MANASSAS, Va. (WUSA) -- A restaurant in Virginia is apologizing for refusing to serve police officers who were carrying guns.
The restaurant chain now says the officers, who were in plainclothes, should never have been asked to leave.
This all started last week when eight plainclothes police officers carrying guns were asked to leave the Buffalo Wild Wings in Manassas because of its "no guns" policy.
The officers were wearing badges and there is no question both the server and manager knew they were police officers.
"It mostly just came down to a misunderstanding," Philip Rossi, a regional manager for Buffalo Wild Wings, told WUSA. [RELATED: Buffalo Wild Wings kicks out cops over 'no guns' policy]
After the kerfuffle, the restaurant has put up blue and white balloons in support of police. The restaurant has also has pledged to donate 10 percent of sales to the non-profit Law Enforcement United, which helps the children of fallen officers.
Prince William County Police Officer Jarad Phelps came to the Buffalo Wild Wings to thank them for that and their apology.
"Thought it was a mistake, that's all. It's one of those unfortunate things that happens," he said.
It used to be illegal to carry a gun into an establishment that serves alcohol, but in 2010 lawmakers reversed that. In turn, it is now legal as long as the person carrying the gun doesn't drink alcohol.
However, individual businesses like Buffalo Wild Wings can have their own no guns policy.
Joy Diaz said she favors no guns policies and wishes more restaurants would have it.
"It's not comfortable going into a place and seeing somebody with a gun especially if you don't know that person," Diaz said. "With the area we live in now a lot of crime is happening, so when you see somebody with a gun, you don't know."
However, she is fine if she knows it is a police officer with a gun -- and now so is Buffalo Wild Wings. [Click here to read more from WUSA]
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