Food Allergies Discrimination

My concerns and embarrassment over writing this message comes at great distress. During a visit at the LaPlace, Louisiana location (zip code~70068), I was screamed at, cursed, insulted, escorted out of the store, and told "because I had food allergies, that I should not come back to the establishment". I have been to this particular location for over seven years. Each and every experience has been pleasant and enjoyable. My husband actually goes there at least four to six times a week for breakfast. I do not frequent the restaurant as often, but I do go at least five to eight times a month. On Saturday, October 3, 2009, my husband and I went in around ten a.m. for breakfast for breakfast. We sat at the counter and a young man took our order and poured us some coffee. The waiter told my husband that it would take about ten minutes for the biscuits to be ready and he agreed to wait for them to get ready. Once they were ready and the other waitress began serving other customers biscuits from the oven, my husband told his waiter that he was ready for his breakfast and that he wanted his biscuits hot if possible before that got cold. The waiter agreed, but the lady on the grill (Trish?)turned around and stated in a sarcastic manner "they are not getting cold, you always say that, just shut up and wait." My husband then told her he wanted his food hot and why wasn't she getting his food ready? She then asked the waiter, "where is his ticket", it was actually right in front of her and it should have been prepared already. She had actually been putting other tickets ahead of ours. Then we noticed one of the other waitress took a scraper and removed hunks and hunks of black debris and food particles off of the grill and started placing food on the grill in the clean areas. So I told the waiter to tell the cook that I have several food allergies and to ask her to please clean the area where she will place my food because if any egg, onion,or tomatoe particles get on my food, it could cause me to have an allergic reaction. The grill cook heard me speaking to the waiter and said to me �there is nothing on your food mam, can you see any particles"? I said "yes I can". She then said "God give me strength." She then said "well B_ _ _ _ you need to leave here with you allergies cause I am not serving you, and you can kiss my M_ _ _ _ _ F_ _ _ _ _ _ A_ _." She then threw the food into the garbage. Of course I responded with some choice words of my own and proceeded toward the door. One of the other waitresses open the door and said mam you are disrupting our business and you need to leave. I told her your cook is disrupting your business and I am leaving, but at that moment, the cook shouted an insult to my husband and they were in a shouting match. I then returned back to the counter to retrieve my husband, because he was very upset due to the obscenities that the cook had shouted at both of us. This incident was unprovoked and unwarranted. To be discriminated against because of food allergies is against the law. That young lady must surely need some type of medical help or anger counceling. The other employees appeared to be afraid of here and steered clear of her. The grill cook appeared to have called the manager or owner on the phone once I approached the door. She either did not contact her or did not heed to her instructions. Which shows that the establishment has no control over the employees? We have been visiting this location for many years and we have seen the staff turnover many times. We have never seen or been verbally attacked in such a manner. Respectfully, Sophia Boudreaux:

770-325-1300 corporate offices

You can also reach us via mail. Our address is:

Huddle House, Inc.

5901-B Peachtree Dunwoody Road NE

Atlanta, GA 30328

Comment On This

Again I must address the unfortunate event that occurred at the Huddle House Diner. After reporting the event to you and several other institutions, I only expected to receive correspondence such as your welcomed email and further documentation of the event by several consumer agencies. Unfortunately, I received a call from a person today on my cellular phone that identified herself as Carla, the manager of the Huddle House Diner. She made statements that were simply untrue and very disrespectful toward me and my husband. I was at work at the time and having a hard time understanding what she was saying so I asked if it was ok for me to call her on a land line. She agreed and I called her back. Ms. Carla went on to say, that she did not want me to come back to her diner. She also stated that I was the cause of the problem and that her employee did not do anything wrong and that she tried to avoid my aggressive advances toward her. She said the entire event was on video and it shows that I was the aggressor and I went as far as attempting to attack her employee. These statements were entirely untrue. If this person does have a video of the event, it must definitely not contain an audio of the curse words and slang terminology that this employee used in describing my food allergies. Ms. Carla also thought that I was quite over the top in my demands by asking for a formal apology and two free meals. I actually requested the free meals for my husband because he planned on continuing to patronize the restaurant when ever the lady who we had the encounter with was not on duty. But no thanks, because apparently, the attitudes and behaviors run deep within the staff and apparently the management of this establishment. We as a family have decided that this is not a good family place to dine anymore. Ms. Carla also went so far as to say, "that because of my gastric bypass surgery, I don't come there that much anyway, so I don't eat that much anyway. My husband is welcomed but not me." I asked her what difference does it make if I order food and my husband eats it, either way we pay and patronize the restaurant? We do not want anything from you guys. All I want is to be left alone. Please inform Ms. Carla and her staff not to contact me anymore about that encounter, it is the past. I do appreciate you responding to our pleas for justice. I do understand management standing behind her staff for right but not for wrong. Ms. Carla was not there and she does not know or can understand what happened. It was totally uncalled for and it should now end. Many of the employees there are great and good at what they do, but all of a sudden it seems like the good people have left and a lot of people who really don't care about customer retention and quality product are hanging around killing the business. Respectfully, Sophia Boudreaux