The following is the email I sent regarding my experience with my SRVICE DOG😭💔
Dear Goar Rafiq,
I am writing to express my significant disappointment regarding an incident that occurred a few days ago at your location at 4215 University Dr, Durham, NC 27707, involving a manager named Dexter. It has taken me some time to compose this email as the experience was quite distressing.
I visited your establishment with my daughter and my certified service dog. Initially, everything was fine during the ordering process. However, when I proceeded toward the restroom, Dexter informed me that my service animal could not accompany me further into the establishment. When I inquired why, he stated he did not want dog hair near the food, which I understand as a general concern, but my dog is a trained and certified service animal.
When I attempted to explain this to him, he disregarded my explanation, asking the next person in line to step forward. During my continued attempt to clarify the situation, he stated, "he didn't care," displaying a very rude attitude. I stepped outside to retrieve my service dog's identification. Upon re-entering and attempting to speak with him again, he raised his voice and reiterated that he did not care about my explanation. I speak slow, so every time I tried to talk he repeatedly interrupted me, which was incredibly humiliating in front of other customers.
I then requested an email address to submit a complaint. He took several minutes to retrieve a business card. When he handed it to me, he mentioned that the name on the card was not his and that his name was Dexter. I asked him to write his name on the card, and he told me I could do it myself. I was visibly shaking as I reached across the counter to write his name on the card.
This experience has been deeply upsetting and emotional for me to recount. Dexter's dismissive and hurtful attitude when I tried to explain my disability and the certification of my service dog, whose ID was readily available, was truly unacceptable. I sincerely hope you will take this matter seriously and consider the impact of his actions.
Yalu Rivas