‘We are here to eat beef!’: Owners, customers of York restaurant undaunted by PETA protest

YORK, Neb. (KLKN) — A sizzling debate heated up in York on Thursday when Chances “R” Restaurant & Lounge found itself in the crosshairs of PETA.

The animal rights group drove its Hell on Wheels truck past the restaurant.

The truck depicts pigs in a cage and blasts squealing noises.

But as PETA pushes back on meat production, Chances “R” fired back in defense of Nebraska’s agricultural roots.

“It’s my restaurant, and we’re going to stick with what we do and what people like,” co-owner Bryan Jantz said.

In Nebraska, where agriculture is the top industry, many see the message as a threat to livelihoods.

One customer exclaimed to Channel 8, “We are here to eat beef!”

Jantz said he isn’t backing down.

“It’s pushback from people that don’t even live around here, and these are not my customers.” he said. “My customers love to eat meat; I love to eat meat. We’re not going to stop serving what’s on our menu just because someone on a coastal state says that we should.”

Before the PETA truck rolled into town, the owners posted to Facebook, saying: “We support our local Pork Producers and want to take a stand with and for them today.”

And that is exactly what the community did.

People packed the parking lot, with more waiting in line.

“It makes me feel very good, it makes me feel like an important part of the community, it makes me feel really proud to be part of this community,” Jantz said. “And quite frankly, if it was happening to another business, we would be supporting them.”

Channel 8 spoke with one woman who followed the PETA truck around town, saying she was chasing it out by playing Taylor Swift.

Jantz had one message to PETA:

Good luck, and he’s thankful for the advertising.