A Dairy Queen Restaurant Is in the Middle of a Huge Controversy Over This Sign—And the Owner Refuses to Move It
Why Was the Sign Put Up in the First Place?
While the internet backlash makes it seem like a recent political stunt, the franchise owner, Kevin Scheunemann, revealed that the sign has actually been on the door for over a decade.
According to Scheunemann, the inspiration behind the sign came after an incident inside the restaurant involving an unhappy customer. The patron had become deeply upset and complained to management because Christian music was being played over the store’s speaker system.
Rather than changing the music or getting defensive in the moment, Scheunemann decided he wanted to be completely transparent with future guests before they ever walked through the door.
“I felt the sign was appropriate to hang in terms of being transparent about the views of the owner and staff supporting God and country,” Scheunemann explained in an interview. “It just seems that those kinds of values and principles are becoming controversial in society.”
The Backlash and Corporate’s Quiet Response
Once the photo reached major social media platforms, the internet did what it does best: it divided into two fiercely opposing sides.
Critics flooded online review pages, calling the sign exclusionary, aggressive, and an inappropriate mix of religion and fast food. Many claimed the mention of a “dedicated safe space” for offended customers was a direct mock aimed at younger generations.
The backlash grew so loud that the American Dairy Queen Corporation was forced to issue an official statement, completely distancing itself from the Wisconsin storefront:
“American Dairy Queen Corporation does not encourage our independently owned and operated franchisees to post non-business related messages in their locations… This sign expresses the views of this independent owner only and does not speak for ADQ Corporation.”
