Leave your guns at home: Texas burger chain bans ‘openly carrying’ diners, angering gun lobby

An iconic Texas restaurant chain will not allow the open carrying of guns on its properties, and industry experts say other restaurants will likely take the same stand against a new state law legalising the practice in many public places.

Whataburger — with some 780 locations in 10 states — has drawn a mix of praise and criticism since making the announcement this month, including a prediction of boycotts from one of the state’s leading advocates for gun rights.

In an open letter on the company’s website, Whataburger president and CEO Preston Atkinson said many employees and customers are “uncomfortable being around someone with a visible firearm.” He described himself as an avid hunter with a concealed-carry license and noted that patrons licensed to carry concealed handguns will still be able to do so in Whataburger.

Atkinson’s letter comes one month after Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill that made it legal to carry handguns openly on the streets of the second most-populous US state, ending a prohibition dating back to the post-Civil War era that disarmed former Confederate soldiers and freed slaves.

The law, which gives private property owners the right to prohibit open carry, was hailed as a victory for gun rights advocates who have staged high-profile rallies at the Alamo and Texas Capitol over the past couple of years. Some even brought military-style assault rifles into businesses as part of their demonstrations, prompting the Chipotle restaurant chain to discourage firearms on their premises.