Pete Freedman
Which Dallas-Area Restaurants And Businesses Are Opting Out Of Open Carry?
With the new year, a new law went into effect across Texas affording properly licensed gun owners the right to openly carry their weapons in public.
With this law comes a litany of questions, not the least of which concerns how one should react upon seeing a gun being carried in public. In December, the Dallas Police Department released the below video in hopes of calming some of those concerns, and directing the public on when they should/shouldn't contact authorities.
One other thing to be aware of about this law: For now at least, it affords business owners across the state the chance to ban open carry within their establishments, so long as they're hanging the proper signage.
So which places are choosing to opt out of open carry? Glad you asked.
First of all, the old 51-percent rule still applies: It remains a felony to bring a gun (concealed or openly carried) into any business where alcohol consists of at least 50 percent of its gross receipts. Pretty much any traditional bar or liquor store, most breweries that sell their wares on premise, almost every pub and the majority of area concert venues will thus remain weapon-free and can be distinguished by the fact that they're legally required to hang a sign explaining this exemption, notable in that these sign read “51%” in big, background lettering.
As for everyone else? Businesses wishing to self-impose an open carry ban on on their premises are now required to post signs in both English and in Spanish. A “30.06” sign bans concealed carrying on premises, whereas a 30.07 sign bans open carrying. These signs must be placed in public view, and printed large enough so that its lettering is at least one inch tall. One sign does not disregard the other; each is specific and both must be posted if a business wishes to ban concealed carry in addition to open carry.
With the new still new and fresh, many businesses are still determining their stance on whether to opt out of the ban or to follow the letter of public law. But a number of other businesses have already made their positions known. Here and here, you'll find two separate growing lists that are compiling statewide businesses that are imposing bans. For those curious about Dallas-area establishments, we've combined those lists with our own research to compile our own ongoing list below.
24 Hour Fitness
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Alamo Regal Theater
AllGood Cafe
AMC Theaters
Angry Dog
AT&T Stadium
Bar Belmont
Barcadia
Barnes & Noble
Bass Hall
BB&T Bank
bbbop Seoul Kitchen
Bird Cafe
Bloomin' Brands (owns Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill)
Bolsa/Bolsa Mercado
Boulevardier
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas
Brinker International (owns Chili's & Maggiano’s Little Italy)
Buffalo Wild Wings (certain locations only)
Cafe Momentum
California Pizza Kitchen
Cane Rosso
Capitol Pub
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group (owns Radisson, Radisson Blu, Country Inns & Suites, Park Inn, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts)
Central Market
Chicken Scratch
Chipotle
Chuck E. Cheese
Chuy's
Cinemark Theaters
CostCo
Dakota's
Dallas Comedy House
Dallas Grilled Cheese Company
Dallas Music Academy
Dallas Zoo
Dish
Dough Pizzeria
The Dubliner
Edward Jones Investments
El Fenix
Fiesta Mart
Filament
Five Point Credit Union
Flying Saucer
The Foundry
Freebirds World Burrito
Front Room Tavern
FT33
Full Circle Tavern
Full City Rooster Coffee Roasting Studio
Fuzzy's Taco Shop
Galleria Mall
Garden Cafe
Goodyear
Half Price Books
Hard Rock Cafe
HG Sply Co.
Hooter's
Howdy Homemade
IKEA
Jack In the Box
Jared the Galleria of Jewelry
Jason's Deli
Jimmy Changa’s-OCB
Jo-Ann
JuiceLand
Kay Jewelers
Kitchen LTO
LARK on the Park
Maple and Motor
Meddlesome Moth
The Mitchell
Movie Trading Company
Mudhen Meats & Greens
Mudsmith
Murray Street Coffee
Nasher Sculpture Center
Nordstrom's
NorthPark Center
On Premise
Panera Bread
Pappa's Restaurants
Pecan Lodge
Perot Museum of Nature & Science
Pink Magnolia
Pints & Quarts
Planet Fitness
Pluckers
Preferred Bank
Qdoba Mexican Grill
Rapscallion
Regal Cinemas
Remedy
Rodeo Goat
Sevys Grill
Sheraton Hotel (Downtown Dallas)
Simon Malls
Slow Bone
Smoke
Sonic Drive-In
Sprouts Farmers Market
Start Restaurant
T.G.I. Friday's
Taco Cabana
TacoDeli
Texadelphia
Texas Theater
TGI Fridays
The Theodore
Torchy's Tacos
Toys R Us (includes Babies R Us)
Union Coffee
US Bank
Veritas Wine Room
Waffle House
Walgreens
Wayward Sons
Wingfield's Breakfast & Burger
Whataburger
Whole Foods
World Gym
Valero
YMCA
Zoli's NY Pizza Tavern
*(Last Updated: 6:07 p.m. on 1/6/16.) Please note that this is not a comprehensive list, just a collection of businesses we know to be opting out of open carry at this point. Also: Businesses mentioned above concern all locations under that name, unless otherwise noted in parentheses. If you're a business owner posting the appropriate signage and would like to see your business added to the list, please send an email to [email protected] with that information and with “OPEN CARRY BAN” in the subject line. Readers are encouraged to share any information they learn on this front as well, ideally by sending along a quick picture of the posted signage.
