Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › RANT filled with disappontment….and disbelief.
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
September 8, 2011 at 9:24 pm #600506
breanna43MemberTuesday morning, my 16 year old son woke up, excited to get ready for school the next day. He had a lot to accomplish before beginning his junior year at West Seattle HS. His plan was to go and get his hair cut, take his car to the carwash, and clean his room. He’s a very responsible kid, who also does his own laundry, grocery shops every wednesday evening, and in general is just a nice person. So here’s how his day started:
The 1st step went fine. Haircut: check. He went to his usual spot in white center and paid with a $20. After tipping a few dollars, he was left with 3 dollar bills, which he thought would be enough for the car wash a few blocks away on 16th. He was wrong. He got his car all soaped up, and ran out of quarters. So he ran down to Chase, took out another $20, (which he earned modeling) and then realized he didn’t need $20 in carwash tokens. So here’s where the rant comes in:
He went into Subway on 16th and asked the employee if it would be possible to get change for the carwash. The employee looked him up and down, looked at the money, and asked if it was counterfiet. No, my son said he had just taken it out of the bank machine and needed change because he ran out at the carwash. So the guy agreed to give him change, and as he was about to hand it to my son (of African American decent) he said, “You gonna go buy some crack? Some weed?” My son got upset and questioned why the guy would even say that, and the guy put the change back in his till and told my son to get out of the store.
I went back 15 minutes later and the employee said it never happened. He got the owner “Faraz”. I explained the situation and the owner, told me that my son wasn’t a paying customer and didn’t deserve an apology. He also refused to give me his name, and said he’d call the police if I didn’t leave. I left.
My son went on with his day, holding his head a little less high. This business does not deserve your or my money.
September 8, 2011 at 9:26 pm #734133
datamuseParticipantI can’t help but notice that this is the second rant about this particular Subway in a week…
September 8, 2011 at 9:28 pm #734134
BonnieParticipantI was about to post the same thing about it being the 2nd Subway rant at that particular Subway this week. Very disappointed. I won’t be going there. Sorry that happened to you.
September 8, 2011 at 9:38 pm #734135
KenParticipantWhile I have not been in that particular subway, I have had bizarre encounters with employees in other subways over the years. But the latest episode did not rise to rant level since it would require contact with “Faraz”. Been there, done that. No point in a repeat time sink.
September 8, 2011 at 9:43 pm #734136
AlexParticipantUnbelievable.
Did you call the corporate headquarters? It might not help, but maybe someone there would like to know how their brand is being mis-used.
September 8, 2011 at 9:59 pm #734137
JanSParticipanthttp://www.subway.com/ContactUs/frmCustomerService.aspx
right hand column…”how’d we do?”…let them know…
September 8, 2011 at 10:06 pm #734138
metrognomeParticipantTell your son there are ignorant, fearful people everywhere and that this is just a learning experience.
You and your son may want to discuss filing a complaint with the WA State Human Rights Commission. You probably won’t ‘win’ because it will be a ‘he said, he said’ situation, but it may put the owner on notice that his and his employee’s behavior is illegal. HRC may even require corrective action of the store; if nothing else, it starts a case file in case it happens to someone else.
Contacting Subway corporate is also a good idea. Just be careful to not let your anger carry you away … be polite and respectful and use words like ‘alleged’ and phrases like ‘my son reported to me …’ so that you don’t get sued by the owner. The way you wrote the post was the right tone.
September 8, 2011 at 10:12 pm #734139
DBPMemberI’m curious ‘gnome. What makes you say that what the clerk allegedly (!) did was illegal?
Not sayin’ it was or wasn’t . . .
September 8, 2011 at 10:43 pm #734140
kmweinerMemberWould love to know which store so I can avoid.
I’m so sorry this happened to your son. I hope he understands that it is racism and not him that is the problem.
September 8, 2011 at 10:52 pm #734141
metrognomeParticipantBasic civil rights law, incl. federal, state and county, prohibit a public accommodation from treating (or appearing to treat) people differently for a number of reasons, including race.
Section 215 of the Revised Code of Washington 49.60, the Law Against Discrimination, makes it an unfair practice for a place of public accommodation to ‘commit an act which directly or indirectly results in any distinction, restriction, or discrimination … regardless of race, creed, color …” unless those restrictions apply to all persons.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.60.215
Unfortunately, breanna43’s son may not have a strong case because he may not have technically been a customer as he wasn’t buying anything. Also, neither the clerk nor the apparent owner seems to have used specifically racial language. However, WA HRC would be able to advise her on the situation and what remedies may be available.
September 8, 2011 at 11:02 pm #734142
DBPMember. . . neither the clerk nor the apparent owner seems to have used specifically racial language.
Indeed. If anything, the clerk seems to have been careful NOT to say anything “specifically racial” – although the OP may have planted that seed in our minds (inadvertently) when she mentioned her son’s racial descent.
September 8, 2011 at 11:19 pm #734143
metrognomeParticipantI tried to use as many ‘weasel’ words as possible because there were no direct witnesses and there are possible explanations. For example, the clerk may have been trying to make a joke; believe me, I’ve heard people say dumber things they ‘thought’ were funny because the last guy laughed at it or whatever (I’m not defending the clerk or owner, I’m just saying people say the darndest things.)
One important reason for WA HRC to be contacted is so they can be on the lookout for a ‘pattern and practice’ of similar incidents at this location or at Subways in general.
The big question for breanna43 and her son is which path to take from here. There is no right answer and the support people are providing out here may be enough for them to just chalk it up and move on … and to maybe do something good for someone else to balance the karma deficit. Or …
September 9, 2011 at 12:17 am #734144
JanSParticipantDP..do you honestly think that the owner of that Subway would have asked the same questions about using the money for crack, etc. etc…if the son had been white?
September 9, 2011 at 3:15 am #734145
ZawitzMemberHeartbreaking for a mama…I’m sorry this happened. I won’t be going to that Subway. All the best to you and yours ♥
September 9, 2011 at 4:53 am #734146
shed22ParticipantI don’t frequent ANY Subway chains so they are not losing a customer by this posting. With that said, HORRIBLE behavior. Even if it is not company policy to provide change to non-paying customers, there is no need for disrespect. Completely inappropriate behavior in any situation.
September 9, 2011 at 5:06 am #734147
kootchmanMemberHRC … hard right cross… well,… as a parent I would have to send in the wife. The words “friggin ballistic” would have been on the police report if I went in…. To your young MAN…pass along our sincere disappointment… and our respect.
September 9, 2011 at 5:29 am #734148
breanna43MemberThanks everyone. Your comments are so kind and thoughtful. Thanks JanS, I notified the Subway corporate office. And Metrognome, I’ll be filing a report using the link you provided, as soon as my stupid computer allows me to!
September 9, 2011 at 5:51 am #734149
metrognomeParticipantbreanna43 — the link above is to the statute. You can contact the WA State Human Rights Commission at 1-800-233-3247 or http://www.hum.wa.gov/. There is a link to an on-line complaint form.
September 9, 2011 at 11:16 pm #734150
biankatParticipantWhat a horrible experience for your son to have. He sounds like a lovely individual. I have to sheepishly admit that sometimes Subway fits our hunger needs. But we stopped going to that location many years ago. I found the workers there sloth-like and sparse, the produce not very fresh, and the inside not very clean. Although further, we now go to the one on 128th and 1st Ave S in Burien. For the most part have been very satisfied.
September 10, 2011 at 12:29 am #734151
LuckieParticipantMy friend the animal rights activist is adamant about this:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/boycott-subway-until-michael-vick-gives-his-bet-award-back/
So sorry about the awful disrespect your son received.
September 10, 2011 at 1:49 am #734152
ws4everMemberGlad that so many good adults (or at least we resemble that description)are posting to tell your son that the employee himself was acting like a thug. From feedback above, that Subway needs some changes!
September 10, 2011 at 6:05 am #734153
AnonymousInactiveI am so sorry that your son had to experience that, and sorry to you for having to hear what your baby went through. On a positive note … this reminds me of the importance of having a discussion with my own sons that unfortunately there are people in this world who are mean and ignorant, and that a person can decide to take the high road and tell them they will not tolerate to be treated that way and hold their head up high knowing that their ignorant behavior has nothing, nothing to do with them. And to also tell them that there are wonderful, kind, and thoughtful people in this world and that we should never judge anyone until they have proven us otherwise. Please let your son know that now more than ever he needs to hold his head up high and to not let that fool take his spirit. I do appreciate you telling me the business place this occurred. I work too hard for my money to spend it on an establishment that allows that behavior. Metrognome … great advice and information.
September 10, 2011 at 12:46 pm #734154
JoBParticipantIt’s high time we started fighting back against the trash talk that has become pervasive in our society.
Hitting at the bottom lines of businesses that allow their employees to treat any person who walks through their door that rudely is a good place to start.
September 10, 2011 at 4:12 pm #734155
ellenaterMemberSo many rants on here do not seem like rants to me but complaints. But YOURS does. I am SO sorry. I would never patronize this Subway. You seem like a great mom though. Your son is lucky to have you.
September 10, 2011 at 4:35 pm #734156
JiggersMemberIt is called “stereotyping”.I go through it everyday. Get over it.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.