In the food industry, it’s not unusual for patrons to ask the staff what is particularly tasty on a menu. Staff at most eateries are at least encouraged to taste everything the restaurant offers. So it shouldn’t be particularly alarming that being able to eat the restaurant’s food might be something establishments would look at when hiring staff.
However, according to social justice warriors, doing so is an outrage:
A popular Portland mini doughnut shop has found itself in the midst of a hiring flap after including a prohibition against dietary restrictions in its help-wanted ad.
On July 21, Northeast Portland’s Pip’s Original Doughnuts listed a Poached Jobs ad looking for a new barista that has basic skills, a friendly, outgoing personality and “no non-medical, non-religious dietary restrictions.”
According to a Facebook post from co-owner Nate Snell, many have taken to Facebook and email to voice their displeasure with ad, which seems to exclude vegetarians in what PETA honored in April as the most vegan-friendly city in America.
According to the Poached Jobs ad, any non-medical, non-religious dietary restrictions “would stop you from tasting, accurately representing our treats and maintaining quality control.”
“After receiving as much hate email as we have in the last two days, I’m more steadfast and sure of our position than ever,” Snell wrote in a lengthy Facebook comment. “I’d rather have the freedom to run my business in a way that is both lawful and representative of my own hard-earned right of choice than capitulate to bullying, fear tactics and intimidation.”
Now, note that Pip’s is willing to work around religious or medically required dietary restrictions, but they don’t want to put up with people who won’t eat the merchandise because of personal bias. That’s his right as an employer.
It’s funny that the vegans and vegetarians are in a hissy over this, though. The paleo crowd — who are also not likely to eat doughnuts for pretty much any reason — has been silent. Then again, maybe the paleo diet eaters aren’t the kind of folks who expect the world to conform to them?
The ad also impacts people who just want to lose a few pounds, but without a doctor telling them to do so. You don’t hear those people whining, either.
The stereotype for a vegan is one of a pretentious, self-important little snot, and the incident in Portland is certainly indicative of just that. Are these vegans going to attempt to hurt Pip’s business? Are they going to boycott the doughnuts they weren’t going to eat anyway?
They wonder why some meat eaters mock them so much. This. This is why.
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