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A New Jersey man says he was denied service and insulted by a barista at a New York City coffee shop after walking in wearing a MAGA hat on the morning of Sept. 11.
Anthony Pullis, 31, stopped at New York City coffee chain Café Grumpy in the Financial District on his way to the 9/11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero. He wore a red "Make America Great Again" hat, along with a photo of his late father, Edward Pullis, pinned to his shirt pocket.
His father worked in the South Tower of the World Trade Center and was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. His family has attended the annual ceremony in lower Manhattan every year since, the Asbury Park Press first reported.
Anthony Pullis told Fox News Digital that when he entered the café, the barista looked at him and said, "No service."
New Jersey man Anthony Pullis, here with his mother, said he was initially refused service when he walked into a New York City café on 9/11 and believes it was because he was wearing a red MAGA hat. (iStock/Anthony Pullis / iStock)
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At first, he thought the store might not yet be open. But after checking the posted hours and watching other customers leave with drinks, he believed the refusal was tied to his hat.
"We were like, all right, this is ridiculous," Pullis said.
His friend, Michael Antonucci, who was with him, urged him to go elsewhere, saying the business didn’t deserve their money. But Pullis felt compelled to stand his ground, especially following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk the previous day.
"I felt a fire inside of me," he said, feeling like backing down would be the opposite of what Kirk would do.
Charlie Kirk appears at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. He was assassinated shortly afterward. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Pullis told Fox News Digital he does not ordinarily wear the political hat on 9/11, out of respect for the victims. But he decided to wear it that morning to show support for Kirk.
"I thought it would be appropriate, and I could honor him in that way," Pullis said.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah the day before. He was 31 and left behind his wife Erika and two small children.
Pullis returned to the café with family friend Tommy Smith, a retired Long Island firefighter whose father, a New York City firefighter, died at Ground Zero on 9/11. Smith, dressed in full firefighter uniform, demanded the two be served.
The barista complied but refused to answer Pullis when he asked why she had denied him earlier.
A New Jersey man said he was initially denied service after wearing a MAGA hat into a NYC coffee shop chain. The owner later apologized. (iStock / iStock)
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"I genuinely wanted to know why," Pullis said, adding that there was no one else in the store, and he addressed the employee calmly.
Pullis said he left a $20 bill for the $14 order and told her to keep the change. But he said the barista pushed it back and told him, "You’re disgusting," as he left.
Pullis and family members later left Google reviews describing the incident.
Café Grumpy co-founder Caroline Bell told the Asbury Park Press she was "horrified" when she learned what happened. She said the company took disciplinary action against the employee and reminded staff that refusing service based on appearance or personal beliefs violates policy.
"You may not always agree with or feel comfortable about a customer’s appearance, clothing, tattoos, hairstyle or personal beliefs," the staff memo stated, according to the report. "Those factors are not grounds for refusing service."
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Pullis said Bell handled the situation "appropriately and professionally" and assured him the matter was being addressed. But he was disheartened by the behavior, particularly on the somber day.
"This should have never happened," he told Fox News Digital. "But out of all the days, 9/11 should be the last day… I had a picture of my dad pinned to my shirt. We were literally blocks from the World Trade Center site."
Café Grumpy did not immediately return a request for comment.
The incident comes after a TikTok video went viral claiming a Starbucks barista refused to write Charlie Kirk’s name on a cup. Fans of Kirk have been ordering his favorite drink at the chain in tribute since he was killed on Sept. 10.
