Subway asked us to leave with JJ...

[buddy]

We had left our eeg therapy and q was so hungry. I don't usually stop there, it's far from home and not a very safe area.

But.....we decided to try it. Q likes JJ to be hooked around his waist. I have a second leash leading them. JJ has a large service dog patch on his vest.

We walked in and the first guy who saw us said we couldn't come in. I explained that he was a service dog. He got another lady and she said so what, we had to leave. I tried to explain that the law requires that we be served as long as we were in the public area and I even offered to get the food to go.

Note: no one was in the restaurant and JJ was his perfect self standing and lying by q.

Then they said ok, you let go and he can wait outside.
Q would have probably been ok but how would they know that? He had to appear very delayed in that situation. And I wasn't sure he would be safe.

The lady left and called her manager who said to serve us.

Thank heaven because by that time q wanted his food and a group of scary women came in wanting to use the rest room. The staff said it was broken. The ladies started screaming at them, swearing etc.,....the law was called. I told q to be quiet and he was big eyed and quiet.

Turns out they come in to do drugs.

Glad he wasn't outside by himself.

Yeah, we won't go there again.

 

[nerfherder]

I'd contact Subway's main office and describe the experience. Note that they made the right call about the restroom, but the absolutely wrong call about service dogs. Did you know there are lawyers who go around just looking for ADA violations to sue over?

 

[Hound dog]

Someone refuses to serve you, you call the law, they'll serve you. I'd do it on principal........I'm difficult child that way.......just so they wouldn't try it with someone else.

Of course I'm the person standing in the middle of an intersection with my hands on my hips daring someone who is attempting to turn in front of us as we're in the cross walk with the "walk" sign on and Travis with his white cane too. If they hit me or him, my house will be paid off, but by darn they will follow the law as long as I'm with him. I've had a few curse at me, I curse right back.

I became really anal retentive about this for two reasons 1. Travis tends to dodge them instead of making them wait (has also nearly been hit numerous times and 2. I spotted a boy about 12 with his Occupational Therapist (OT) learning how to use his white cane walking around town not that long ago. I want it safe not only for Travis but that boy as well.

Doesn't take a genius to know when you see a person with a white cane that you yield to them regardless of walk signs, cross walks ect. They're blind. duh! omg wth do these people think his cane has the color white with the reflectors for anyway? geez

Scary experience. I'd complain to the district manager. The employees had no excuse, it's a no brainer. Can't say I blame you for not going back to that one.

 

[greenrene]

Oh HELL no.

My first jaw drop was you being told to leave even after explaining that he is a service dog.

My second jaw drop was the very IDEA of making a kid who needs a service dog sit outside without his parent - WTF???

You should definitely follow up on this. If nothing else, maybe get some free sandwiches or something. That was totally uncalled for!

 

[jal]

Buddy,

I'd call the main headquarters here in CT. They are notorious for this. I worked with an engineer that is leagally blind and he had a Fidelco guide dog (who has since passed) and they refused to let him enter with his dog. This man and his dog have flown all over the world for his job and he encountered this in our backyard. Believe me, he called them.

 

[buddy]

Terry had a good point too....you'd think that was a part of their training.

And really up to this point I think we've been treated very well. I've never even had complaints even when training him while Q is in his classes. People welcome us and even ask if we are training. They want to help.

So, I admit I was surprised.

I choose not to go into clothing stores, he is well groomed but does shed. When Q needs clothes then of course JJ comes too.

He is a good canine citizen. Lies down, waits doesn't sniff or touch things. If he even looks I can say, " leave it" and he walks on with us.

I use common sense and would remove him just like I remove Q if we are having an off day.

Oh well. I have seen cards that explain the law, I may get some in case.

 

[TerryJ2]

Carrying around those cards is a great idea!

 

[buddy]

Good point to make them aware. It should be part of their training and had q been working on his goals, ordering himself, could have been really bad.

I did ask if they'd ask a blind person with a guide dog to leave. The man said no. The lady shrugged her shoulders.

As for white canes? I stop for anyone! Even cocky teens breaking the law. I'm not gonna hit anyone. Who doesn't stop for a blind person? CRAZY!

I agree, the worst was asking to have him leave alone.

I'd not have ordered but Q's goal was food, I had said yes, and leaving would not have gone well.

 

[flutterby]

Lisa, the law is very clear on blind people with white canes. Even if a blind person were to step off the curb in front of a car, the accident would be the fault of the driver. My stepfather was hit by a Columbia Gas truck in an intersection. He had his cane and he waited for 3 cycles of the light to make sure he knew the traffic cycle and when he could cross. No one helped him. The lady driving the Columbia Gas truck got out and screamed, "I didn't see him!", while he was lying in the middle of the intersection terrified he was going to get hit by another vehicle, but being unable to know where the side of the road was to get to safely. Columbia Gas tried to say it wasn't their fault and sent an attorney to the hospital to that effect, which was bad on their part because it ticked my parents off enough to sue - showing up in the hospital like that wasn't smart. Otherwise they wouldn't have because they're not litigious people. That's how I know that if you have that white cane, it's always the drivers fault. Period. Not that it helps if you've been hit, but drivers should know this.

 

[TeDo]

Good for you for NOT walking out when they told you or even when there was trouble. It IS a matter of principle but it is also the LAW. Make sure you find some of those cards and carry a good supply of them in your pocket everywhere you go. To be honest, you know me, I'd call the corporate office and rant and rave about the problem you had and how many of their staff said they couldn't serve you before you got someone with BRAINS to set them straight. Enough complaints and there will be changes.

I am even happier to hear that Q handled the "legal problem" well. JJ has been VERY good for him. He's maturing very nicely. I LOVE hearing about all the small, and the big, successes he's having. Given where you were about a year ago, it is sooooooooo refreshing.

 

[HaoZi]

I'm with greenerene - you need to make some calls about this, all the way to their main office. This location and likely many others need training - I doubt if you're the only ones who have been treated like this, in your city or state.

You could really make it a headache for them - post it on their FB page for the world to see.

 

[buddy]

Hmmmm, there's a thought!

Thanks as usual you guys!

 

[Lothlorien]

I would definitely call Subway home office and let them know what you encountered. I think this was a case of ignorance and poorly trained individuals.

 

[Nancy]

I'm sorry that happened, that's awful. I would follow up with a call to headquarters.

 

[Tiapet]

I'm sorry that happened. It is a violation of the law and they need to be educated at the very least but you are well within your rights to file a complaint as well. I'm glad that they turned it around.

 

[1905]

That is so wrong! I hope you call and talk to the right person, they need to make this right, not just for you but for others who are in the same situation. Keep us updated.

FYI, please talk to the right person. I was in a Subway recently in FL, the lady in front of me was upset and walked out without her order, she said she was calling the 800 number she saw there. The cashier said this after she left, "She is going to call my mother, that's who answers that 800 number" Make sure you absolutely call the main headquarters, not the local owner.

 

[susiestar]

I would be having a FIT all over both the local owner, the corporate office (go to a business database and find the CEO's info and contact them directly, NOT the cust svc number. Trust me, you get a LOT more action!) and I would post this on facebook asking why they discriminate against the disable and their service animals? Asking what were they thinking and why do they feel that the disabled are not as worthy as any other person? is your money not as legal and spendable?

If you want, I would be HAPPY to help you find the info you need to contact them, and even to help you write a complaint. I am experienced and have gotten very good results from doing these things.

This isn't just illegal and insensitive. It is downright WRONG and disgusting. There may be no way to tell if a person has an invisible disability, but that doesn't mean you can treat people rudely like that, esp not in a business that is dependent on customer service.

I am so glad that Q didn't have a huge problem. He is really makiing great progress, and JJ is as wonderful with him as you are. I would be thrilled to have someone come into a restaurant with their service dog while I was there. You can bet your bottom dollar that I would have chewed the restaurant out and called 911 on the store if they did that around me. This makes me MAD.

 

[DazedandConfused]

I'm stunned they would ask you to leave.

Stunned!

I agree with all the above about contacting all the various powers in regards to what happened.

 

[buddy]

I agree. I will contact them. I never thought about how a customer service line is different than the actual corporate people.

I could not get indignant there because it would set Q off. He doesn't even like it pointed out that JJ is a service dog but he agreed I could if we didn't use the autism dog id.

In the car and at home he talked about out all over and over. He actually asked if I stayed calm so they could learn about JJ.

I thanked the woman for calling her manager to try to reinforce her choice to check instead of digging her heels in. It was hard not to feel sorry for them seeing what they face in that neighborhood.

But I was insistent for sure.

I hope Quin saw that you can advocate without having to fight because he usually would fight.

When that group of loud women came in, we just needed to get our good and get out. I was scared.

 

[witzend]

I had missed that Q had a service dog somehow. How cool! I wish that I could get one that would help me get in and out of seats or go grab things for me when I need. Instead I end up with these loveable lunks that I wouldn't trade for the world. I always say I will, but never do get one to train...

Back in the day I worked at the most questionable Fred Meyer (Kroger) in town. It was smack dab in the middle of the wealthiest and poorest neighborhoods in the city, so we saw all kinds. We eventually put a single toilet restroom right by the front door to accommodate the disabled because the old one was upstairs. There were parties in there all the time. I remember one late evening about four big dudes went in there to shoot up, and we had some of the bigger clerks go shoo them out. They said, "Dude! Everyone knows you party at the bathroom at Freddy's!" Duh! How could we be so stupid?