Fresno Waffle Shop owner will do takeout only after facing ‘aggressive behavior,’ fines
The Waffle Shop has closed its dining room and is returning to takeout only following protests and an incident that led to one man being handcuffed by police in Fresno.
The Waffle Shop on Figarden Drive defied city and state orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic and opened to dine-in Thursday. It was fined $1,000, which was paid for immediately by customers.
It opened again Sunday and tempers flared when code enforcement officers tried to deliver a $5,000 fine and one man was handcuffed and detained in the back of the police car. Footage from a police body camera captured the incident.
A day later, Councilman Garry Bredefeld held a news conference that attracted a throng of supporters showing their support for the restaurant and other business owners.
Monday night, The Waffle Shop owner Ammar Ibrahim said on his Facebook page that he would go back to serving only takeout.
Ibrahim said in a lengthy statement that he believes in small business owners taking a stand, but “I am not willing to take a stand where my customers or community have to endure physical force and intimidation. As a result of yesterday’s unnecessarily aggressive behavior, The Waffle Shop will go back to serving only take out on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. I will continue (despite) the oppressive unequal treatment of small business, and for what I believe is right. I just refuse to see others watch people get treated the way I saw this (Sunday) morning, and especially on Mother’s Day.”
He also told The Bee on Tuesday that he couldn’t afford the continued fines for defying coronavirus emergency orders.
“I closed the dining room because there’s not a single restaurant in this town that can afford $70,000 in fines a week,” he said.
After the initial notice and $1,000 and $5,000 fine, the fines go up to $10,000 a day and the city can shut down the business.
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 12:22 PM.
