Olive Garden’s president has apologized after an Alabama Kiwanis Club member was not allowed to display an American flag for an event at one of the company’s Alabama restaurants.
The 80-year-old member of the volunteer organization told WBRC-TV she was "angry" that the company refused the request based on a policy of not accommodating flags or banners in its public dining areas. The story was picked up by the Associated Press.
OG president John Caron released a statement through the company’s corporate parent, Darden Restaurants, on Oct. 14 saying the "American flag is always welcome in any of our restaurants."
Caron called the incident a "misunderstanding" and "purely a case of our corporate office giving incorrect information to one of our restaurants."
A company executive was dispatched to Oxford, Ala., to personally apologize to the Kiwanis chapter.
"We greatly regret that mistake and as a company we take responsibility for it," said Caron.