Wisconsin Dairy Queen puts up controversial sign—owner stands firm
A Dairy Queen restaurant in Kewaskum, Wisconsin, has become a topic of conversation due to a sign displayed in its window.
The sign proudly states the restaurant’s use of traditional holiday greetings like “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Easter,” and “God Bless America.” This message, meant to reflect the views of the owner and staff, has been up for four years but recently gained widespread attention.
The owner of the Dairy Queen, Kevin Scheunemann, explained to WDJT-TV that he believes the sign is appropriate as it transparently shares the views of those working at the restaurant. However, the sign became controversial when a student from Oregon took a picture of it and posted it on Dairy Queen’s official Facebook page. This post sparked a significant number of comments and discussions online.
The student who posted the picture found the sign “extremely offensive” and called for the company to address the issue with the franchise owner. In response to the controversy, Dairy Queen’s parent company, American Dairy Queen Corporation, issued a statement.
They clarified that they do not encourage franchise owners to post non-business-related messages. They emphasized that the views expressed by the sign were those of the independent owner, not the corporation or its other franchises. The company also highlighted their expectation for all franchisees and employees to treat every customer with dignity and respect.
Despite the backlash, Scheunemann has no plans to remove the sign. He mentioned that the restaurant has become a popular tourist spot, with people traveling long distances to take pictures with the sign. The sign originally went up after a customer complained about the Christian music playing inside the store.
This story raises questions about the balance between personal beliefs and business practices, and how companies should handle such situations. What do you think about the Dairy Queen sign and the response it has received? Share your thoughts and feel free to discuss this with your family and friends on Facebook.
