Burger with a side of snide

This is no time to joke around with police.

A Lewisville fast-food manager learned that the hard way Wednesday, losing his job after he says he jokingly told two out-of-town officers, “We don’t serve police.”

Customers in the restaurant say they took it as a deadpan joke, but the officers left and complained.

Joke or not, the manager was fired.

It’s easy to understand the officers’ concern. Less than a year ago, a state trooper in a casual Department of Public Safety polo shirt and slacks said he was asked to leave an all-night restaurant in Grapevine because he was openly carrying his service weapon.

Bad jokes aside, Texas’ new gun laws have left some business employees genuinely confused about who can carry weapons, where and how, and whether to welcome armed law officers.

Certified peace officers must be welcome anywhere, anytime. No joke.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 5:49 PM with the headline "Burger with a side of snide."