Social media users are well-known for sharing their opinions and participating in heated debates that occasionally get out of hand. This is exactly what happened when a KFC franchise owner wanted to perform an act of kindness. Their intention wasn’t to create controversy; they just wanted to do a good deed.
The franchise owner, Doug Knipp, reported that he received positive calls from many different states around the nation. Despite the fact that some people were pleased with the KFC franchise owner’s choice, others were surprisingly upset by it. A sign was put on the door of his KFC restaurant in Gallipolis, Ohio, and as soon as a photograph of the sign was uploaded to the internet, reactions quickly came pouring in.
Most of the time, people fail to give the public sector the recognition that it deserves for the work that it provides for society. Whether it be the police, the municipality, or even the military, their work is seen as just another job and is often taken for granted. The fact that they have put their life in danger in order to guarantee the safety of every other individual is not respected or acknowledged.
However, Doug Knipp decided to change that. With the words “All uniformed police officers eat free every day, all day” written on the sign at the front entrance, the message was obvious. This action was intended to serve as a sign of gratitude toward those who serve in law enforcement. This kind gesture by the owner of this KFC franchise in Gallipolis was intended to demonstrate that the city unquestionably recognized the efforts and commitment of the police force to maintain the safety of the community.
But there were a lot of people who didn’t appreciate the gesture that the franchise owner made, and they thought that other first responders, such as firefighters and paramedics, should also be given “special treatment.” A picture of this sign that Ohio Going Blue posted on its Facebook page sparked a heated discussion. The page administrator of Ohio Going Blue insightfully responded to the discussion.
“This is a positive post, but some of you can’t see the bigger picture,” the Ohio Going Blue admin posted. “As an officer, I do not go into any establishment expecting/wanting ANYTHING to be free or let alone even a discount, whether I’m in uniform or not, and I can tell you other officers feel the same way. We don’t like ‘special treatment’. The fact is that KFC is acknowledging law enforcement, which is why this was posted. To those who stated that other first responders should also be acknowledged. My answer? ABSOLUTELY.”
Despite the varied reactions from the public, Doug Knipp decided to keep the policy in place. “We wanted to do something a little special for them because every day they put their lives on the line for us,” he said. “Law enforcement across the country, from Miami, California, and different agencies, calling us just to thank us for what we’re doing for our local law enforcement,” Knipp said. “We’re hoping this catches on and hopefully goes nationwide.”
“It’s what’s going on in our country today that we all need everybody’s help and we want to step up,” said Doug Knipp, who greeted a group of Ashland Police Officers and Boyd County Sheriff’s Deputies at his Ashland KFC location on Winchester Avenue in Kentucky. “You guys are putting your life on the line for us,” said Knipp. “Any time you’re on duty, it’s just our way of saying thank you.”
Ashland Police Chief Todd Kelley said this is not only a kind gesture towards officers, but it will also help improve relations between the community and police officers. “Our ability to get out and work with the community and them work with us, it’s a two way street,” said Kelley. “We’re very appreciative he’s [Knipp] taken the initiative, the first big step, in partnering with us.”
