ROWLETT, Texas (WJW) – Two new parents claim they were kicked out of a Texas restaurant for violating a “no mask” policy and keeping their faces covered out of concern for their immunocompromised baby at home.
Natalie Wester said in a Facebook post that it happened to her and her husband on Sept. 11 at Hang Time, in Rowlett, Texas.
She said they went into the bar wearing their masks and were asked to take them off when their IDs were being checked.
“The music was loud, so I assume she just wanted to see our faces for our IDs. She again said something about taking the mask off, because I couldn’t hear her very well, I brushed it off,” she said. “My husband and I met some friends, order our drinks and an appetizer.”
She said about half an hour later, a waitress sat down next to her and said masks are not allowed in the building, adding: “Our manager sent me over because I’m nicer than he is. And yes, this is political.“
Wester went on to say her 4-month-old son has cystic fibrosis. When she and her husband are out, they choose to wear masks. When she explained that to the waitress, she said, she told them they could close out their check if it was an issue.
“My husband and I paid and left without a scene,” she said.
Some people questioned why they would go to a bar if they were concerned about protecting their baby, to which Wester replied:
“Some folks asked why we went out at all if our concern was our son. We are both vaccinated (which lowers risk of getting covid significantly), and between that and using masks as often as possible we are able to keep our son at minimal risk while still maintaining our social and mental health. We hardly go out, between Covid and simply being new parents! The issue was that Hang Time was refusing service because we wore a mask (something that absolutely did not affect them) despite us having our reasons to do so.”
KTVT reports the owner, named only Tom, told them he considers “no masks allowed” part of the business’ dress code. He said he spent his money on the business, “my blood sweat and tears in this business, and I don’t want masks in here.”
Customers are asked at the door to remove their masks.
“So when they put their masks on the other night, they were reminded that at the front to take it off. They didn’t want to, and so we asked them to leave,” he said.
As of Monday afternoon, the Hang Time Facebook page was no longer publicly visible and the bar’s owner did not return Nexstar’s request for comment.
In her post, Wester said: “I wanted to share this information in case anybody who was actually wise enough to be afraid of Covid could avoid this place. Feel free to share. I am so shocked at the level of ignorance in our country, and scared to think how much worse the pandemic will get knowing so many folks think this way.”