A Dunkin’ Donuts store in Baltimore is under fire after it offered customers a reward for reporting employees who weren’t speaking in English.
‘If you hear any of our staff shouting in a language other than English, please call 443-415-7775 immediately with the name of the employee,’ the sign read.
It also promised that those who reported employees by name would receive ‘a coupon for free coffee and a pastry’.
A Dunkin’ Donuts in Baltimore is under fire after it posted a sign (pictured) offering customers a reward for reporting employees who weren’t speaking in English
The sign was posted on Twitter by WBAL reporter Gillian Morley and quickly received a firestorm of criticism
The phone number belongs to a former general manager at the store, who told WBAL that it was an old sign.
But the manager did admit that he had put up a similar sign at the store in the past and that it had received complaints from customers.
And plenty more were upset about the sign after a WBAL reporter posted a picture of it to Twitter on Monday.
‘I guess @dunkindonuts is cool with racism. Hello, Starbucks,’ one person wrote.
‘When should we expect the “Buy One Donut Get One Free…If You’re White” promotion? and will it be a national thing or just this store?’ another quipped.
‘FYI I will never visit this location again, and I will rethink setting foot in any Dunkin’ Donuts as long as this is the position of your company, or any of its managing employees,’ one person proclaimed.
The sign has since been removed from the Dunkin’ Donuts in Baltimore (pictured above)
Many tagged Dunkin’ Donuts and called on the company to fire the current general manager of the store.
‘Please do something about this and this store’s general manager. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE,’ one person wrote.
And regular customers told WBAL that they were appalled by the sign as well.
‘It’s horrible. It’s the king of thing you can expect in this climate, horrible things like that,’ one customer named Wesley told the station.
Many on Twitter called for the Dunkin’ Donuts to fire the general manager who posted the sign, while others pledged to boycott the company and go to Starbucks instead
Dunkin’ Donuts has since released a statement regarding the controversy and revealed the sign has been removed from the store.
‘Dunkin’ Donuts and our franchisees share the goal of creating a welcoming and hospitable environment for all guests,’ the statement read.
‘The franchise owner has informed us that the sign was posted by their general manager based on her own personal judgment to ensure those standards are being met.’
‘While her intent was to address a customer service and satisfaction issue, the franchisee determined her approach was inappropriate and confirmed the sign has been removed.’