system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 What does it mean when a business has “right to refuse service to anyone” signs?

In the US it seems like many retail stores/restaurants have signs posted indicating they have the right to refuse service to anyone.

What exactly does that mean? Can they actually deny business to anyone for any reason, even something trivial, if they so choose?

Is that legal? And if so, how do businesses not get sued for discrimination?
gpt
> Can they actually deny business to anyone for any reason, even something trivial, if they so choose?

Yes, they can. They can decide not to serve you because you came in wearing a blue hat. They can decide not to serve you because it is a Tuesday, or they stubbed their toe a minute before you arrived, or because a cat walked under a mirror.

There are however a few reasons they *can't* refuse service. They cannot refuse service based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This is because those protected classes were specifically established under anti-discrimination laws.

Other reasons are perfectly legal and this is why they don't get sued for discrimination.