’s decision followed talks with the gun control group, which is
funded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Erika Soto Lamb, a spokeswoman for the Moms Demand Action, said Panera
quickly decided to adopt the new policy after the group contacted the chain to
determine its position on firearms.
"There was no pressure campaign here, which is exactly why this is
meaningful. Panera is the first company to proactively stand with Moms (Demand
Action) for the safety of American families without having to be
petitioned," she said.
A Panera spokeswoman said the company will not ask its employees to
enforce the new guideline. Nor will the policy be posted in the restaurants.
Other chains that have adopted voluntary restrictions, including Target, also
have declined to post such signs.
The decision by gun control groups to ask businesses to declare
themselves gun-free zones represents a shift to more grassroots activism. It
reflects an assessment by the groups that they are unlikely to get any meaningful
legislation through Congress anytime soon.
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