A restaurant in suburban Wheaton is facing backlash for their public support of President-elect Donald Trump following the 2024 election. NBC Chicago’s Vi Nguyen reports.
A small business in suburban Wheaton is facing controversy after showing their support for President-elect Donald Trump in wake of the 2024 election.
Moveable Feast, a Latino-owned family business, put up a banner in front of the restaurant that reads "Jesus is my savior" and "Trump is my president."
“I grew up in Wheaton my whole life, so it was a little shocking to be honest because you know you can have different opinions, that’s fine, that’s what America is founded on and you’re allowed to have our own opinions,” Matthew Marquez, the restaurant's owner, said.
Marquez said he opened the business' doors six years ago, building their restaurant on their faith.
On Friday afternoon, the eatery was bustling with customers expressing their support and right to free speech.
“I feel like we are who we are unapologetically, and we didn’t intend to offend anyone,” he said. “I thought maybe it would be a few people, who would walk by kinda look at the sign and frown at it or give it a thumbs up and then move on, but it came way more than that really quicky.”
Two weeks before the election, the owner put up a “Make America Healthy Again” poster, and since adding the banner, the owner said they’ve received more than 500 hateful messages and comments from customers by phone and across social media.
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“A lot of people are saying: four letter words you lost my business, thank you for posting this, I appreciate what racist would announce themselves,” he shared. “I won’t be spending money in your establishment—I’ll let everyone know now to give money to support a convicted felon.”
Marquez said longtime customers cut ties with them and cancelled catering orders.
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“I’ve spoken to many of these people over the past six years and they never have called me a racist, a woman-hating pig, but when I put that sign up all of a sudden, that’s what people said,” he said. “I think people know our true hearts and that’s why they’re supporting us.”
The owner said business is up almost 50% since putting up the banner. Customers from different suburbs have been showing their support after hearing about the hate messages.
“A lot of times people feel they have to be silent,” Jasmine Dolce, a first-time customer said. “They can’t support who they want to support, and they went out there and they put themselves out there and I’m really glad they did.”
“That’s a big swing with a business to kind of take a side,” Bianca Stone, another first-time customer said. “But I realize that they’re also part of the silent majority.”
The owner is overwhelmed and thankful for the support from customers from both sides of the aisles and said he doesn’t regret his decision.
“Everyone can agree to disagree, that’s a phrase that seems like it’s gone out of the window,” he said. “But whether you agree politically or even religiously with what I said, everyone’s entitled to their opinions and that’s what we think and we’re proud to say it.”
