'Second-Class Citizen': Deaf Mother of 3 Denied Service at Restaurant

I had the same issues with drive-thrus... I have never been denied service yet... but usually when I come to window, I say I am deaf and they usually are nice about it and take my order at the window with no pronlems but I remember an incident I had with Taco Bueno... I went to the window and stated I was deaf and I wanted to order a meal... This was a manager.. and he gave me an ugly look and said you should have went inside and ordered. I said sir, dont give me that attitude.. I have a right just like everyone else to use the window and he was like "WHAT DO YOU WANT" in a hostile voice.. I told him what I wanted and kept my anger in check while doing it which was not easy, and next day, I called the restaurant and spoke to another manager who was on duty and she couldnt speak to that person about it since he was her boss so I was referred to General Manager of that restaurant who quickly apologized to me for the inconvenience and said he would address it... Apparently he has because I havent seen that person at that store since and they have been responsive to my needs so I was happy about it.. :-)

When I was at Gallaudet, many of the fast food restaurants in the area had a solution that would work. At the drive through order-taking microphone there was a button with a sign explaining to push the button and drive around if you couldn't give your order through the mic. That gave the peole at the drive-up window a 'heads up' that someone was coming and got you into the queue. It seemed like a very simple and effective solution.

I tend to understand the deaf world, since both of my parents are deaf. They despise drive-thru's and hate it if I even drive thru with them to order. They'd rather go in. I grew up in a small town in TN, where they don't have ANY kind of deaf awareness. It's just sad how many hearing people really are...ignorant and self-absorbant. They purposely act rude to make themselves feel better. I've seen it first-hand... I guess it's good that none of us are Steak n Shake fans anyway. LOL

This problem could be easily and cheaply solved with common sense and compassion on the part of the drive through person. A long time ago before the two window system if you ordered something special(no onions or whatever) somewhere like McDonald's they would make you pay then pull over and someone would run the food out to you. All they had to do is let this lady order at the window and pay and ask her to pull over a little bit while her order was cooked(in order to not hold up the line) then an employee should have run out her order to her car as soon as it was ready. It's not that hard.

This was not a matter of discrimination or being treated as a second class citizen. This was the unfortunate circumstance of encountering someone stupid at the drive through.

Walk a mile in a persons shoes,then remember that this could be you,or possibly your child,parent,friend,or any loved one getting this sort of "compassion". You would be livid.

Think about how hard we make life for the very people we share this planet with.

I was previously hard of hearing and have been blessed with a miraculous surgery which restored hearing in one ear for me.

It truly can be a beautiful world out there, but it is up to us to make it so.

I currently live in a very heavily populated area:St. Augustine, FL. This is where the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind is located, but i find when i walk into a restraunt and help my deaf friend by ordering for them that a lot of people taking the order SAY they want to learn sign language but don't know how to go about it. I encourage it; deaf people encourage it! This surprises me because this is a heavily populated city with deaf people, and no one knows how to sign!

I've had the thought of maybe putting a screen at the drive thru like they do at some banks. Sadly that wouldn't do any good if the person doesn't know sign language.

People need to be educated! Sign Language is becoming a bigger deal. People aren't keeping quiet anymore! Schools need to start putting ASL out there as much as the do Spanish and French!

I don't believe touch screens should be used. You have to look at it feasibly. It would cost millions of dollars to switch to touch screens. Then you have to account for all the repairs. You also much remember who is using these touch screens. Many people will not be able to use these touch screen because they don't understand how.

I used to work in a drive-thru. I was more than happy to take an order at the window. However, on a busy day, that means that by the time that car makes it to my window, the three cars' behind orders are ahead of the accommodated car's order. This can't be avoided.

I suggest something a little more realistic and cost efficient. What if every drive thru had one stall that is similar to a Sonic? They would drive up to the parking space that had the menu right there to look at. Then you could push a button when you were ready and buzz an employee to come out and personally take your order. Then the employee would be ready with a pen and paper, already prepared to accommodate you.

The only problem would be to try to find a way for only the people who need it to be allowed to use it. I'm worried that impatient people would try to use it.

There are many reasons why customers don't wish to get out of their car to make an order. Many a young child is in the car, maybe a pet, maybe they had a long day and just want some food. It doesn't matter. If we have this service, (drive-thrus)anyone should be able to use the concept.

I was asked to walk into the restaurant at a McDonald's cuz they don't do that type of services at the window due to cars behind me. I walked in and spoke with manager, he says same thing...have to walk up to the counter to get services. I've driven thru drive thru many times and never had problems. I agree that something need to be done especially if I have 3 kids in the car and don't want to bring all in just to get foods especially if the youngest one is already fast asleep. I expect equal service as other people do.

Yes, this century is in need of having changes to accommodate people with disability at drive thrus and everywhere else. We should be treated right.

I was upset to watch this video. I am a hearing person and never realized the difficulty facing a whole population of people hearing impaired people who cannot listen to a speaker in order to use take out services. It is such a convenience/necessity when you are driving with a sick or sleeping child to merely order from a take out window...change is indeed needed to make food service industries aware of the dire needs of others.

I'm Deaf myself, and I've experienced discrimination at drive thrus myself, on MANY occasions. Many times, they will make me park in the parking lot and wait.

Sometimes, they will tell me that the restarant is closed, even though the person behind me got served.

I do not understand why fast food joints doesn't just eliminate the old fashioned speaker system and install a visual touch pad system, like an ATM... It's not that hard. We have a lot of intellegent engineers on this planet.

Imagine that- remove the human error. Fast food places would save a lot of money by eliminating that one employee taking the orders. Just press buttons, system does the math and gives the orderer the order, the amount, and they can press "OK" to confirm.

Heck, they could even pay at the system, like they do at supermarkets nowadays, (the automatic line without cashier)

It would benefit everyone, and make service faster, and eliminate that small percentage of errors.

Yet, hearing people are obsessed with the old fashioned speaker system and rely on human beings. It's 2008, not the 1960's.

Its nicer for deaf people to drive through and make notes, and make an orders in drive thru, don't need to talk with the transcition, I do that a lot of times. I have seen hearing people's faces like, "Sigh". There is no such thing a sigh, just do your job, and give the customer quality which it counts big time!

Wow, I'd heard about this story a while ago and was surprised that the jerk manager never apologized. Why is that so hard? I think it's great that this site is covering this story so that more people become aware of these problems that a lot of people take for granted.