Now this isn’t any way to win customer loyalty - a Wheeling Illinois TGI Friday’s restaurant asked a disabled customer and her companion guide dog to leave the restaurant a few days ago because they claimed guide dogs weren’t allowed, and didn’t have to be, no matter what the federal law stated.
17-Year old Laura Greenberg, disabled a decade ago from a brain injury, can no longer walk or talk. She depends on her trained Golden Retriever guide dog to help her out in many situations - and under the Americans with Disabilities Act, it’s perfectly legal for her to bring the dog into any restaurant. Laura’s mother even showed restaurant employees the Public Access Card, which explains the ADA guidelines.
Greenburg and her party were told that since there was already someone available to help her (her mom), the dog wouldn’t be allowed inside.
Greenberg’s mother told a local paper that her family has never had an issue before with bringing the dog into any other restaurant or shop.
The restaurant did issue a statement apologizing for the incident:
“We are very sorry for the terrible mistake our restaurant made. We absolutely should have accommodated our guest and her companion dog. We have contacted the guest to offer our sincerest apologies and we have re-educated restaurant management on proper procedures to ensure a similar situation does not occur.”
As for the employee who turned them away, Greenberg’s family says they don’t want that particular employee fired, but would like them better educated on ADA guidelines.
Many other patrons in the restaurant overheard Greenberg’s party being turned away, and also left the restaurant in protest.
Don’t like what you’ve just read? Let TGI Fridays know: TGI Fridays Guest Contact Form
Update - 12/11/07 - Welcome Digg visitors! Several recent comments have asked for links to news stories about this issue. Here you go:
- Dogs that are a help, not a hindrance
- Wheeling restaurant apologizes after refusing service to disabled teen
85 comments ↓
This is absolutely absurd. The fact that an entire restaurant of employees couldn’t figure this one out says a lot about the intelligence level of that staff.
I just cannot believe this.
How dumb does someone have to be before they figure out that guide dogs are *ALWAYS* allowed.
I think the family was WONDERFUL about it not asking for them to be fired but just reeducated - that wins huge points.
http://www.mad.co.uk
The web’s most interesting stories on Tue 11th Dec 2007…
These are the web’s most talked about URLs on Tue 11th Dec 2007. The current winner is…
It’s a TGI Friay’s for Pete’s sake. What type of management material were you looking for? Granted it’s not a Burger King and I’m sure the staff are *slightly* more educated than the standard lot, but this is a restaurant where the most expensive thing on the menu is $17.99 and includes the words “Jack Daniels” in the name. I don’t condone their actions, but I’m not the least bit surprised. Props to the family for not getting irate and sue happy, but rather wanting the management to be re-educated in the federal guidelines.
Also, I find it funny that Google ad-sense on the right side of my screen has picked up on this article and is offering me a “Chance to win my free $50 TGI Friday’s Gift Card!”. I can’t wait, maybe I’ll bring my dog.
I’ve just left a comment on their corporate feedback page, I suggest others do the same. The more negative feedback these morons get, the better. How can anyone not know about the ADA Act?? No, this sounds like willfull corporate misconduct to me.
I don’t like what I read, but you provide no proof that this actually happened. Do you have a link to a news article on an actual news site? Telling people some horrible, polarizing story without any proof that it actually happened and then giving them a link to go off and complain about it is a recipe for trouble. And it’s just plain irresponsible.
They should have been given free meals for life. What a horrible thing to do.
WTF!?!?
I’d fire that employee so fast their head would spin like a top. They have no business being in the SERVICE industry!!
That or maybe they just don’t like dogs? Guide dog or not I’m horribly allergic and there’s plenty of other people who don’t want a dog in on their meal. Why exactly did she need the dog if she was on a trip with family?
I dont know about others, but I have severe allergies to dogs and cats. What if they sit this disabled person with their companion dog next to a person like me… who’s rights win out?
Fridays was clearly in the wrong, apologized, and redressed staff. I don’t see what more there is to achieve by posting their contact info along with that challenge to your readers. Other than to harass someone who handles their web correspondence that’s far removed from the incident.
This article has had a direct influence on where I’ll now be organizing a party in 2 weeks. Poor girl.
TGI Fridays is an extremely crooked company. I worked there for 4 years. Was there #1 go to guy. Then got fired for a matter of opinion. They deserve all of the bad media and reputation they get.
or the intelligence level of america
Why don’t we all freak out over this and let Friday’s know about something they’ve already owned up to?!?!?!?
Welcome to Illinois… you should see how they drive.
That “Let TGI Fridays know” link is just unnecessary. Why goad people into spamming them? It was a mistake and TGI already apologized for it and re-trained that restaurant’s staff. What good would further spamming them do?
I admire the fact they do not want that person fired, I would want that employee busted down to cleaning the washrooms and floors and be stuck at minimum wage. Just wait till karma comes around.
Bastards! that’s what they are. “re-educated”? Do they not have a code of conduct or employee handbook?
I hate that place even more now.
“Don’t like what you’ve just read?”
Yeah, I don’t like that they apologized. WTF??
They made amends and you want to keep stirring the shit over it?
Why have this…
Don’t like what you’ve just read? Let TGI Fridays know: TGI Fridays Guest Contact Form
Read the article…
The restaurant did issue a statement apologizing for the incident:
“We are very sorry for the terrible mistake our restaurant made. We absolutely should have accommodated our guest and her companion dog. We have contacted the guest to offer our sincerest apologies and we have re-educated restaurant management on proper procedures to ensure a similar situation does not occur.”
Also, email the Atlanta Falcons and tell them that you don’t like dog fighting… even though Michael Vick was already convicted. Also, email OJ.
“Many other patrons in the restaurant overheard Greenberg’s party being turned away, and also left the restaurant in protest.”
That makes me kinda proud to be an American there. It’s great they stood up (and walked out) for this girl’s rights.
I hope this teaches them a big lesson in ADA and public relations.
What’s the end goal here? The restaurant apologized and did what the family asked. Completely unacceptable on the part of the staff but it sounds like steps are being taken.
Intelligence? cmon, its a TGI fridays, show me a place like that with employees that actually care about their work and I’ll shit my pants. Its nothing more than McDonalds with a bar.
What do you expect? The work at TGI Fridays? At least she has a level head (the mother) and realizes that they’re kids and therefore ignorant rather than malicious. But, c’mon!
“entire restaurant of employees couldn’t figure this one out says a lot about the intelligence level of that staff.” -I concur
–reminds me of a certain group of people on a certain planet… what were they called? Oh yeah! Humans! Funny, though, how the automatic reaction for some people reading the article is to blame the one person that turned the customer away instead of the entire staff.
Similar to how so many people attack just the US president instead of the Congress (and the ppl that voted the congressmen into office). In the end, humanity is responsible for humanity.
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Dude, it’s Friday’s! might has well been McDonald’s.
They are more worried about the amount of flair they are wearing than actually providing any service other than some major booty kissing for a few $$$ on a tip.
Tough deal. It’s bad enough to be
disabled, why do some idiots need to make things harder. Honestly, I would not care. If she is not bothering anyone, what is the problem? Let her, her dog and whoever you want in. If the inspector comes in, let him be the bad guy.
It’s a good thing I was not there at the time. The utter disregard for the law, human compassion and understanding not shown this individual is unforgivable.
Myself or my family will never enter a TGI Friday’s agan…..
I know some would say thats harsh and the act of one individual or location does not constitute the behavior of all, but in my book this is just not forgivable.
Bob
They should be made to formally apologize to the dog.
Hope many people remember this and learn from it
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If the mother was with her, then having the dog there was unnecessary.
For the person that wanted a link to a regular news article… who also could have looked it up themselves…
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=89515&src=1
presume they get flamed to their knees and bleed (not possible of course)
but the message sent may keep another greedy near sited company from doping the same.
to those with alergies, anyone with a disability to the level a companion animal is needed surely is far more needing of said animal than your simple comfort.
to try to compare the two is selfish and very telling.
Fact that we live in the United States and are governed by a body which believes that all people are created equal gives this girl the right to bring her dog into the resturant. Doesn’t matter if she was with her family or not. That dog is there to help guide her; plain and simple. The other point and fact that the person put a link to TGI Friday’s Customer opinion page doesn’t matter. TGI F’s website has that opinion page up for a reason… To let them know what you think.
This makes me very hungry.
I think I’m craving some Friday’s.
[…] 15th Century: 17-year-old, her mom and her guide dog kicked out of an Illinois TGI Friday’s. [awful marketing] + In case you missed it: CL layoff discussions here, here and here. 08, bucs, CL, […]
As the manager of a restaurant, I’m sure the rest of you would have IMMEDIATELY packed as many dogs as possible into your fine dining establishment as possible.
I’m not terribly familiar with ADA guidelines, and those aren’t something you go over every day as manager of a restaurant either. Common sense would tell me that you do not allow dogs into a restaurant. If possible, I would have tried to make alternative accomodations for the customer that didn’t involve inviting the dog, and her family would seem to be more than sufficient for that cause.
Well i dont like to eat my meal with dogs around and know many people allergic that would have to leave. Why do her rights supercede mine? She had a family member with her. What can the dog do better in a dinner function that her mother could not?
steven you are a moron,It`s not that anybody wins out you work with each other and the restaurant to move to another table.It shouldn`t even be an issue.people with you`re attitude screw up the world.
And what exactly were they supposed to do with the dog, which is the girl’s lifeline in many situations? Park it outside to get abused, stolen, who knows what? Common sense and decency, not to speak of RUDIMENTARY intelligence, lol, would tell ‘Serinus’ that one does not blatantly and illegally discriminate, breaking the law flagrantly and inviting all sorts of civil action, WITH witnesses; any sense of self-preservation would tell her/him that this action was not only egregious but dangerous for business, to say the least. I’m sure that ‘Serinus’ has never had ANY sanitation violations in her/his ‘fine dining establishment’ before… and I have a bridge in NYC to sell you.
Geez.
To those of you saying that her mother was there, so why did she need the dog: this dog is her constant companion; it would be horribly distressing to not have him with her. And it’s the LAW. What if she’d been epileptic and her dog was there to sense when she would have a seizure? Would you still say her mother was sufficient? And it’s the LAW.
Companion dogs are highly trained and it is likely you could have eaten at the next table without being aware of the dog’s presence. This in not a drooling mutt who would be begging for snacks and shedding into your cheddar soup. Sounds like some of you also need “re-education” in re: companion animals. I hope you never have need of one.
wow what were they thinking! in illinois there is not only the federal ADA but also the IAC illinois accessability code that makes TGIs actions very stupid, in fact illegal. She has a suit if she gets a lawyer.
The Guide dog is there for her, the daughter. The dog is like apart of her body now. One in the same. saying, why cant she leave the dog out due to having family is like someone saying to a man/woman in a wheelchair that they can be caried in because they have someone there as well.
In regards to whos rights should come first, personally, I think the handicaped person should, … reason? They are less able to do simple things the way we can and fight enough challenges in one day, having said that I think it may not be fair, but it’s the right thing to do.
As far as TGI Fridays, they owned up to their mistake, and thats as good as your going to get. End of story there IMO.
-Peace & Love
TGI Fridays is a privately owned franchise which has every right to decline service to anyone they choose based on whatever irrational reasons they choose. What YOU can do is simply not give them your business, easy as that.
I’d say if you have an allergy to dogs and they try to seat her near you when you’re already seated, you politely explain to the host or hostess that you are allergic to dogs and could the guest be seated elsewhere.
If you’re being seated near her, politely ask the host or hostess that you be seated elsewhere, due to your allergy.
It’s not really that hard, people. Most restaurants are big enough to accommodate everybody, and every Friday’s I’ve ever been in has. Why should your rights supercede hers?
I’ve known a few people with service animals, and you have no idea how important these dogs are to them. They give the person a sense of independence and security, and a knowledge that they are self-sufficient. It would be like asking you to take off your glasses when you get to the restaurant. Your mom could just as easily guide you to the table and read the menu for you, but you’d probably have a miserable time.
Serinus, obviously your training is piss poor then. Ever been to a McDonald’s, notice their big sign that says “Guide Dogs Allowed.”
That’s because it’s a federal mandate.
Turn a guide dog away and you can be sued so fast for discrimination it’s a joke. Another reason most service industry staffers become familiar with the ADA damn fast.
You are the type of person who when my wife pulls out a needle to take a shot of insulin would tell her she can’t.
Run your “restaurant” like that and it’s only a matter of time until you lose your job.
TGI Friday’s is lucky this hasn’t happened to them.
Guide dogs are needed. They let people with massive disabilities have some semblance of a functional life.
allergic to dogs is a lame excuse for you to leave, move to a different area in the place if you are.
…f—ing hicks. This person has the right to bring her dog wherever the fuck she wants to.
Allergic to dogs? You would probably never notice the dog there, as service dogs are trained to sit very still and quietly (and therefore they don’t spread as much dander around as a typical “wiggly” pet dog).
To the people that say that since another person was there, she shouldn’t have brought the dog: I’ll forgive you your ignorance. A service dog is not a fair-weather accessory. It is an extension of that person, and in order for the person and their dog to maintain their special relationship, the dog *must* go everywhere with them. PERIOD.
The fault is with everyone involved, for grumbling under their breath and posting on boards, instead of communicating and being tolerant. The restaurant should announce that there is a guide dog on premises so that anyone with an objection can speak up, and I don’t see it as unreasonable for the person with the dog to have to wait for the dog-allergic person to finish their meal.
So stop living in your own little bubble and make friends! Talk to each other! Talk to the restaurant staff, and the person with the dog! Learn about other people and how they do things… It will make you a lot more tolerant.
Sorry Serinus, you dont have that option when dealing with a SERVICE animal. If the disabled wants to bring in their service animal that is their RIGHT.
For those talking about allergies to animals, sorry we are talking about a SERVICE dog here and the rights of the disabled will supersede those of abled persons. Also why SHOULD this disabled girl give up her independence and return to a state of being dependent on others for her needs when (with her service dog) she is perfectly able to do thing for her self? Those of us (me included) who are able bodied have very little clue what it’s like to be totally dependent on others and to tell this girl after she has regained some of her independence that if she wants to eat she has to return to that dependent state is TOTALLY wrong.
These are NOT PETS people, they have a MUCH higher level of grooming requirements then any pet has. For 6 years my sister raised and trained future guide dogs and so I remember a lot of the rules. They have to be clearly identified as service dogs so your family pet is not going to “sneak in” as one either.
ABSURD!!!!!
Steven says, “I dont know about others, but I have severe allergies to dogs and cats. What if they sit this disabled person with their companion dog next to a person like me… who’s rights win out?”
The person with the horrible brain injury wins out, Steven, you self-centered little prick. Boohoo, you have allergies, me me me me me. The fact that someone has to live their life with the help of an animal *should* provoke at least a little sympathy, BUT OH NO, you have allergies so screw that bastard brain injury victim and her nasty little dog, right? I hope a dog bites you, today.
Ignorance is NOT an excuse.
I emailed TGIFridays and expressed my disgust with the mistreatment of a handicapped customer. I got the following email back just a few hours later:
————-
Crafton, Gina (gcrafton@crww.com)
Sent: Tue 12/11/07 4:51 PM
Mr. Hildebrand,
Thank you for taking the time to send me an email regarding this incident. I couldn’t agree with you more that this situation was appalling and I want to assure you that it’s something Friday’s takes very seriously. The way the family was treated by this manager is absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated by this organization. I want to assure you that we immediately made a change in management in that restaurant, and we are conducting a systemwide re-training program.
I also want to share with you a letter that Mike Archer, President and COO sent to a guest Tuesday of last week…I’ve included it in the email below.
Once again, I really do appreciate you taking the time to share your comments with me.
Regards,
Gina Crafton
T.G.I. Friday’s USA
1-800 Fridays
972.662.5881
~ ~ ~ ~
Dear Ms. Welch,
I very much appreciate the time you took to share your feelings with me. What happened in this restaurant by one of our managers was absolutely unacceptable and we will not tolerate this ever happening again. I spoke with Ms. Greenberg today, as has other senior management, to offer our sincerest apologies. I can’t even begin to imagine how much this situation has hurt Ms. Greenberg and her daughter. I am personally embarrassed by the behavior displayed by this manager and I want you to know that the entire Friday’s family is appalled. This decision was not only poor judgment, but a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
This is not our company policy. As soon as we were made aware of this situation we immediately took actions to ensure this doesn’t happen again, including making a change in management. In addition, we are quickly and effectively re-educating all managers and team members in the entire Friday’s system on the importance of inclusion and the guidelines of the ADA so our managers and team members can make sure this never happens again.
We have an organization filled with caring people who believe in the importance of getting it right for every guest.
Ms. Welch, thank you so much for your email.
Sincerely,
Mike Archer
President and COO
T.G.I. Friday’s USA
As a husband of a blind wife with a golden lab guide dog “Treasure” of 11 years we have run into a few of these ignorant people which when told the dog was a service dog usually allowed us in. We always let them know we had a guide dog and that we would prefer a quite area to dine in. Some times we would get a table right away and sometimes we would have to wait a little. My wifes dog would follow the waiter to the table and after she sit down she would tell the guide dog to lay down which the dog had been trained to lay quietly under the table until our meal was done. The only time the dog would get up would be to guide my wife to the restroom which is out of my hands. After our meal as we would get up to leave the guide dog would come out from under the table and present itself to my wife. The dog was so quiet (they are trained to lay quietly in one area and not even to bark) many people did not even know the dog was with us and were suprised and pleased at how quiet the dog had been. The only problem we had was with other customers who would try to reach out and pet Treasure as she would walk by causing her to stop guiding my wife for more petting, she loved it. We would have to tell the customers politly thanks but she is not to be petted while she is working and be on our way.
Guide Dogs for the Blind put these dogs through extreme training and only some of them pass the course that then are trained with their new blind owners. As for the allergies situation, that can happen with any animal that are not cleaned and brushed daily and are a jump around, shake around animal as a home pet is. Guide dogs for the Blind instruct the blind on how to clean and brush their guide dogs daily. Guide dogs have two personality’s one is like a home pet that loves to run in the yard, play and love to be petted. The working personality comes to surface as soon as the HARNESS is put on. The guide dog actually comes to attention and gives itself over to the blind person completly with all of its fun and frolic personality as a pet going away until that HARNESS is taken off. My wifes golden lab named Treasure recently died and my wife is still crying about loosing a part of her that reached the world outside her front door and making her life of blindness even darker. I hope my personal experience will help those who think guide dogs and other service animals are just pets come to realize that they are not pets when wearing that HARNESS but a extension of that handicapped person.
For those looking for the actual news article:
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/wheeling/news/679141,wh-servicedog-120307-s1.article
So yes, it did happen. Yes TGI Fridays does look to be fixing the situation.
And those saying, “they’re fixing it, drop it” - no.
If only because so many of the comments here are speaking of “you don’t need the dog” or “I would have not served them either.” It shows not only a lack of compassion, but a misunderstanding of the law.
Discussions such as this teach others outside of the “Fridays” corporate structure and hopefully will educate those that don’t know. That way something like this can’t happen again.
Wow, I’m surprised to read that story without mention of a lawsuit. This sounds like it was an honest mistake (albeit moronic that the whole staff couldn’t figure it out) and the customers are levelheaded about the whole not wanting the guy fired for it.
Larry and Mary - Thanks for sharing your story. I was hoping someone like yourself would chime in.
The management at the TGIFridays made a mistake. They apologized and rectified the situation. Doesn’t excuse what they did, but get over it.
we have a TGI fridays in wheeling?
but seriously, I do live in wheeling. I know the greenbergs personally…they are not the type of people that would sue the restaurant even if they could
I think it time my friends and family all made an en-masse pilgrimage to TGIF–along with my neighbor’s guide dog graduating class—all 37 of them.
Hey, for those of you saying she had her mother and didn’t need the dog: For one, she’s trying to fit in the world like a normal person, she doesn’t need douche bags telling her she can’t bring her guide dog with her. Secondly, what was she supposed to do? Leave the dog outside?
Of course they apologize, they broke the law and are trying to kiss up so they do not get sued.
However, teach them a lesson, and teach other restaurants the same lesson. You have to follow the law. If these people do not sue, its just a matter of time before it happens again.
so, SUE THEM!!
Teach these stupid arrogant people and all other establishments that the law is the law.
What gets the businesses and services companies motivated is not going to be a customer with a dog they think they can boss around, but a lawsuit that affects their bottom line.
#
“TGI Fridays is a privately owned franchise which has every right to decline service to anyone they choose based on whatever irrational reasons they choose. What YOU can do is simply not give them your business, easy as that.”
Posted by shawn | December 11, 2007, 4:42 pm
Shawn-
I cannot even begin to express how ignorant, incorrect and intolerant this statement is. Let’s pretend I’m the proprietor of a restaurant, it’s the 1940’s and you are black. You come into my restaurant, and I beat you for your attempt to eat with people who are better than you because of your inferiority as a race. Or, you come into my gas station for gas and I tell you to take a hike because the Sun is out and you are blonde and I do not under any circumstances sell gas to people who are blonde when the Sun is out…TGI Friday’s has the right to decline service to a body, indeed, but rationality is the test for whether or not the declining of service is discriminatory. There are numerous laws and rules which govern this. You simply cannot disallow the service you control for some arbitrary and discriminatory reason. If you truly believe what you said, then go live in Georgia and marry your sister, you dult.
For those of you saying “this is unforgivable” and crucifying the staff for not being compassionate and rational: Shame on you for being hypocritical.
What happened here was wrong, but so is this attitude of lambasting the TGIF staff here. Much respect to the family of this girl for doing what you armchair zealots don’t have the sack to do: forgive and let live.
Sad. Anyone can now lob verbal ****-bombs from the comfort of their chairs, and it’s distressing to read these comments from people who would just as quickly turn around and plead for mercy should they ever make a mistake like this.
Very good on the family. And good on Friday’s Corporate for making a quick apology. And good on the staff who have hopefully learned from this experience.
Wow, that’s pretty sad. I can’t imagine someone trying to throw out a guide dog like that.
Surely if they just rubbed 2 brain cells together they should have realized and stopped it right then.
[…] as many people do, but they have their place, and it’s not at the dinner table. According to this article, however, it is in violation of the federal law for a disabled individual accompanied by a […]
-1 point from TGI Friday’s moronic restaurant manager for acting like an insensitive bafoon and giving shit to a person with a guide animal.
+1 point to TGI Friday’s on-the-ball executive managers for firing that asshat and re-educating the entire restaurant level staff as to what the right (and legal) thing to do is…
It is very sad that she is disabled and needs a seeing eye dog. It is also very sad that dogs cannot be allowed into restaurants, hospitals, etc. because of the public health risk. Perhaps giving her free take-out would have been the best solution.
My only is that, while wrong, it is not completely unreasonable for the manager to politely turn them away.
I bet if some of you had half as much responsibility as a restaurant manager, faced with that unexpected situation, you’d make the same decision. I bet if some of you were seated next to her, you’d be likely to throw a fit.
Yes, it was wrong for the manager to turn them away. Those of you who want her fired need to burn at the stake, however. The worst she deserves is a day at ADA training and an apology given to the customer’s family.
Have any of you been to dinner with people who have guide dogs? The dog is trained to curl up in a ball under the chair…even a big golden retriever. No one would even know there was a dog in the restaurant after two minutes. Want to hear a better story? I went to the DMV a few months ago to renew my license and saw them try to stop a man from bringing his dog in. Perhaps they’re not as used to them, since not many blind people come in, but there are many types of assistant dogs, and one would think they would know better…the dog even had the special vest on and everything.
Hey, I work for tgifridays and we are not at all like a Mcdonalds. Come try and work for us and see. People make mistakes and it seems that when this happens, the people that are severing the piblic are to blame and never to be forgiving.. Hello out there, we are all human, do you make mistakes at your job?
Well, my family was at that restaurant when this happened. We left as a result of this… not because they turned here away.. but because my daughter, once bitten by a dog and now fears them, had a panic attack and could not stay there after seeing a dog in the restaurant.
So who really has the rights here?? Someone that has a dog but didn’t need it at the time in a public restaurant, or other people that may well have other issues that are medically just as important?
Personally, I don’t think dogs or any other animals should be allowed in restaurants. They could have left the dog in the car.
Hope somebody docks them a couple pieces of flair for that one!
I am blind as well as wheelchair bound. I have a service dog named Freedom He comes with me EVERYWHERE, this includes any place that is open to the public and any government owned property.
As for those who have allergies, why do you not carry allergy pills? I carry my own pills in case of any allergic attacks.
My Freedom has been trained since the age of 8 weeks until 18 monhs of age.We have been tested and been certified by National tests.My boy lays quietly under the table, and just because my husband or my son is with me does not negate my need for his services.
Service/Guide dogs are allowed in every Restaurant and hospital due to Federal laws. For those who are a little slow, Federal laws supercede any State laws abd requirements.
No, he will NOT stay outside or in the car. He has given me more than any of you without these angel animals will ever know or understand.
Also, tere are stupid managers everywhere-once when we were waiting to be seated at another national chain (no problems with my service dog), I was told that :If I could just leave my wheelchair in this corner and follow me, I’ll take you to your table” Huh? If I could just ‘follow him’ I would not need my $7500 wheelchair!
People do not think. For those who feel your allergies and fear supercede my right to dine out, shop or just LIVE, be da*ned greatful you can move away from me and my Freedom, be greatful you can walk, you can see and you may have enough brain cells to act like a human being, not a selfish, self-centered spoiled individual.
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While it is true that the law allows the dog into the restaurant, I agree with the employee; there was someone there to care for the disabled person, so there was no reason for the dog to be in the restaurant. The ADA is carried to ludicrous extremes, such as an entire row of handicapped spaces in front gyms like Bally’s(most often all empty). Someone can go work out but they can’t cross a parking lot. These people scream that they are “handicapable” and should be treated the same as everyone else, but at the same time want special privileges! Am I really the only one who sees the farcical nature of this?
It is sad that we live in a country where such things are legislated. If I own a business and don’t want to allow in people with blue eyes, or black people or maybe anyone with only one leg, I should be allowed, however I would also have to suffer the consequences of making such a stupid decision and my business would fail. When are all you whining babies going to grow up and quit demanding that the government hold your hand throughout your lives and protect you from your own stupidity. We are stunting our own personal growth and intellectual evolution by allowing the government to legislate such things.
Sorry, but I’m with TGI on this one - businesses have the right to refuse service. The Americans with Disabilities Act was a poor piece of legislation, designed to legislate compassion … it just doesn’t work — for confirmation, see Penn & Teller Bullshit season 5 episode 7 — highlights quick link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT2YET6sg5I
This is a terrible symptom of customer service employees not being educated in diversity.
TGIF did make amends, which in all fairness, is gratifying.
I have travelled all over the world, mostly alone in my wheelchair, and have also had some weird encounters, in my book of over 55 humorous short stories.
…Walt!
North America’s Disabled Adventurer.
http://www.bluechairbook.com
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I recently had my first lawsuit over a similar incident. I’m in a wheelchair, with a dog I trained myself to be my Service dog. This restaurant owner accosted me, and asked me all sorts of questions in a really condescending way. To my horror, the lawsuit went in their favor, because the defense outright lied, and claimed that I was disruptive, and “ranted and raved” (yet, couldn’t remember one word I said). They also made my dog out to be dirty, smelly, and badly behaved. Also total lies. I have a post about it at http://heartdogblog.blogspot.com
I would love to figure out a way for people to call and protest this restaurant, myself. I’m trying to appeal, but can’t find counsel willing to, yet.
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