Any unlucky patron going to this Texas diner without wearing a mask will be paying a little bit more than what they were hoping.
Legends Diner in Denton, Texas, is charging a $50 fee to anyone who asks about its continued mask requirements despite Texas lifting its statewide mask mandate earlier this month.
In a sign posted on the door of the diner, the management of Legends outlines its new absurd policy: “$50 if I have to explain why masks are mandatory, $75 if I have to hear why you disagree…”
North Texas Legends diner owner Wayne LaCombe sign is funny 🙂 #WearAMask pic.twitter.com/ZCBnlu7hmv
— 🤗🌎#NOT4ME4US🌊💡 (@MattMorgan23) March 21, 2021
Wayne and Kat LaCombe, are the owners of Legends, the couple told the Dallas Morning News that the policy is mostly tongue-in-cheek, but will be enforced if need be. The owner’s fee is designed to remind customers to be mindful of the staff’s health and safety, even though Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ended the statewide mask mandate as of March 10.
“I just can’t afford to get the virus. We’d have to shut our business down,” said Wayne LaCombe, 41.
LaCombe and his wife, Kat, a retired nurse, told the Dallas Morning News that they planned on getting vaccinated, and despite that, they will be enforcing the strict mask-wearing policy for diners, with many of its customers over 60. While the duo hasn’t yet charged any non-compliant customers, LaCombe told the newspaper that they came close to having to charge two guests for not wearing a mask while they were going to pay.
“They came in wearing a mask: they had breakfast. … When they came up to pay, they didn’t have their mask on and I had to explain to them why it was important,” LaCombe said.
Texas ended its statewide mask mandate on March 10, but many businesses in the state decided to keep their own mask mandates going.
