{"id":1022,"date":"2017-03-21T09:30:11","date_gmt":"2017-03-21T09:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com\/blog\/?p=1022"},"modified":"2026-02-27T03:02:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T08:02:52","slug":"right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone\/","title":{"rendered":"What does &#8220;We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone&#8221; really mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In restaurants and near cash registers, we&#8217;ve all seen signs that state: &#8220;We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.&#8221; But who can business owners really\u00a0refuse service to? It&#8217;s certainly not just anyone.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a breakdown of what is and isn&#8217;t covered by this familiar phrase.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1024\" style=\"width: 346px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Right-Refuse-Services-Sign-S-7385.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1024\" class=\"wp-image-1024 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Right-Refuse-Services-Sign-S-7385.gif\" alt=\"right to refuse service\" width=\"336\" height=\"244\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1024\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sign available at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com\/retail-signs\/right-refuse-services-sign\/sku-s-7385\">MyDoorSign.<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h3>Can business owners really refuse service to anyone?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under federal anti-discrimination laws, businesses can refuse service to any person for any reason, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unless <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the business is discriminating against a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">protected class<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the national level, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">protected classes <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Race or color<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National origin or citizenship status<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Religion or creed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sex<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Age<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Disability, pregnancy, or genetic information<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Veteran status<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some states, like California, have more <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">protected classes <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">than the federal baseline. \u00a0In addition to the above factors, California adds:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marital status<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sexual orientation or gender identity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical condition, or AIDS\/HIV status<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Military or veteran status<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Political affiliations or activities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Status as a victim of domestic violence, assault, or stalking<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact \u00a0your state attorney general or consult a lawyer for details on how your state handles its particular antidiscrimination law. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>So who <i>can<\/i> businesses refuse service to?<\/h3>\n<p>These signs also don&#8217;t allow business owners to refuse service based on arbitrary reasons outside of the protected classes\u00a0(though pointing out signs to cries of &#8220;No fair!&#8221; might avoid any further action on the part of spurned patrons).\u00a0Instead, reasons must be legitimate enough to hold up in court. In general, refusal of service is justified in cases where a customer&#8217;s presence interferes with the safety and well-being of other patrons and the establishment itself. The most basic examples of this include patrons who are unreasonably rowdy, patrons lacking adequate hygiene, and those accompanied by large groups of non-customers.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1030\" style=\"width: 253px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/no-shirt-no-shoes-no-service.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1030\" class=\" wp-image-1030 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/no-shirt-no-shoes-no-service.jpg\" alt=\"right to refuse service\" width=\"243\" height=\"183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/no-shirt-no-shoes-no-service.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/no-shirt-no-shoes-no-service-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/no-shirt-no-shoes-no-service-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 243px) 100vw, 243px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Whether it&#8217;s coming from the Fonz or anyone else, these signs are fair. From <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/juggernautco\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Daniel X. O&#8217;Neil<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Or consider this <a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/ca-court-of-appeal\/1464906.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more nuanced example<\/a>: In 2001, a California court ruled that a motorcycle club had no discrimination claim against a sports bar that denied members entry because they were wearing their club colors. The sports bar wasn&#8217;t denying the club members entry because they didn&#8217;t like their logo, but because management thought\u00a0that allowing the colors to be worn could lead to fights with rival clubs inside the bar. Though no such fight had ever occurred, preventing hypothetical violence is considered a legitimate business interest.<\/p>\n<h3>And what about those &#8220;No shirt, no shoes, no service&#8221; signs?<\/h3>\n<p>If a business owner determines that lack of shoes or shirt poses a danger to the patron or other customers, or if it&#8217;s merely enough to make others uncomfortable, this sign is both legal and completely justified.<\/p>\n<p>When such signs go beyond these more traditional clothing requirements or are geared toward a specific group, they&#8217;re bound to be controversial. In Brooklyn, Ultra-Orthodox Jewish\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/jewish\/2013-02-15\/ty-article\/.premium\/nyc-sues-ultra-orthodox-for-posting-modesty-guidelines-in-stores\/0000017f-f6b7-d460-afff-fff7f7410000\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">businesses came under fire<\/a> for posting modesty signs stating,\u00a0\u201cNo shorts, no barefoot, no sleeveless, no low cut neckline allowed in this store.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\" align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com\/retail-signs\/no-shirt-shoes-service-sign\/sku-s-7453\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" src=\"https:\/\/images.mydoorsign.com\/img\/md\/S\/no-shirt-shoes-service-sign-s-7453.png\" alt=\"No Shoes No Shirt No Service\" width=\"145\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com\/fos\/no-thongs-sandals-or-open-toed-footwear-sign\/sku-s-9391\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/images.mydoorsign.com\/img\/md\/S\/no-thongs-sandals-footwear-sign-s-9391.png\" alt=\"No Open Toed Footwear\" width=\"145\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>The city sued the group of stores located along a two-block stretch of a Satmar Hasidic section of Williamsburg saying, &#8220;It seems pretty clear that it\u2019s geared toward women dressing modestly if they choose to come into the store, and that would be discrimination.\u201d\u00a0Hasidic advocates said that the signs were no different than dress codes at places like the Four Seasons. But allowing grocery and hardware stores to set the same standards as upscale restaurants and private clubs isn&#8217;t entirely logical, whether or not it&#8217;s legal.<\/p>\n<h3>Door policies at nightclubs seem pretty discriminatory. How do they get away with it?<\/h3>\n<p>While it can be unlawful to refuse service, it is not unlawful for most businesses to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalzoom.com\/articles\/categories\/business-management\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">provide discounts<\/a>\u00a0based on certain characteristics in order to attract the desired clientele. This is why a club that overtly denied admittance to anyone but Koreans was\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gothamist.com\/news\/midtown-club-fined-20k-for-discriminating-against-non-koreans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fined $20,000<\/a>\u00a0this year, but anti-feminist attorney Roy Den Hollander, who has been crusading against &#8220;Ladies&#8217; Nights,&#8221; has been\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/2013\/08\/01\/mens-rights-activist-loses-court-case-that-called-nightclubs-350-vodka-a-human-rights-violation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">shot down<\/a>\u00a0since he started bringing suits to court in 2010.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1025\" style=\"width: 413px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/club-line.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1025\" class=\"wp-image-1025 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/club-line.jpg\" alt=\"right to refuse service\" width=\"403\" height=\"302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/club-line.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/club-line-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/club-line-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 403px) 100vw, 403px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1025\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many club-goers may be familiar with long waits and seemingly discriminatory door policies. From sax m.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Unfortunately, while it&#8217;s no mystery that clubs discriminate based on both gender and physical appearance, changes in this policy are unlikely to come about anytime soon. By enacting strict door policies, nightclubs aim to create\u00a0an environment that best fits\u00a0its image and, it follows, best for business. <a href=\"https:\/\/boston.edgemedianetwork.com\/story\/49720\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gay bars<\/a>, for example, can argue that too many straight people of the opposite sex will make patrons uncomfortable and hurt business, while the clubs that Hollander sued might claim that they give discounts to women to draw the men that bring in the most profits. Plus, doormen and bouncers can cite a number of reasons to deny access\u2014from an imaginary guest list to the wrong shoes\u2014making it difficult to prove legitimate discrimination.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-products\">\n<h3>Like this topic? Check out our related products:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div class=\"wraptocenter\"><a href=\"\/Door-Signs\/No-Shirt-No-Shoes-No-Service-Signs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com\/img\/md\/S\/no-shirt-shoes-service-sign-s-7453.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service Signs<\/li>\n<li>\n<div class=\"wraptocenter\"><a href=\"\/right-to-refuse-service-signs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mysecuritysign.com\/img\/md\/K\/right-to-refuse-entry-pool-safety-sign-k2-4622.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>Right to Refuse Service Signs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In restaurants and near cash registers, we&#8217;ve all seen signs that state: &#8220;We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.&#8221; But who can business owners really\u00a0refuse service to? It&#8217;s certainly not just anyone. Here&#8217;s a breakdown of what is and isn&#8217;t covered by this familiar phrase. Can business owners really refuse service to anyone? [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[219],"class_list":["post-1022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-office-courtesy","tag-remzem"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What does &quot;We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone&quot; really mean? - Mydoorsign.com Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Signs that state &quot;We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone&quot; are everywhere, but who does &quot;anyone&quot; really refer to?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What does &quot;We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone&quot; really mean? - Mydoorsign.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Signs that state &quot;We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone&quot; are everywhere, but who does &quot;anyone&quot; really refer to?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mydoorsign.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/doorsigns\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-03-21T09:30:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-27T08:02:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Right-Refuse-Services-Sign-S-7385.gif\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"290\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/gif\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Monica Burton\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@mydoorsigns\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@mydoorsigns\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\\\/right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\\\/right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Monica Burton\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0ff10dcf99e535d9f0ace8c6d1e3c518\"},\"headline\":\"What does &#8220;We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone&#8221; really mean?\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-03-21T09:30:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-27T08:02:52+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\\\/right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":855,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\\\/right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2013\\\/09\\\/Right-Refuse-Services-Sign-S-7385.gif\",\"keywords\":[\"remzem\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Office courtesy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\\\/right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\\\/right-to-refuse-service-to-anyone\\\/\",\"name\":\"What does \\\"We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone\\\" really mean? 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