[nagdu] Confronting Discrimination at McDonald's

[Cindy Ray]

Do you think that this woman was really the manager?

Cindy

On Jul 12, 2014, at 2:38 PM, Marion Gwizdala via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Please feel free to disseminate and repost this message as widely as
> appropriate. 
> 
> 
> 
> Dear All,
> 
>                Some of you were unable to access the video, so, thanks to a
> fellow Federationist who posted it to his YouTube channel, here it is to
> view!I have also included a brief narrative from merry that will offer a
> little more background before the link.
> 
> 
> 
> Fraternaly yours,
> 
> 
> 
> Marion Gwizdala, President
> 
> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc.
> 
> National Federation of the Blind
> 
> (813) 626-2789
> 
> (888) 624-3841 (Hotline)
> 
> President at nagdu.org
> 
> http://www.nagdu.org
> 
> 
> 
> High expectations create unlimited potential for the blind!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before everyone views the video I will give a brief description of what
> happened before the video was taken.
> 
> 
> 
> Marion and I walked into our local McDonalds- we have been in this
> restaurant hundreds of times.  I have lived in this area off and on since
> 1988 and have been a permanent resident since 1997.  Marion and I bought our
> house here in 2003. This area is great for pedestrians because it has  some
> stores and restaurants within walking distance - perfect for our lifestyle.
> 
> 
> Continuing on...
> 
> We stood together in the lobby waiting for an available cashier for a few
> minutes.  When we approached the counter a  young man came from the back of
> the restaurant and stated that the manager said no dogs allowed. We shared
> these were service dogs and the cashier stated it as well.  I then asked to
> speak with his manager, he replied that his manager did not speak English.
> 
> I was actually dumbfounded by this.  We ordered our food and got our drinks
> and sat down to eat.
> 
> 
> 
> As we ate we discussed with each other that we needed to educate the manager
> before we left and video this interaction.  We were going to ask for a
> translater.  We video recorded  an introduction before moving towards the
> counter area.  As we began to move toward the counter area the manager
> approached us.
> 
> 
> 
> Now some thoughts before we spoke to her.  Yes our neighborhood has a great
> deal of Hispanic speaking individuals, our local Latin American Grocery
> store has the best and cheapest Cuban sandwiches. Back to topic:  As we
> discussed over our meal although there is a great deal of Hispanic speaking
> individuals in our neighborhood there is a higher percentage of English
> speaking people.  It did not make sense to us that McDonalds would put a
> manager in a restaurant that does not speak English well.  The video will
> show that the manager still claims she speaks little English.  After the
> recording, our cashier was in the lobby taking a break and I asked her if
> the manager spoke English she stated she did.  Unfortunately, as the video
> will demonstrate, the manager took no responsibility for her employees
> actions and basically threw them under the bus.
> 
> 
> 
> We have worked in the past with this McDonalds to do local events and have
> contacted a member of upper management (Director of Marketing) for the
> Corporation.  I am sure we will hear from him on Monday.  He can view the
> video as well.
> 
> 
> 
> I was a restaurant manager in 1984 and if something liked this occurred in
> my store, I would have been proactive! I would have been at my customer's
> table while they were eating, took their receipt, reimbursed them their
> money, gave them tickets for free meals on their next visit,and  I would
> have told them my employees were wrong in their behavior and I would train
> them appropriately.  This manager did none of these things and only appeared
> to have her employees do her dirty work and then be deceitful in the area of
> communicating with us.  Apologies are not well received when they don't
> appear genuine! Now for the video!
> 
> 
> 
> http://youtu.be/kePK2vedOog
> 
> 
> 
> Merry Schoch, Vice President
> 
> Florida Association of Guide dog Users
> 
> 
> 
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