Drive-thru refuses to serve deaf woman
(NBC Bay Area) – A stunning confrontation at a San Francisco Bay Area fast food drive-thru was captured on cellphone video. A Jack in the Box worker in Campbell refused to serve a deaf woman and even mocked her sign language.
The video went viral Monday, and the woman at the center of it, 39-year-old Revae Arnaud-Jensen , says she’s pursuing legal action.
At the busy Jack in the Box on West Hamilton Avenue, customers generally order through a speaker first, then drive up to the window. But that didn’t work for Arnaud-Jensen , who has been deaf since birth. Still, she expected to get food, not grief.
” I was shocked and perplexed, ” said Arnaud-Jensen , who is articulate and can communicate through lip reading and sign language.
She couldn’t, however, get that across to a Jack in the Box worker.
” I’m deaf, ” she told the worker.
” It’s OK. It’s OK. Go to speaker now, ” was the worker’s response.
With the help of her son on Monday, Arnaud-Jensen talked about the verbal confrontation. She said it all started when she tried to explain why she didn’t use the speaker and tried to order at the drive-thru window.
As things escalated, her son recorded the confrontation with his phone. In the video, the worker can be heard telling Arnaud-Jensen ” no order. ” Then the worker mocks her sign language, and there’s laughter.
” It just continues. It needs to stop, ” Arnaud-Jensen said. ” It’s discrimination. Too many times. They think it’s the norm, but it’s not. ”
After Jack in the Box management saw the video posted on her Arnaud-Jensen’s Facebook page, the worker was fired. But Arnaud-Jensen still plans to sue.
” It’s not only training. That’s not going to change, ” she said. ” Because you need that depth of knowledge of deaf culture to fully understand the needs. ”
Jack in the Box corporate released the following statement Monday:
” We have been informed of the incident that took place between an employee and hearing-impaired guest, in the drive-thru at a Campbell, CA restaurant on August 31st . We do not tolerate the mistreatment of any customers and expect employees to follow all training procedures, be respectful, courteous and accommodating to all guests. After a thorough investigation of the incident and direct contact with the local franchise owner, we understand the employee in the video has been terminated. ”
