Memphis media and members of the Memphis Restaurant Association are bashing Houston’s restaurant. The beloved 40-year-old restaurant shut down due to the city’s out-of-control crime. Watch our morning show live:
Patrick Reilly, the owner of The Majestic Grille, posted a lengthy attack – saying that Houston’s had not done enough charitable work for the city.“Let’s instead look out for, support and celebrate all the local restaurants (and, yes, some of the national chains) that, day in and day out, give back to the community they serve. That strive to make the city better for us all. The ones that host or participate in food festivals, golf tournaments, that donate wine dinners or gift cards. That feed the homeless and the first responders. Give away gift cards for school fundraisers or little league teams. Or even those that just give their time. That list is long and quite distinguished,” Reilly wrote on social media.
The Daily Memphian’s food writer concurred.
“I think he has a good point,” wrote Jennifer Chandler. “My holiday resolution is to go out and support the restaurants, both locally owned and chains, that do a lot of community service: to give back to those who give back.”
Whether or not Houston’s bought a yearbook ad or let cheerleaders use their parking lot to wash cars is irrelevant to the issue at hand. And the notion that the restaurant chain did not give back to the community is wrong-headed. They employed a good many Memphians — and their staffers spent that money in other businesses in our city.The issue is crime. Period.
And based on the dozens of crimes committed in the restaurant’s parking lot, it’s a good thing the high school cheerleaders did not hold a car wash.
