Blog

A QSR guide to confronting activists, restaurant disruption

Social media has taken the gloves off social activism and that's being felt in the real world at QSR brands nationally and worldwide. An ongoing series of headlines has shown how activists confronting guests or restaurant staff can disrupt service and the environment. Here are some ways to manage the impact.

Photo: iStock

October 17, 2019 by Mark Lee — Assistant Vice President and Risk Consultant, Hub International

There's a whole new spin on what "engagement" looks like when it comes to social activism in the age of social media. From the safety and relative anonymity of our favorite platforms, we share both "fake" and real news and mock public figures in memes, while we crowdsource everything from money to mindshare in rallying support for the cause "du jour."

It's one thing to trade barbs with snowflakes, alt-righters or "other-side" politicians on Twitter. But it's quite another when it all bleeds over into the real world businesses, like favorite fast food brands. 

As a result, this is something that warrants special attention by QSR leadership. Lest you doubt this, check out some of these examples:  

• One Washington, D.C. restaurant admitted it tucked certain cabinet heads and administration officials away in the corner, near multiple exits (a Secret Service request) as an attempt to avoid confrontations by other diners and passers-by.
• Also in the nation's capitol, protestors chased former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen out of a Mexican restaurant amidst all the controversy that has erupted over immigrant family separations. 
• In Chicago, activists posing as dinner guests at a popular River North restaurant stood up to shout out demands related to its management's failure to address a sexual harassment complaint.

So, what is a restaurateur to do?

Every situation is different, of course. But here are a few general pointers to handle protesters in your QSR:

• If your venue is the site of a private event highlighted by a controversial speaker, fine. But check out the organizing group and the speaker so you know what to expect, and make sure they do, too. 
• You both have every right to escort protesters out if they crash a private event. In anticipating worst case scenarios, you'll want to ensure local police are aware and on stand-by, too. 
• Similarly, if you're an owner and polarizing individuals come in with a private party, you're also within your rights to ask them to leave if you find their stance personally distasteful.
• If the actions of social activists disrupt your restaurant to the extent that it suffers physical damage or must close temporarily just to regroup, losses are likely to be covered through business interruption insurance or standard liability coverage.

Preparation puts you ahead of the game

In any event, your crisis management plan needs to cover these types of situations. It should include:

• Staff training and protocols — You want on-brand behavior by the management and wait-staff for any situation. Do's and don'ts should be spelled out. No photos should be Instagrammed or Tweeted out. Paparazzi aren't allowed. 
• You should also have a policy on voicing personal political opinions on the job, as well as backup protocols on how to handle unexpected situations, like protesters, without disrupting other guests.
• Security/vulnerability assessment — A security expert can help facilitate this.The evaluation should start with access points, like front or back doors. 
• Also important is in-house security — Are there live monitors or dummy cameras? Are they monitored in-house or through a service? Is there on-staff security, and if so, how are these people trained? Are they armed? 
• Crisis communications — Your plan also should have a protocol for keeping the internal team informed of the status and outcome, and messaging should be approved for the spokesperson to share with external audiences.

About Mark Lee

---

Mark Lee is a Risk Consultant at HUB International. Mark has over 6 years of experience in risk control consulting. In this role, he develops and implements solutions in the areas of risk mitigation, employee and customer safety, emergency management and response, and regulatory compliance. 

Connect with Mark: