Thread: NC: Business Booms At 'English Only' Eatery

Business Booms At 'English Only' Eatery
Owner Of Local Diner Says Publicity Has Been Great For Bottom Line

POSTED: 1:37 pm EDT May 5, 2011
UPDATED: 2:25 pm EDT May 5, 2011

Read more: http://www.wxii12.com/news/27789295/det ... z1LVSNiXhE


DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. -- The owner of a Lexington diner who made waves in March after posting a sign banning customers who don't speak English said Thursday that business at his restaurant has never been better.

So good, in fact, he's reposted the sign and is handing out copies to anyone who asks. By noon Thursday, the Reedy Creek Family Diner off Highway 150 was filled with customers.

Owner Greg Simons said an exchange between a Latino customer who couldn't speak English and the staff made his employees feel uncomfortable.

After it happened a second time, he put up a sign on the door warning guests that the staff is only prepared to converse with those who speak "American."

Simons took down the sign after WXII broke the story.

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But support surged. Simons said he got letters from all over the world. He appeared on several national conservative talk shows. People mailed him money. A national organization that advocates English as the national language offered to pony up legal fees if Simons gets sued.

He says 99 percent of those who have contacted him have agreed with his message.

He's even posted a second sign containing a quote from President Teddy Roosevelt in 2007.

"We have but room for one language here and this is the English language," the sign quotes Roosevelt as saying.

Simons claims the signs have nothing to do with race. His message seems to have resonated with many.

"Now if every other business would do this in the USA, it will be all good!" Michael Barton posted on a Facebook page set up to support Simons.

"This is America. Speak English!" Michael Olah posted on the same page.

Opponents to Simons' message haven't been nearly as vocal.

"I'm seriously disgusted I even ate here before. I hope your business goes under. Spanish and English aren't that different. If you listen, you at least get the gist of what one's saying," tamaramhill posted on WXII12.com.

http://www.wxii12.com/news/27789295/detail.html

Previous Stories:

March 15, 2011: Sign At Local Eatery: No English, No Service


Read more: http://www.wxii12.com/news/27789295/det ... z1LVRzFadU

Congratulations to them. I think that is just great. The English language has been the single most Unifying think about America since its creation.

Way to go Mr.Business owner you have a right to do exactly what you did because, English is our official language in this country. if they think everybody is going to bow down to them and learn to speak their language of Spanish, well they have got another thought coming I don't even know this man and, I like him for taking a stand on this. just because the U.S. government is dumb enough to cater to them, that sure don't mean everyone else is going to do the same thing.

"I'm seriously disgusted I even ate here before. I hope your business goes under. Spanish and English aren't that different. If you listen, you at least get the gist of what one's saying," tamaramhill posted on WXII12.com.

Well, then if they are so much alike, these Spanish speakers shouldn't have any problem with all of the staff speaking English only!

"I'm seriously disgusted I even ate here before. I hope your business goes under. Spanish and English aren't that different. If you listen, you at least get the gist of what one's saying," tamaramhill posted on WXII12.com.

Really? If English and spanish are not that "different," why do I need to press #1 for English! I guess those demanding spanish didn't get the memo tamara.

In any event, we as Americans must support people like Owner Greg Simons when they take a stand against this garbage! We need to show them we agree with their message by spending our money in their businesses and for services. It's one of the ways we can make a difference!

Im glad he is doing well just goes to show people are fed up with hispanics.hispanics would learn english if they wanted too,but they want AMERICANS to bow down to them SORRY JOSE NOT ME OR ANY REAL AMERICAN.

if i lived anywhere close to there i would eat there. we need to encourage patrionizing good americans like this and shun the ones who dont love our country and pander to this illegal lobby.

"No English, No Service" Sign Triples Business at Restaurant

Staff Writer

10:03 p.m. EDT, May 19, 2011
DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP)—

Reedy Creek Family Diner Chef Greg Simons said the international attention over a sign printed on one sheet of paper has been nothing but good for business.

Simons put up a sign his restaurant in March that said "No English, No Service." It quickly received international attention.


"All these calls I've gotten from outside the country and the US have all been positive, saying things like, 'God Bless you, sir,' 'Good for you, don't take it down' and 'stand your ground,'" Simons said.

Some people were concerned the sign was racist, but Simons said it has nothing to do with discrimination.

"Everybody's money is green as far as I'm concerned. Its a communication thing. Nobody here speaks another language other than English. It's just that simple. If I could speak another language or had someone here that spoke another language--be it French, Russian, Spanish or whatever, I would be happy to entertain hiring them. But that's not the case to date," Simons said.

He has added a list of additional languages to his sign, which no longer hangs on the door but beside the cash register due to demand for copies.

"People kept asking for copies. It's hard to put it up and take it down, so I just made photocopies," Simons said.

Simons said he didn't post the sign to gain a lot of attention, but he understands how someone might misunderstand it.

"I'm saddened by the fact that someone might want to see a negative than a positive it's just how you look at things," Simons said.

Since the sign went up, Simon said people of all backgrounds have come in, even those who don't speak English but have an interpreter.

http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-story-n ... 9906.story

Video also at link above

I'll make it a point to eat there if I'm ever in that neck of the woods! It would be so refreshing to go there and maybe hear only English again in public!!!!

As for the dissenter who posted, if Spanish and English are so similar, than what's to prevent that person from speaking English? Spanish belongs in Latin America and English belongs in the U.S.!!!

Originally Posted by duckman

Im glad he is doing well just goes to show people are fed up with hispanics.hispanics would learn english if they wanted too,but they want AMERICANS to bow down to them SORRY JOSE NOT ME OR ANY REAL AMERICAN.

I'm not fed up with Hispanics, but I am fed up with illegal aliens.