Iowa Restaurant Increases Cover Charge for Trump Voters

An Iowa restaurant is catching heat because of its politically biased policy on cover charges. If you’re a Hillary Clinton voter, it’ll be $5 to get in the door at Stella, located near the University of Iowa campus. But if you voted for President-elect Donald Trump, you’ll have to pony up $10, reports CBS 2 in Iowa City.

Eric Stelter, a would-be patron of Stella, was planning to visit the restaurant on Saturday when he discovered signage warning of the upcharge for Trump voters: "Yes, this is discrimination, but you voted for it," the sign reportedly read. Stelter says he and his wife entered the restaurant, and an employee asked who they supported in last week’s presidential election. The couple decided to leave.

Reached by phone, an employee at Stella declined to comment on the policy. It isn’t clear if the restaurant will continue to hike cover charges for Trump voters.

News of Stella’s anti-Trump stance has quickly spread online. The restaurant’s Facebook page has been taken down, and its Yelp rating has taken a predictable tumble. As of this posting, it’s down to two-and-a-half stars based on 128 reviews, with many of those being one-star reviews published in the last 24 hours. Yelp posted an "active cleanup alert" on the page, noting "this business recently made waves in the news, which often means that people come to this page to post their views on the news."

The election of Trump, who became America’s choice for president despite well-publicized derogatory remarks and alleged actions against women, immigrants, and other minority groups, has many in this country on edge. While some, such as management at Stella, are taking their frustrations out on Trump supporters, others are self-medicating with booze and delivery food. The impending Trump administration has apparently inspired a significant number of American culinary professionals to follow their dreams and seek employment with chef René Redzepi in Denmark.

• Restaurant Charges Higher Cover to Trump Supporters [CBS 2]
• On Election Night, Americans Self-Medicated With Delivery Food and Booze [E]
• Americans Really Want to Work for René Redzepi in Denmark All of a Sudden [E]
• All 2016 Presidential Election Coverage [E]