Do I now need to boycott Wagamama

[Needmoresleep]

I like Wagamama. However I spotted this in a DM article about Mermaids today.

"Meanwhile, Wagamama is currently running a similar fundraiser, according to its website which states 25p from every power juice sold will be donated to Mermaids along with 20 per cent of its profits from their bespoke menu."

Why are firms getting into this agree with our politics if you want to buy our services thing. There is no way I want to buy anything that leads to a donation to Mermaids. Wagamama please reconsider.

'Imagine doing this in 2022 as the court cases mount.'

Exactly! FFS, do they not do any due diligence about which charities they support?

They might do due diligence, they might not, looks like not; but they are paying a non binary inclusion and wellbeing partner what £30/£40k a year, if he's advising to do this, how much pushback would that really get?
I'm so disappointed, I used to love the brand and it's values and it was a good place to work for a long time.
I'm not sure how long this 'proud beyond pride' is going on for, seems to be at least two months already which is unusual, is it permanent?
So glad I got out at exactly the right moment.
CEO email: [email protected]
Inclusion: [email protected].

HR, not sure if this is allowed?
[email protected]

Please email them or tweet them to let them know how bad this looks, there is plenty of evidence.
More annoying that there are so many decent charities out there desperate for cash right now.
India Willoughby on twitter today telling wagamama and mermaids to sue someone who's accused them if child abuse.
I would absolutely love to see that come to court.
I'm sure wagamamas lawyers have got more sense than the diversity lead.

No more Wagamama for us either. I'm not emailing them because I'll probably get a 'We don't want your bigoted business anyway, you evil TERF' type response. But I will not spend my money there.

It does seem bizarre @Kentgirl2525
Like there's no other causes or charities to support. And 20% of profits is a LOT!
Why don't they support something local (to individual branches) or food bank or something environmental FFS.
Let's hope they find their profits plummet. Our family are partial to the occasional Wagamama but won't be going again.

Do I now need to boycott Wagamama?

Yes.

And fuck them, how could they have put such little thought into this
Mermaids encourage children onto the path to transition
with balloons and fireworks and hazzahs
and Wagamama are up with that??
Have they thought this through AT ALL?

They were supporting gendered intelligence years ago.
They've done pride well in the past, making restaurants safe spaces for people to meet before parades, that was along side doing a month raising money for mental health charities, this support for mermaids seems to be going on for longer than other campaigns.
Emails to complain above.
Or Twitter.
I'm gutted a brand I really loved and put a lot in to has fallen for this toxic mess for no reason at all.

Tone deaf. No more Wagamama for us.
All the lols at Wagabirthingperson…at least until next pride month when they actually run with that!

I'm glad I read this because I haven't been for a while. I won't be returning either. It's made me think I should look into where my money is going. I will never support mermaids!

FYI they are owned by The Restaurant Group. Assuming Wagamama are captured by the gender ideologists, it’s probably best to direct complaints to the parent company.

Wow the optics on this are awful! Surely supporting child abuse is not a good look? i don’t think any company will be supporting Mermaids in a few years!

Will also be boycotting. (It’s a shame because their food was great IMO.) If - when- they do a screeching u-turn i would consider going back!

I won’t be eating there again. Not supporting Mermaids in any way, shape or form.

Is this prompted in their restaurants? I walk by a couple regularly and they are not flying any flags or mentioning this on their electronic boards outside (since those god awful cartoons of mostly men being ‘pride’).

Promoted not promoted.

Its on their website.

www.wagamama.com/proudbeyondpride

Perhaps they are not advertising the fact that buying a ‘power juice’ earns a 25p donation to Mermaids. Perhaps they realise this will alienate a good part of their target market. Perhaps they are trying to have their cake (udon?) and eat it. Be woke to the Pride audience but not to ordinary people. If so I feel they are misleading customers by not telling them about the donations, and could be breaching some sort of customer protection legislation.

@Chillisquid thanks for the email address.

I've sent the DT link ("Chest binding could be child abuse" say police) to the CEO and asked why they're still supporting Mermaids.

(I'm not holding my breath for a reply.)

My DS didn’t see anything outside, it was something on the table and I think he may have already ordered before he read it

It was outside on the digital board in my local Wagamama in July with cards on the table also.
I only went in to speak to ex work mates, I made a fuss outside about why I couldn't spend money there when the kids wanted to go in, got some funny looks in the queue, I hope those women will be doing some research now.
Please report back any replies.
Shamelessly bumping this thread, I'm invested, and I think people really need to know certain brands selling themselves as family friendly, wholesome and progressive are anything but when it comes to this issue.
I'll never understand why they've touched this toxic mess when there are literally thousands of other genuinely good causes that could benefit from exposure and donations from a well known and established brand.
On a personal level I'm gutted the brand I loved and gave so much to is now so badly tainted.

twitter.com/GoodyActually/status/1577364739277078535?t=Dpy1gp6hLdxOXTwWsQlcxg&s=19

They have not responded to my complaint. Much as I love a prawn firecracker it is going to take more than that.

I saw somewhere that a percentage of one of their cookbooks goes to Mermaids. To what extent are they committed to this and to their current in restaurant promotion. If you buy the book or the smoothie do you risk funding Mermaids. Transparency is needed. Consumer protection. I can’t be the only one who won’t want to go near them until I can be sure than none off my money goes towards a organisation like Mermaids that I strongly disapprove of.

(Children in Need and others might do well to be similarly clear.)

My sister wanted to go. I said no and why. She made the ‘she’s crazy’ sign (she thought) behind my back to her partner and rolled her eyes.

Must speak to her today…

My city has many non-chain restaurants for Pho and the like, so we go there instead.

Noooooooo! We love Wagamamas, but can't support mermaids so won't be back. 😪

Hang on, twitter saying they're no longer supporting?