Panera Bread, a bakery-cafe chain with more than 1,800 locations across the United States, is now urging customers to not carry firearms into their stores. By taking this action they have joined companies such as Target, restaurant Chipotle and Starbucks.
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense has taken credit for this recent development.
We are thrilled that after months of discussions between Panera and Moms Demand Action, Panera is taking a proactive position in favor of our families safety by putting a new gun policy in place said Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts Moms are the consumers-in-chief of our households and we will reward companies that take a stand for our families safety,
According to CNBC Panera will continue to abide by state and local laws regarding firearm carry and that employees will not be putting up any signs in stores.
Were certainly not going to put our associates in the position of confronting someone carrying a gun, said Panera CEO Ronald M. Shiach We wont put our café management in the position of being law enforcement.
Gun owners have largely criticized Moms Demand Actions petition drives, saying that the campaign is merely a grab for attention. Some Second Amendment advocates have initiated boycotts against companies who have sided with the gun control group, but other gun owners say that they will continue to carry a firearm for protection despite requests to leave their firearms at home.
No guns-no business. I will not allow you to make me a target, wrote one of the many irate commentors on Paneras Facebook page.
