The real Oklahoma Standard is back in the national spotlight.
Last week, the owner of a restaurant in Catoosa fired 12 members of his staff via text message after they chose to participate in "Day Without Immigrants" protests.
The name of the restaurant is I Don't Care, which apparently represents the owner's commitment to quality food, service and basic human dignity.
A dozen workers at a Catoosa restaurant are without a job after getting fired for skipping work as a show of support for “A Day Without Immigrants.”
The restaurant workers are all Hispanic and say it was important to them to participate in the national protest.
But they didn’t think it would cost them their jobs.
“They feel like they’ve been unfairly terminated," said a friend, translating for the employees.
The group worked at I Don’t Care Bar and Grill in Catoosa. They talked to us after they were fired for not showing up to work. They asked us not to show their faces or give their names...
The owner fired them by text message.
A message to one of the employees reads: "You and your family are fired. I hope you enjoyed your day off, and you can enjoy many more. Love you.”
First of all, my heart goes out to the employees who were terminated. That being said, at least they no longer have a shitty job with a shitty business with a such a shitty name.
With all apologies to Your Mom's Place, I Don't Care may be the worst possible name for restaurant. It seems like a bad idea that somebody came up with while drunk or stoned, and unfortunately didn't forget about the next day:
"I'm hungry. Where do you want to go eat?"
"I don't care."
"He he. That would be a good name for a restaurant. I'm going to write that down!"
Seriously, what does it say about your restaurant when you're targeting sad, lonely people who are so down on life that they really don't care where they eat? I wonder what other names they considered? It Doesn't Matter To Me? I Had Mexican For Lunch?? That Assholes's Restaurant Down The Street??? They'd all be better than I Don't Care.
Anyway, this story apparently does have a happy ending. Not only is I Don't Care being trashed on social media and apparently in desperate need of line cooks, but another local business with a heart (and better name) has offered the terminated employees jobs...
Twelve employees fired for participating in a national protest have a job opportunity.
Dusty Oakley, the owner of Brownie's Hamburgers, heard about the former employees of I Don't Care Bar and Grill, who were fired after participating in the "Day Without Immigrants" protest Thursday. All 12 employees were Hispanic.
Oakley offered all of them jobs...
"I am not into politics much, but I am not going to shame anybody for standing up for what they believe in," Oakley said.
