My very first visit to Green Buffalo Pub, and unfortunately, it will also be my last…read more
I live approximately two minutes away from Green Buffalo Pub, and this was actually my very first time going there.
My neighbor who lives across the street had told me what an amazing bar it was and specifically raved about how good the wings were. She also met her husband there and told me since I was single, I should go check it out!! I decided to take her recommendation and finally give it a try. I was genuinely excited to try the Loganberry wings.
I even recorded a video during my walk there. I was recording to make what I thought would be a great review. During my 2 minute walk to the bar I was talking about how excited I was to try the wings. I walked in expecting to have a good experience and hopefully find a new local place that I would enjoy coming back to.
Everything went downhill the second I walked through the door.
I was accompanied by my service dog, who was wearing her service vest and is licensed in Lancaster, NY. She was sitting quietly and safely in her stroller. She was completely under control and well behaved. She does and did not bark, bother anyone, damage anything, or cause any disruption.
There is a specific reason she was in her stroller. She is trained to assist me. She provides calming assistance by laying on me and licking my hand or face to help ground and calm me. Having her positioned higher in her stroller allows her to perform these tasks more effectively when I need her assistance. She was right beside me, in a controlled environment, and was not causing a problem.
The employee I spoke with, Jamie, who I have since learned is the new owner of Green Buffalo Pub, repeatedly told me, "She's a pet. She's a pet," while laughing after I explained that my dog was a service dog.
I explained again that she was a service dog multiple times, yet Jamie continued to dismiss what I was telling her and laughed at me. She then demanded that I provide paperwork proving that my dog was a service dog.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, businesses cannot demand service animal certification, registration, licensing papers, or other documentation as a condition of entry. When it is not obvious that a dog is a service animal, staff are generally limited to two questions regarding whether the dog is required because of a disability and what work or task the dog has been trained to perform.
My dog was not barking, aggressive, disruptive, damaging property, or having an accident. She was calm, controlled, and doing exactly what I needed her to do.
And I have video documenting what happened.
I have the video from my walk to the establishment, where I am genuinely excited and talking about trying their wings, as well as video from the interaction after I began recording when I was being denied access with my service dog.
The contrast between those two videos speaks for itself.
What should have been a quick trip to try some wings based on a neighbor's recommendation ended with me crying and bawling my eyes out the entire way home.
I live two minutes away. I came there as a first time customer with every intention of making a great review of the food and potentially becoming a regular customer. Instead, I was laughed at, humiliated, and made to feel like I was doing something wrong simply because I needed my service dog with me.
This was not about getting special treatment. It was about being treated with basic dignity, respect, and equal access.
I am filing formal complaints with the appropriate agencies and preserving the video and documentation I have regarding this incident.
I will never spend a dollar at Green Buffalo Pub, and I will not recommend this establishment to anyone.
Jamie, as the new owner, I sincerely hope you take this seriously and educate yourself and your staff about the rights of people with disabilities and service animals. No one should have to walk into a neighborhood business excited to try the food and leave in tears because they were laughed at and denied access with their service dog.
I walked in excited to try your Loganberry wings. I walked out without ever getting the chance to order them, and I walked home crying. That is an experience I will never forget! I go out of my way to write good reviews all the time for people to help them get raises and to help their business get more customers and this was just honestly a huge disappointment.
(If you want to support a great restaurant/bar in Lancaster, go to SKOOB'S, great service and excellent food, and my service dog is welcome.)
