FFRF complaint replaces Georgia restaurant’s unlawful discount (July 5, 2012)

A restaurant in Blue Ridge, Ga., will no longer offer a preferential discount to church-going patrons, thanks to the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

On a sign posted next to the cash register, Blue Ridge Mountain BBQ offered and promoted an illegal 10% discount to customers who presented a church bulletin on Sundays. The sign also promoted free meals for pastors who dined with a paying customer.

In a June 26, 2012, letter, Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt warned the manager that the restaurant was in violation of the Civil Rights Act and that “it is illegal for Blue Mountain BBQ to discriminate, or show favoritism, on the basis of religion.”

On July 5, FFRF received confirmation that not only had the sign offering the church discount been removed, but it had been replaced by a framed copy of FFRF’s letter of complaint.