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View full sizeA vice president from the parent company of Olive Garden restaurants is to visit Oxford, Alabama, to personally apologize for the store not having allowed an American flag in its Oxford restaurant. A typical Olive Garden restaurant is shown. (Photo courtesy Olive Garden)
OXFORD, Alabama — A Kiwanis Club member who says the group wasn't allowed to bring an American flag into an Olive Garden restaurant expects to get a personal apology from a top executive with the company.
Marti Warren tells WBRC-TV that the company vice president contacted her Wednesday and will be coming to the east Alabama town of Oxford to personally apologize to members of the Golden K Kiwanis Club.
Officials with Olive Garden parent firm Darden restaurants of Orlando said in a statement that they're sorry if the decision regarding the flag caused any concern.
Controversy arose after 80-year-old Warren said she wasn't allowed to bring an American flag into an Oxford Olive Garden for a planned Kiwanis Club banquet.
Darden said the company respects the flag and everything it symbolizes.
The company had said in a statement that the Oxford Olive Garden lacks a private dining area, and is unable to accommodate flags or banners of any type to avoid disrupting the experience of other guests.
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