Restaurant owner apologizes for booting breast-feeding woman

FARGO, N.D. – The manager of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in North Dakota has apologized for telling a breast-feeding mother to leave.

Macy Hornung said she was kicked out of the restaurant in Fargo on Saturday because she was breast-feeding her baby without a cover, even though she said she was being discreet.

North Dakota law enacted in 2009 allows women to breast-feed in public if they do it “in a discreet and modest manner,” though it doesn’t define what that means.

The restaurant owner “never gave me the chance to explain that my daughter will flail, scream, and rip a cover off,” Hornung told KVLY-TV. “It causes even more frustration and a very angry baby, so it isn’t worth it to me.”

Hornung said she showed no more than had she been wearing a bathing suit.

Hornung told her story to local reporters and also posted a comment on social media that drew thousands of comments and shares from people who support her. Many people also posted negative comments on the restaurant’s Facebook page, though there also were several comments supporting the business.

Restaurant owner Kimberly Flamm issued a statement of apology Sunday.

“I would like to publicly apologize to Macy Hornung for the way I handled the situation on Saturday,” she said. “I ask for your forgiveness on this matter as I learn from it. My goal is to provide a warm and welcoming environment for all my guests.”