The donuts might be good (heck, aren't ALL donuts?), but the customer service is ATROCIOUS. The…read moreCowtown Donuts truck arrived at our school today for teacher appreciation and, as a teacher, I was quite excited because even mini donuts are okay for those of us that are watching our figures.
As I pull in to the parking lot I see that the Cowtown car and attached food trailer are parked in one of only two wheelchair accessible spots. Not only that, the car is parked right in front of the only ramp that is accessible to wheelchairs. I use a wheelchair.
When I brought this to the owners attention, they said, "I'm sorry". She then began to give numerous excuses and reasons for why she did this. At that point, they didn't offer to move their set-up. When I continued to explain how this violates a wheelchair users right to equal access, AND asked why they didn't move it beforehand(they were advised that they were taking up an accessible spot by a co-worker before I got there), the female owner began yelling at me and crying hysterically. She screamed at me, "don't you ever make mistakes"? As I continued to try and explain how this severely impacts the lives of people with disabilities, she finally screamed in a sarcastic voice, "Alright everybody, we're shutting down operations so we can move"!
Customer service 101: 1. Do NOT illegally park in wheelchair accessible spaces or block the ramps that are the ONLY way a person like me can have equal access to a facility. 2. Do NOT offer excuses for why you are infringing on the rights of others and breaking the law with your illegally parked vehicle. Be humble. Move (without the sarcasm and intent to martyr yourself by moving...this was on YOU, not on ME. You should have moved when you knew you were taking away the ability for others to park or enter a building, before I ever got there, OR moved as soon as I got there without screaming, excuses, or trying to make it my fault). 3. We all have bad days. Owning your own business is a challenge. But, being a teacher is also a challenge. And so is using a wheelchair. That doesn't give you or anyone else, or me, an excuse to scream at someone. I am trying to protect my equality and rights AND the rights of my students with disabilities.
Shame on you. When I was hit by a drunk driver 20 years ago I vowed that my pain and loss would never be in vain. Today you made me feel unwelcome, unworthy, and for the first time in a long time, disabled. I'm hoping today was not a day I lived with this injury in vain. I hope you learned something and that no one will EVER again have to go through what I went through today because of your ignorance.