Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she was asked to leave a restaurant in Little Rock last week while dining with two companions and her security detail.

The incident occurred on March 13 at The Croissanterie, where Sanders said the owner told her that her presence made employees feel threatened and requested that she and her party leave.

In a statement, Sanders criticized the decision, saying it fell short of Arkansas’s reputation for hospitality. She added that her administration would remain focused on “lifting Arkansans up” rather than engaging in “discrimination and hate.”

The restaurant offered a different account, stating that staff were initially surprised by the governor’s arrival and chose not to interrupt her meal. However, as concerns were raised internally, management decided to ask Sanders to conclude her visit after she had finished eating.

According to the restaurant, an employee first contacted a member of Sanders’ security detail about an hour into the visit. When the message was not immediately seen, staff followed up roughly 30 minutes later, requesting that the governor leave within 10 minutes. Once the message was received, Sanders and her party departed without incident.

The Croissanterie said the situation placed them in a difficult position, balancing concerns from employees and guests with the risk of appearing to deny service based on political differences. The business also noted that, contrary to some reports, there was no disruption inside the restaurant, and many patrons were unaware of the situation.

The episode echoes a similar incident in 2018, when Sanders, then serving as White House press secretary, was asked to leave a Virginia restaurant over political disagreements tied to her role in the Trump administration.

Sanders, who was elected governor in 2022, has faced political headwinds in Pulaski County, where Little Rock is located, receiving significantly less support there compared to her statewide results.