00:07I still can't believe you got the VP position you've been working toward this
00:11for years I know it still doesn't feel real it's real and we're gonna celebrate
00:16properly tonight this place has great reviews I hear good evening ladies
00:23welcome to Marcello's it's a beautiful evening for good evening we have a seven
00:27o'clock reservation under Elena Johnson Johnson you said yeah seven o'clock not
00:34seeing anything under that name that's impossible I made the reservation three
00:38weeks ago well I don't see it here let me show you here here confirmation email
00:47reservation number four seven eight two seven p.m. tonight for two guests well
00:52there must have been a system error at our end these things happen with online
00:56reservations sometimes a system error yes unfortunately we're completely
01:01booked tonight every table is taken there's empty tables right there those
01:07are reserved they'll be filled shortly we have our reservation we reserved one of
01:12these tables as I explained there was a system error I apologize for the
01:17inconvenience there's nothing I can do about it now there's another restaurant
01:21down the street casual dining it might be more accommodating to your needs excuse me
01:26what do you mean by more accommodating I just mean they might have better
01:30availability no that's not what you meant what needs are you referring to look
01:35I'm simply trying to be helpful this restaurant looks pretty spacious to me
01:38there's plenty of room between the tables I don't see why Elena's wheelchair
01:42would be a problem for anyone it's not about the wheelchair then what is it about
01:47it's about the reservation the system was lost I can't magically create a table that
01:53doesn't exist I know exactly what you're doing I don't know what you're talking about
01:58I've encountered this many times before multiple times actually establishments that
02:03don't want disabled customers because they think it hurts their image makes other
02:08diners uncomfortable it's bad for the aesthetic that's not fair that's a serious
02:12accusation and that's not what this is about at all isn't it you were welcoming
02:18until you saw my wheelchair and then you suddenly just told us our confirmed
02:24reservation didn't exist that's that's a coincidence a coincidence really I would
02:29never discriminate I'm simply telling you we don't have your reservation in our
02:33system and we're fully booked I can't help that you can't help losing
02:37reservation that was confirmed multiple times technical problems happen now I've
02:43explained the situation I'm very busy tonight you know what I'm a food blogger
02:48I have 40,000 followers who trust my recommendations and I'm gonna make sure
02:54every single one of them knows exactly how this restaurant treats disabled
02:58customers are you threatening me I'm promising you if you're gonna be
03:02difficult and make basis accusations I'm gonna have to ask you to leave
03:06you're creating a scene we're creating a scene by asking for the table we
03:11reserved by making accusations of discrimination I've clearly explained
03:15just just let me ask you something just one simple question if I weren't in
03:20this wheelchair right now would you still be turning us away would what our
03:23reservation still be mysteriously missing answer her are they explain the
03:29situation multiple times I need you to respect my decision as the manager and
03:33leave the premises now you won't answer because we both know the truth you know
03:38what I'm not gonna engage in hypotheticals this conversation is over why are you
03:43still here please leave no you know what everyone should know what's happening
03:48here this manager is discriminating against my friend because she uses a
03:53wheelchair we had a confirmed reservation and now he's refusing to seat us
03:57voice down this is a lost reservation nothing more that's not what this is
04:03about and everyone here knows it you saw Elena's wheelchair and you decided we
04:07weren't good enough for your restaurant that's a lie I never said you didn't
04:11have to say it it's written all over your face I just wanted a nice dinner just to
04:16celebrate my promotion I've worked five years to earn I didn't come here to cause
04:22problems or make your life difficult I wanted to be treated like any other
04:27customer is that really too much to ask look I'm trying to help you here you'd be
04:32more comfortable at a restaurant with better facilities for people in your
04:35condition wider aisles accessible bathrooms tables like an atomic are you
04:39serious right now did you you just admitted it you're refusing service based on
04:45Elena's disability no that's not you're twisting my words you're taking him out of context
04:51what context you literally just said she'd be more comfortable somewhere else
04:55because of her condition I was trying to suggest alternative let's go I'm I'm not
05:00gonna beg you or give you any of my money just for someone who doesn't who
05:04clearly doesn't want me here I I have my dignity fine if you want to leave
05:09that's your choice I'm a food critic my reviews reach thousands of people across
05:14three platforms and I'm gonna make sure everybody knows exactly how this
05:18restaurant treats disabled customers your Yelp ratings about to tank hey wait
05:23wait wait just just hold on a second why should we let me see let me see if I
05:28can find you a table okay I'm sure we can work something out maybe there was a
05:32cancellation we didn't notice it's too late for that please just give me a
05:37moment to check I I want to I don't want to eat somewhere I'm where I'm I'm only
05:42welcomed after threatening your reputation that's that's not hospitality that's
05:46damage control it's pathetic watching you scramble now that you realize the
05:50consequences this discrimination will be all over social media by tomorrow
05:54morning Instagram Twitter tick-tock my blog all of it you're misunderstanding the
05:59whole situation please just listen you don't have to do that if this goes viral
06:05the post the reviews I could lose my job this restaurant could be shut down you
06:09made your choice the moment you saw my wheelchair and decided I wasn't worthy of
06:12eating in your restaurant so now you have to live with that consequence I
06:17never said you weren't worthy you don't have to say it move we're leaving just
06:22wait wait please can we talk about this rationally rationally you want to talk
06:27about rational after discriminating against a disabled person wait wait wait
06:33stop what are you doing please don't post anything not yet wait I'm telling the
06:37truth about what happened here that's all but if you post that people will think
06:40they'll think exactly what happened because that's what I'm writing please I'm
06:44begging you I'll give you the best table in the house the one by the window
06:48overlooking the garden three meals tonight dessert wine everything
06:52complimentary so now the table exists I'll make it work I'll move some
06:58reservations around you're only trying to save yourself not because you
07:03actually care about treating Elena with any dignity or respect not true not
07:07true I want to make this right oh god that's fast wow 50 shares in two
07:18minutes people are angry please please take down the post give me a chance to
07:24make this right I'll do anything Mary is simply telling the truth about what
07:28happened if the truth damages your reputation then that's not a problem it's
07:33yours but you're only hearing one side there's only one side when you
07:38discriminate against someone the wrong side look at that this is disgusting
07:43I'll never eat there someone should report them do you want me to read more no no
07:49please stop oh here's a good one my sister uses a wheelchair and this breaks my
07:54heart there are 50 more just like it can't be happening we should go to that
08:00other place I found Bella Vista two blocks away it has excellent
08:04accessibility reviews people say the staff is wonderful you know our
08:08celebration should not be ruined by one ignorant bigot sounds perfect what can I
08:14do please tell me I can fix this you can start by examining why you judged me as a
08:19less worthy person the moment you saw me my in my wheelchair like why you looked at me
08:25and saw my inconvenience instead of a customer maybe this will teach you that
08:29disabled people deserve respect not to be treated as obstacles to your
08:34restaurants image oh that's not gonna be a fun conversation I can't answer that I
08:44can't karma works fast in the age of social media maybe this will teach you not
08:49to discriminate though it's probably too late for your career here you're gonna
08:54answer that are you gonna let it go to voicemail so your boss can leave you a
08:58message firing you hello yes I know that's not exactly what happened there was a
09:05misunderstanding I didn't discriminate they lost your reservation I was trying to
09:09help them find no I know I never said can I explain please let me explain what I
09:16I understand but he went from cocky manager to unemployed bigot in under 30 minutes it's
09:27beautiful instant karma I'm so glad he's facing the consequences but I wish the world didn't
09:32require public shaming and social media campaigns for disabled people to be treated with basic dignity I'm
09:38I'm tired of having to fight these battles I know it shouldn't be your job to educate ignorant people
09:46but I'm proud of you for never backing down you handled this was so much grace I don't feel graceful
09:51I feel exhausted
09:53I know but you stood up for yourself and now he knows he can't treat people that way
10:01please I've worked here for three years yes I understand the liability but but no I have rent due next
10:07week I can't please don't do it wait wait wait please wait I'm begging you it's just a kind of
10:19statement
10:20say it was a misunderstanding I didn't mean to discriminate there was some confusion about
10:24reservation okay I just lost my job I just lost everything it wasn't a misunderstanding it was
10:30discrimination pure and simple you made a choice based on your prejudice you saw a wheelchair and
10:36decided that that person wasn't good enough for your restaurant now you're experiencing the
10:42consequences those consequences aren't my responsibility to fix but I had bills my career is over no
10:49restaurant will hire me after this maybe losing your job will teach you something that clearly
10:54nothing else has that disabled people are not less than not burdens and not acceptable targets for
11:00discrimination I know that I do know that do you because your actions tonight say otherwise
11:09300 shares actually it's 400 now multiple disability advocacy groups picked it up you're trending in the
11:17local area congratulations you're becoming a case study and what not to do my name my
11:25name is attached to this forever should have thought about that before you discriminated I'm ready to
11:30leave let's just continue our celebration properly I've spent enough time and energy with this prejudice
11:38agreed that new place has great reviews and actual human decency
