SAN ANTONIO – Two signs with similar messages were left at two well-known Mexican restaurants, owned by different companies, claiming to refuse to serve Donald Trump supporters.
The first sign put up on Saturday at the Mama Margie’s location on South Zarzamora read it was “due to his continuous disparaging comments directed toward Mexicans.”
“We stand with our fellow Mexican restaurants in their efforts against hateful speech,” read the second sign placed on the door of an unknown Taco Cabana location. “You can’t have your taco and eat it too.”
But both Mama Margie’s and Taco Cabana have disavowed the signs, saying the restaurants had nothing to with them.
“We don’t post political signs, but we do make great tacos,” said Todd Coerver, chief operating officer for Taco Cabana, in a statement. “Taco Cabana is not responsible for the placement of this unauthorized sign on our property.”
The response was much the same from Pat Stehling, a partner in Mama Margie’s Mexican Cafe.
“We’re very disgusted. We just want the public to know that this will not be tolerated,” Stehling said. “Whether it’s us or a competitor, it’s just not part of the business. It’s not part of what we’re about.”
Stehling said the company’s attorney would not allow him to release the restaurant’s surveillance video showing a man who walked into the foyer Saturday afternoon.
After looking around for a few minutes, Stehling said the man walked outside and put the sign on the front door where customers would see it.
Stehling said the man then stood back a few feet and took a picture with his phone before leaving.
There was some backlash on social media, and Stehling said several people called asking whether it was true.
He said, “We do not endorse or condemn any political party, any campaign, any person.”
Robert Stovall, chairman of the Bexar County Republican Party, said the signs represent “how Democrats are trying to show Republicans as being anti-Hispanic, which we are not.” But Manuel Medina, Bexar County chairman of the Democratic Party, said, “They’re doing a good job all by themselves. They’re called Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio.”