Nobody — not even Anthony Bourdain — cuts the line at Franklin Barbecue, an Austin restaurant famous for its brisket and known for its three-to-five-hour waits. But President Barack Obama isn’t quite nobody.
“I know this is a long line. I feel real bad, but – I’m gonna cut,” Obama said when he stopped at the restaurant after delivering a speech Thursday, according to a pool report from the Austin American-Statesman.
The President apologized to the two patrons at the head of the line whom he displaced and offered to make up for the slight by buying their lunch, according to a White House pool report. He purchased three pounds of beef, two pounds of ribs, a half-pound each of sausage and turkey for Austin resident Bruce Finstad and his daughter, who were eating with two other already seated family members.
“Hold on — how many folks are y’all feedin’?” Obama asked, according to the White House pool report.
For some Austinites, though, the magnanimous gesture didn’t make up for the faux-pas of cutting the line.
Ok traffic is one thing but skipping the line at Franklin BBQ? NO SIR OBAMA WAIT YOUR TURN
— Robbyn Smith (@Robbyn_Smith) July 10, 2014
Obama cut the line at Franklin’s Barbecue. NO ONE cuts the line at Franklin’s Barbecue.
— standingfrog (@standingfrog) July 11, 2014
Even Anthony Bourdain had to wait in line at Franklin BBQ. But Obama gets to cut right to the front? Weak.
— Will Franklin (@WILLisms) July 10, 2014
Me hearing about Franklin BBQ news pic.twitter.com/gXw0Z1SDCl
— Sean Collier (@fadedtimes) July 10, 2014
for the record: I’m still mad Obama cut in line. If anything is sacred, it should be Brisket.
— kelsey mckinney (@mckinneykelsey) July 11, 2014
