Restaurant’s “Straights-Only” Promo Drives Customers To Inclusive Eateries In Droves
Boycotts turned into buycotts as locals sought out restaurants that celebrate, rather than exclude, their diverse community.
What started as an exclusionary promotion has turned into an unexpected victory for inclusivity. After Darwell’s Happiness Cafe in Long Beach, Mississippi, faced national backlash for its now-infamous “straights-only” dining special, nearby LGBTQ+ friendly businesses are seeing a wave of new support.
The controversy began when restaurant owners Darwell and Nettie Mechelle Yeager posted a video promoting a limited-time discount for “real couples only”—explicitly excluding same-sex couples and trans people. “Cause we don’t do the trans or the lesbians or gays,” Nettie said in the now-deleted clip. The duo emphasized that only “couples who can produce a child” were eligible for the special.
The ill-conceived promotion was condemned by locals, advocacy groups, and social media users across the country, leading to calls for a boycott of the restaurant. But while Darwell’s may have shut its Facebook page to the public and doubled down on its rhetoric, other businesses in the area have seen a different effect: a surge in customers looking to put their money where their values are. LGBTQ+ advocacy group Gulf Coast Equality was among the first to encourage people to support businesses that celebrate diversity, and the message resonated.
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Molly Kester, the group’s vice president, reported that over 20 businesses have since reached out to be recognized as LGBTQ+ friendly. Among them is Trax Bar and Grill, which publicly denounced Darwell’s discriminatory remarks and has since seen an influx of patrons looking for a more welcoming atmosphere. Other establishments, including Dolce Bakeshop and Radish Restaurant, have also experienced a noticeable uptick in business, with customers specifically citing their commitment to inclusivity.
“We’re seeing a lot of people coming into town to just kind of try the other businesses,” William Rester, who owns both Dolce Bakeshop and Radish Restaurant, told Nola.
Several food influencers and community organizers have even announced upcoming events to uplift welcoming businesses and celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion along the Gulf Coast.
One such event, the “Love the Coast Tour,” organized by food influencers Your Barefoot Neighbor and Mississippi Kween, will spotlight inclusive bars and restaurants throughout the region. Additionally, Trax Bar and Grill is hosting “Unity in the Community,” a celebration featuring local drag queens and LGBTQ+ performers, further reinforcing that Long Beach is a place where everyone is welcome.
“When a business chooses bigotry over belonging, it’s up to all of us to show that hate has no home here,” Gulf Coast Equality said in a statement. “Let’s stand together and support LGBTQ+ owned and allied businesses that celebrate diversity.”
