Four Subway Restaurant locations will no longer offer a discount to customers who presented a bulletin from local churches in Escanaba, Mich. FFRF received information that this 20% discount was offered as an advertisement in the Gladstone Memorial United Methodist Church newsletter.
FFRF Staff Attorney Elizabeth Cavell sent a letter to the owners of the Subway Restaurants, explaining that this was a serious civil rights concern:
“Your restaurant’s restrictive promotional practice favors religious customers, and denies both customers who do not attend church as well as nonbelievers the right to ‘full and equal’ enjoyment of Subway. Any promotions should be available to all customers regardless of religious preference or practice on a non-discriminatory basis. In addition to violating federal law, offering a special discount to individuals attending Christian worship services or other religious services violates state civil rights laws.”
On May 23, FFRF was notified that the church bulletin notice has since been removed.