Restaurant Faces Criticism Over Disputed Sticker, Owner Stands Firm

Note: This story is being republished, originally reported in April 2019.

A restaurant in Danville, known as Gross’ Burgers, is facing a surge of negative feedback on social media following the emergence of a controversial bumper sticker displayed at the establishment.

The sticker, which went viral after a customer posted a photo criticizing the restaurant as “absolutely disgusting,” has sparked outrage. The message on the sticker reads, “If you can’t read this, thank a Marine,” and features Arabic text that translates to “Allahu akbar.”

Restaurant owner Brad Gross stated that the sticker, which has been part of his collection of “patriotic items” for over a decade, was a gift from a Marine he served with in Iraq. Despite the backlash, Gross has refused to remove it.

The customer who initially shared the image, Sam Schnelle, expressed her dismay online, with her Facebook post garnering over 800 shares and a caption reading “f— Grossburgers. Absolutely disgusting.” Schnelle reported that when she called the restaurant to request the removal of the sticker, she was met with resistance from the manager, who dismissed her concerns.

“Then they handed the phone to the manager, who said, we are most certainly not taking it down. YOU PEOPLE are too sensitive nowadays. And then proceeded to argue with whatever recommendations/points I made and then hung up on me,” Schnelle recounted.

In response to the controversy, Gross has received considerable support from his community and has defended his decision to keep the sticker, citing his military background and long-standing service.

Some social media users have criticized Gross’ reaction. One commenter questioned why Americans would support what they perceive as ignorance, stating, “The ability to speak more than one language should be applauded. Pathetic.”

Rachel Parker tweeted, “Hey Danville people, don’t eat at Grossburgers! Don’t support racism!”

Others have responded with sarcasm, such as, “Ya know. I’m not about racism at all, but all this talk about gross burgers really has me craving their fries.”

Sources: Fox News / Photo Credit: Facebook/Valerie Elliott Whorrall