Subway has been accused of religious discrimination against Christians after an outlet in Wisconsin refused to serve customers because of the anti-abortion and anti-gay messages on their T-shirts.
Street preacher David Grisham was in town for the Republican National Convention when he and three friends popped into a Waunakee branch of the fast-food franchise to grab a sandwich.
But they were forced to go elsewhere when a young woman behind the counter confirmed she was refusing to serve the group because of the messages on their T-shirts.
The world's largest restaurant operator has now been hit with a deluge of angry comments from Christians after video of the exchange went viral, with some warning the company it risks a Bud Light style boycott.
'I don't care what kind of response Subway comes up with,' wrote one. 'I will never set foot in one of their filthy little stores again.'
The young Subway staffer sparked fury online after refusing to serve the group of Christians
The server at the Wisconsin outlet said she objected to the messages on the T-shirts
Grisham, from Amarillo in Texas, insisted that his group 'did not purposely try to antagonize anyone', with their neon T-shirts bearing slogans including 'abortion is murder', and a paraphrase of Romans I, denouncing gay sex as sin.
'A local pastor was buying us dinner and we had only been inside for less than a minute and hadn't said a word to anyone,' he wrote on Facebook.
'She just saw our shirts and blurted out profanity and said she wouldn't serve us.
'REASONABLE people are reasonable when it comes to differences of opinion and are professional enough to just serve someone without letting their emotions go into elementary schoolyard mode and whine publicly.'
Title II of the 1964 Civil Rights Act bans restaurants from discriminating against customers on the grounds of religion.
But in 2022 the Supreme Court ruled that Denver baker Jack Phillips was within his rights to refuse an order for a wedding cake celebrating the marriage of a same-sex couple.
The American Civil Liberties Union said the baker was advocating for a 'license to discriminate' that could have broad repercussions beyond gay rights.
But, in a landmark case, the court ruled 7-2 that his refusal was protected by Constitutional guarantees to freedom of speech and expression, and the free exercise of religion.
In the video, labelled 'Subway Karen refuses service to Christians in Wanaukee, WI' (sic), the woman behind the counter nods when a voice asks: 'Are you refusing to serve customers?'
Street preacher David Grisham, from Amarillo in Texas , denied he and his group were trying to be provocative with their T-shirts denouncing abortion and gay sex
In 2022 the Supreme Court ruled that Denver baker Jack Phillips was within his rights to refuse an order for a wedding cake celebrating the marriage of a same-sex couple.
'She's refusing to serve us,' the man says to his friend.
'What are you talking about?' the friend demands, 'so we have to go somewhere else?'
'I want her to say it again,' says the man doing the filming.
'I am refusing you service,' the woman confirms as she carries on preparing another customer's sandwich.
Asked why, she says 'That is a personal matter', before her thwarted customer demands 'because of my T-shirt?
'Yes,' she replies.
'OK, sure Subway Corp will love to hear that,' the man says.
Subway franchisee River Subs which operates 48 outlets filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month, and some former customers seem determined that more will now follow suit.
'Subway, I recommend you get ahead of this!' wrote one. 'It's an ugly, ugly look, and Taco Bell is right across the street. Easy switch.'
'Is Subway discriminating people who wear, Hijab or Yamaka or other religious symbols?' demanded another.
'If he was wearing a gay pride shirt and an employee refuse to serve him in some states they would call the police for discrimination,' claimed a third.
'I work at Subway in Dawson Springs,' wrote Laura Gray from Kentucky, 'and anytime you are in the area, you are welcome to come here.'
The world's largest restaurant operator has now been hit with a deluge of angry comments from Christians, with some warning the company risks a Bud Light style boycott
But not all Christians were sympathetic to Grisham and his friends who posed in their T-shirts for a photograph outside the branch immediately afterwards.
'Subway will not take your side, nor will any reasonably minded person,' wrote one.
'I always find it hilarious when people such as yourselves, purposely try to antagonize people for a reaction. You are not a Christian in any way shape or form.'
'I would rather have some radical love exhibited in Christ's name around here in Waunakee than have a traveling road show of provocateurs come stumbling thru,' wrote another.
Dailymail.com has reached out to Subway for comment.
