Deaf Customer Sues Taco Bell For Discrimination, Claims She Was Denied Service

A New Jersey is suing Taco Bell for discrimination, claiming that she was denied service at two separate drive-thru locations because she’s deaf.

According to the lawsuit filed in the United States District Court of New Jersey this week, the woman claims she was discriminated against “and treated rudely” at two separate locations when she wrote down her order and passed it to employees at the pick-up window.

The woman claims she was “berated” by a manager before receiving her food at one location on Jan. 11. Then on March 15, her lawsuit says she attempted to use the drive-thru at another spot but was refused service entirely without any communication from the staff.

“Through this discriminatory treatment, she learned not only that Taco Bell restaurants are inaccessible to deaf individuals, but that Taco Bell employees and managers are inadequately trained and improperly informed about the communication rights and needs of deaf people,” a representative for the customer said in a statement provided to Eater.

The lawsuit says Taco Bell violated the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, which says businesses are required to provide goods and services and “make reasonable accommodations” for individuals with disabilities. She also references the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, which again, says businesses can’t deny service to those with disabilities. She’s seeking a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages.

We’ve reached out to Taco Bell for comment and will update this post when we hear back.

Deaf Customer Sues Taco Bell for Discrimination [Eater]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist