Signs at Hamilton restaurant heat up rights debate

The owner of a hillbilly-themed restaurant on the Mountain says he was only clarifying his cuisine by posting signs saying he doesn’t sell Middle Eastern and Asian foods and serves customers in English.

But Evelyn Myrie, executive director of Hamilton’s Centre for Civic Inclusion, says the signs at Hillbilly Heaven on Upper James Street are “very offensive and against the principles of diversity and inclusion.”

The restaurant has a big sign by the cash register that says halal, rice, kabob, shawarma, fries, wings, ¼ chicken, Mexican and burgers are “things we don’t have and never will.”

On the door it says “to better serve you, our staff speaks ENGLISH” and “What would make you think this was a Korean BBQ? Do you see any f’n ducks in the window?”

Myrie says the owner should take down the signs and apologize.

“Why would he go and attack the people who eat those kinds of foods? He’s ignoring a great deal of the population. It’s very stereotypical … It’s unacceptable and feeds into a stereotype … He has the right to sell his goods but doesn’t have the right to trash other foods that are culturally driven.”

But the owner of the restaurant, Cameron Bailey, says he means no offence. He says his business at Upper James and Fennell Avenue “is in a bit of an Arab neighbourhood. I got tired of people coming in here and asking me if I have halal. I put a sign up saying we don’t have halal, so stop coming in here and asking me.”

As for the sign about Korean barbecue, that was in response to a Korean customer who got angry with Bailey, he said, because his restaurant didn’t serve Korean duck.

Comments

[Rodney]

Stupid customers come with being a business owner. The problem this guy doesn't get is that while he thinks he is combating stupid customers (and singling out these customers solely by their cultures) he is going to offend the smart customers that can just see this guy is a narrow minded racist.

He is in "a bit of an Arab neighbourhood" and singles out an entire culture because of one Korean person's ignorant question?

Every business is going to face stupid questions and ignorant customers. Smile, tell the story to your friends and and serve them anyways. Guy got pissed that you don't sell Korean Duck? His problem. Tell him to have a nice day and now its not your problem. You put up a sign on your door singling him out and now its YOUR problem while you racially discriminate.

This economy is hardly the climate you want to start disgruntling patrons. Good luck with your business.

[Reader Comment]

Based on that I will never go there and I will be sure to tell everyone that I know about this racist being

[Rose]

In disgusted at what i just tread this guy is clearly racist and needs to be shut down. ..unacceptable!

[michelle]

yet if his main restaruant sign said We serve only Canadian food and he didn't mention other races no one would have ever noticed. There would be NO debate on his establishment if he had called it Canadian hillbilly with the small print on the sign saying we serve Canadian food and no other ethinic group food. More power to him for only cooking one races food.... And that doesn't make him racist unless you consider ever chinese, korean, japanese etc food place racist!!!!!!