Restaurant Owner Kicks Out Special Needs Child For Using Racial Slurs On African-American Family, Sparks Debate On How To Handle Disruptive Customers With Disabilities

How should businesses handle disruptive special needs customers?

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• June 9, 2023

It's Friday night, and a small mom-and-pop restaurant in the heart of the US is bustling with activity. The aroma of sizzling chicken and mouthwatering seafood fills the air as the place hums with the chatter of excited customers.

The owners, a warm-hearted couple, take pride in their establishment, welcoming people from all walks of life. No matter who you are or where you come from, you're treated like family here.

Tonight, however, the atmosphere takes an unexpected turn. Among the bustling crowd, a family arrives from out of town, accompanied by a special needs child.

The child's loud outbursts and incessant screaming begin to disrupt the tranquility of the restaurant. The owner, ever polite and considerate, kindly approaches the family, requesting them to calm the child as their boisterousness is disturbing the other guests.

But moments later, a shocking twist unfolds. The child's screams escalate, now coupled with offensive racial slurs directed at an African American family sitting nearby.

The atmosphere is tense, and the mother of the child is visibly distraught, apologizing profusely for the behavior. The restaurant owner, torn between compassion and responsibility, makes a decision that will have far-reaching consequences.

Scroll down to take a look at the full details of the story, as well as the verdict of the Reddit community.

Let's dig into the details

OP and their wife run a mom and pop restaurant in the US, which usually has about 300+ clients when filled to capacity

A family came in with a special needs child who was not only loud, but screaming racial slurs at an African American family sitting behind them. Consequently, OP had to walk them out of the restaurant

Apparently, OP's family isn't happy with the way they handled the situation. They are being accused of singling out and embarrassing the family in front of everyone

The post garnered 8.9k upvotes and 1k comments. Let's take a look at some of the reactions from the Reddit community:

"NTA. You kicked them out because the kid was being disruptive and yelling out racist slurs against other customers."

"You made the choice to either make one family leave or have the rest of your clientele leave and you made a smart business move"

"I think you gave the family enough chances and then found a peaceful resolution."

"This sort of behavior should not be tolerated and you did the right thing"

"I feel bad for the family but it seems like this was the best course of action to keep things from escalating."

"I sympathize with the parents of the special needs child...however, as a parent I firmly believe there are behaviors that are absolutely unacceptable"

..

"NTA...The child being special needs didn't influence your decision -- the racial slurs did"

In the end, the restaurant owner reflects on the incident, contemplating whether their actions were justified. Family members argue that singling out the disruptive family was embarrassing and unfair, while others wonder if the owner's approach could have been different.

Nonetheless, one thing remains clear: a line had been crossed that night, staining the inclusive environment the small restaurant prided itself on.

As the days pass, the incident becomes a topic of conversation, sparking debates and prompting soul-searching within the community. Ultimately, the story of this small restaurant serves as a reminder that maintaining an inclusive space requires balancing the needs of all patrons and addressing harmful behaviors when they threaten the spirit of togetherness.

Jesse