A group of ex-Muslims is finally getting to eat cake — and for free.
A Wegmans outlet in Fairfax, Va., initially refused to decorate and sell a cake to the group Ex-Muslims of North America. On May 31, the organization’s staff emailed the Wegmans bakery in Fairfax and requested a cake to celebrate the group’s third anniversary. The caption was to read, “Congratulations on 3 years!!” and the cake was to feature the group’s name and logo.
But when the group’s staffers called to confirm the design and status of the cake, they reported that a “rude bakery associate” denied the request, calling it “offensive.”
This denial raised serious concerns under federal,state and local civil rights laws, as FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel pointed out in a letter to Daniel Wegman and Colleen Wegman, CEO and president, respectively, of the chain.
Wegmans quickly apologized after learning of the refusal of service.
“Danny Wegman was very concerned about the incident described in your letter today, and asked me to look into it, which I have done with the Virginia division manager and the Fairfax store manager,” Stephen Van Arsdale, senior vice president and general counsel of Wegmans, emailed to Seidel. “We have concluded that the bakery department made the wrong decision and that they should have made the cake as ordered. Our employees typically do an incredible job of serving our customers, but occasionally they make mistakes. This was one of those times, unfortunately, and we apologize.”
Wegmans made up for the snub by giving the cake to the group for free.
“The corporate office acted quickly and correctly to compensate for the misbehavior from employees at one store,” said Seidel. “I wish some of the government officials we contacted were as conscientious about doing their jobs.”
