Ms. Shih feared for the safety of her little family group and afterwards, wrote to Dunkin Donuts about the incident. I can’t find her post on the Dunkin Donuts Facebook page, so I guess it’s been removed but you can see that there is no suppressing this story. It’s well on its way to going viral with over 19K responses, 12341 shares and 3.9K comments already. Plus, the story has been picked up by the social stratosphere and news outlets in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Asian-American press. Here’s an interview incorporating bits of Ms. Shih’s video.
My guess is that the South Asian employee resented this woman for enjoying an economic status sufficient to have a nanny, and so made it his personal mission to humiliate her that day for the transgression of being an Asian wealthier than himself. Some commenters say the fellow’s been fired, and I hope this is true. No customer should ever be treated like Ms. Shih was and the fact that it happened to a mom with a baby in tow makes the incident even worse.
Even if the store is owned by an independent franchise operator, a corporation can still sanction a licensee for violating the customer service standards of the franchise agreement. In fact, the corporation could possibly go so far as to revoke the franchise license. What ever actions Dunkin Donuts undertakes, it should certainly take meaningful steps to ensure that this never happens to another customer, ever again.
And by the way, cockroaches have been abundantly reported spotted at this location. Ewe! What’s up with that?
Here’s Ms. Shih’s story:
Hi, I went to this Dunkin Donuts located at 100-05 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills, NY 11375 with my nanny & my one year old son today 5/30/2016 at 3:38pm. Besides juice & hot chocolate, we order Glazed chocolate donut. Staff Yaibur R. told me that I have to say the whole name of the donut. I point it to him & tell him that I want the “glazed chocolate donut” with a accent. He is like “What? What are you saying?” I point it again & say “that chocolate donut.” He does not even want to look & help me. He just look at me & say “you have to say the whole name of the donut.” I say why should I say the whole name. You already know what I want. You just want to make fun of me. He said you just have to say it in order to order it. I said I want to talk to your manager. He said you don’t have to see the manager. Manager is not here. You think he will be here all the time. He has home. Today is holiday. He has to go home. I say what is your name? He point his name tag & say “Here is my name. Do you know how to say it?” I insist to see the manager. Of course that staff ignore me. And then, this customer start to scream at me. When I start to use my phone to record, that Dunkin staff finally stop making fun of me. But this customer start to approach me & scream at me saying that he is going to take my phone away & throw it outside of window. I say don’t touch me. I am calling the police. The customer even say that I must be illegal. How humiliated. The staff is just standing there laughing. Doing nothing. I called the police. This guy keep making fun of me before he run away. He even call the police & tell them that i am just a Chinese lady who doesn’t like the Dunkin personnal’s attitude. Language violence? Discrimination? Bully the women with a children? Is this represent Dunkin Donus? This behavior of discrimination & arrogant is unacceptable.
Update: AsAmNews NY Correspondent Shirley N Lew verified that the offensive staff member has been fired … Dunkin Donuts sent Ms. Shih a $100 gift card … and that Yelp has blocked access to the shop’s Yelp page.
