MB
Maxwell Brown
Jul 25, 2026
People of color, especially of African descent, DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY at this location. Velma refused me service after I made an online order on the Subway App but assisted a Hispanic customer who came into the store after me. Please note that Velma is a Hispanic female. On Saturday, 7/25/26, at approximately 3:24 PM EST, I placed an order in the store using my app. There was no one in line behind me when my order was placed. A Hispanic male employee asked me if I wanted to order, and I told him yes, and I had just placed an order in the app while I was in the store. Velma was within earshot of the male and listened because she looked right at me as I spoke to the Hispanic male employee. My online order ticket came through the ticket machine. Velma took my order ticket, looked it over, and confirmed my order. Moments after she confirmed my order, a Hispanic male entered the store. Velma told me I could pick up my order when it was ready. She pointed to a pickup area near her right. She then looked over me, greeted the Hispanic male customer, and asked if she could take his order. I was shocked. The Hispanic male customer told Velma to continue with my order, but she refused. She showed preferential treatment to the Hispanic male customer and asked him what he wanted to order. She began speaking Spanish to the Hispanic male customer and her Hispanic male colleague while I stood there, as if I were invisible. She then spoke in English and told me that even though I placed my order in the store, in front of her on the app, she had 15 minutes to make my order. Why? I made my order in the store right when I walked in, when no one was there. Why would she make me wait to assist another customer who entered the store after me? Velma started speaking Spanish again to the male Hispanic customer in front of me, and I heard “estupdio.” I told Velma that I understood a little Spanish and that I didn’t appreciate her speaking Spanish in front of me about my situation, since Spanish is not my first language. The Hispanic male customer reverted to speaking English and explained that he had told Velma she should have continued making my order because I was there first. I agreed and let him know that we were on the same page. I de-escalated the situation and asked for a refund; Velma gladly canceled my order. She did not apologize and immediately went to the cash register when I asked for a refund, as if she was happy that I would leave the store. I asked Velma to confirm that my order was canceled. She showed me where the receipt stated my order was voided. I left the store embarrassed, disheartened, and shocked that I was treated with blatant racism and discriminated against by Velma in a Subway restaurant in 2026, where Black people are the second largest race in Anne Arundel County according to the US. Census Bureau QuickFacts. There is no other reason why Velma refused to help me that would follow logically. I placed my order first; there were no other guests in line at the time I placed my order, the Hispanic male came after I placed my order; he even told Velma to continue to help me which was the right and fair action to take, and the way she immediately provided the Hispanic male customer service with no hesitation demonstrated that she treated me unequally compared to him based on my race.