Pizza Hut reverses gun rules (AZ)

[gunsmith]

http://azstarnet.com/business/local/article_eac10bf7-363c-5acf-b899-dc012bfa04fe.html



The company that owns most of Southern Arizona's Pizza Huts has reversed policy and is allowing customers to carry firearms into the restaurants if they are legal possessors.

Patrick McKinney, vice president of operations for Tucson-based Pizza Hut of Arizona, said he began reconsidering the company's policy of prohibiting guns after reading a newspaper article about the state's new concealed-carry law.

That law, which goes into effect July 29, allows people 21 or older (and not prohibited from having a firearm) to carry a concealed gun without a permit.

McKinney and his staff held a meeting about the issue and began to remove the restaurants' signs banning firearms during the first week of June, he said in a written reply to questions.

The issue of customers with firearms is confronting private business owners as Arizona's gun laws become more liberal, and as gun-rights advocates press for public acceptance of carried firearms.

The issue may be particularly poignant in the case of Tucson Pizza Huts. In 1999, three employees of a Pizza Hut near the corner of East Broadway and Pantano roads were shot to death in an attempted robbery by two teens.

"We will never forget the tragedy of those murders in 1999 and what happened may have shaped our feelings about guns forever," McKinney wrote.

The new policy doesn't apply to employees, who won't be able to carry guns at work. "For safety reasons we have always had a 'no weapon' policy (while working) for all of us at Pizza Hut of Arizona," McKinney wrote.

The company has about 1,000 employees at restaurants in Southern Arizona, Yuma and Flagstaff.

Arizona law allows most adults over 21 to carry a firearm openly but has placed greater restrictions on carrying a gun concealed. Until the new law goes into effect, a person still must have a permit to carry a concealed weapon. The exceptions to these laws are prohibited possessors such as felons whose rights have not been restored, and visitors and students from other countries.

Alcohol adds an additional complexity to Arizona's gun laws and is relevant to Pizza Hut's decision in that many of the restaurants serve alcohol. Establishments that sell alcohol must permit the concealed carry of weapons by legal possessors unless they post a state-approved sign banning them. However, a person carrying a firearm may not drink alcohol while on the premises.

Contact reporter Tim Steller at tsteller@azstarnet.com or 807-8427.

[kgbsquirrel]

..... as Arizona's gun laws become more liberal,

 

I never thought I'd see gun laws labeled such and have it be in a positive light.

[gunsmith]

I never thought I'd see gun laws labeled such and have it be in a positive light.

yeah, that made me smile too!

[GigaBuist]

The new policy doesn't apply to employees, who won't be able to carry guns at work.

And that's pretty much why I never give Pizza Hut any of my money. 

[RaspberrySurprise]

And that's pretty much why I never give Pizza Hut any of my money. 

Are there any corporate companies that allow their people to carry? Let alone pizza joints?

[Balog]

I'm not aware of any major chain restaraunt that allows employees to carry.

[Leatherneck]

I wonder when the cognitive dissonance will set in. Customers who we don't know from Adam--carry OK. Employees who we know at least somewhat and pay money to--"No carry for safety reasons." Not exactly linear thinking there, pizzaman.

TC

[MechAg94]

I wonder when the cognitive dissonance will set in. Customers who we don't know from Adam--carry OK. Employees who we know at least somewhat and pay money to--"No carry for safety reasons." Not exactly linear thinking there, pizzaman.

TC

I don't know, maybe they know who they are hiring to make your food?   

[HankB]

I quit going to Pizza Hut when they fired one of their pizza delivery guys for legally defending himself with a handgun he was licensed to carry. ("OUR RULES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR LIFE!!")

[Hawkmoon]

The issue may be particularly poignant in the case of Tucson Pizza Huts. In 1999, three employees of a Pizza Hut near the corner of East Broadway and Pantano roads were shot to death in an attempted robbery by two teens.

"We will never forget the tragedy of those murders in 1999 and what happened may have shaped our feelings about guns forever," McKinney wrote.

The new policy doesn't apply to employees, who won't be able to carry guns at work. "For safety reasons we have always had a 'no weapon' policy (while working) for all of us at Pizza Hut of Arizona," McKinney wrote.

Sigh.

Translation:

"Because we had three (unarmed) employees killed a decade ago, for safety reasons we do not allow our employees to carry guns protect themselves while at work."

So, Mr. McKinney, just WHY are you so concerned with providing a safe working environment for thieves and robbers? That no guns policy worked out just swell for three employees in 1999, didn't it?

[Ben]

I wonder when the cognitive dissonance will set in. Customers who we don't know from Adam--carry OK. Employees who we know at least somewhat and pay money to--"No carry for safety reasons." Not exactly linear thinking there, pizzaman.

TC

That one got me too. He gives the great quote about how unarmed employees were shot and that it changed their view on guns, but then says no employees can carry. Of all the various jobs in the world, it seems to me that "pizza delivery person" should be in the top five list of "firearm required".

Nevertheless, I applaud Arizona for their decision. Between this and and stating they'll uphold Federal laws on immigration, AZ has been making me smile lately.

Does anyone know if this new law is state resident only, or does it also apply to anyone passing through?

[gunsmith]

That one got me too. He gives the great quote about how unarmed employees were shot and that it changed their view on guns, but then says no employees can carry. Of all the various jobs in the world, it seems to me that "pizza delivery person" should be in the top five list of "firearm required".

Nevertheless, I applaud Arizona for their decision. Between this and and stating they'll uphold Federal laws on immigration, AZ has been making me smile lately.

Does anyone know if this new law is state resident only, or does it also apply to anyone passing through?

I'm sure pizza hut doesn't check ID's & that anyone carrying is presumed to be legally carrying, or did you mean the new ccw law ( VT/AK carry ) then yup! after july 29 any non felon can ccw sans permit.

[AZRedhawk44]

Any non-alcohol serving place that is non-government doesn't even merit the hunting around for a "no guns" sign.  Concealed means concealed, move on with life, and don't draw/show it unless you need to shoot someone in defense.

There's so many "no-carry" businesses that I've carried into in AZ, it ain't funny.  Heck, there's city parks that violate state law in regards to concealed and even open carry.  I got into a fight last year with the city of Scottsdale over one and won that one.

Everybody wants to have their "say."  Often times, there are 2 mouths making noise, and only 1 ear to decipher the result.  Government and property owners need to reverse that and maybe shut the yaps and open the ears.

Until then, I'm not going to cast about looking for a small-print sign like at a mall entrance that says on Line 26, "No firearms allowed."  And I'm not going to strain to look for a circle-strikethru emblem on the backside of door window-tint in bright AZ sunlight.

And Pizza Hut:  Your pizza sucks.  Once upon a time you had a great pan pizza, but you've changed it to gooey cardboard and your sauce is more like catsup now.  I'll stick with Sbarros and Hungry Howie's and Papa John's.

[zahc]

Papa Johns had a corporate rule against employees carrying. I think. Somewhere in the book. Didn't stop me or any other employees from carrying. I even earned an exception to the tucked-in-shirt-rule for the purposes of carry. I suppose it varies by franchise though.