The owner of the former Chink’s Steak House in Philadelphia says his longtime customers are still mad that he changed the restaurant’s name, reports Philly.com.
The restaurant had that name for 35 years, but changed it last year when the owner decided the times had changed and he didn’t want to offend anyone.
Chink’s was named after its original owner, Sam Sherman, who was nicknamed Chink because of his almond shaped eyes.
Joe Groh had worked at the restaurant since it opened and bought it from Sherman in 1999. Groh kept the restaurant’s original name until last year.
Some have openly expressed their displeasure, some going as far as scrawling the original name with spray paint on the pavement in front of the restaurant and on its windows.
Groh says business dropped ten percent last month and 15 percent in June. It’s a trend that scares him.
He admits he didn’t really want to change the name, but the time was right.
from @leanneriding via Twitter RE: Backlash against owner for dropping "Chink" from restaurant name: I'd recommend supporting this guy's Philly resto – decided to change racist name, faces backlash
from @Shin_ock via Twitter: RE: Backlash against owner for dropping "Chink" from restaurant name. the backlash against the change is abhorrent.