Frustration with McDonald's Mounts...Now a Lawsuit
Thursday July 17, 2008
Been rather busy in my personal life lately, but my mother alerted me to this article about a "hearing-impaired" woman who filed a lawsuit against McDonald's over their refusal to let her order at the drive-through window. So far, that article has 170 plus comments, (Another version was in the Chicago Tribune. That version mentions that she has children who are autistic).
Just last month I had blogged about a deaf man with a similar problem with McDonald's. Now this. And earlier, Karen's problem with Steak and Shake. Update: Karen has filed a lawsuit against Steak n' Shake. When is the fast food industry going to get the message?
Comments
It’s interesting to see so many audist people making the negative comments against Deaf people. It’s too bad that they don’t always get along with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
Bug,
I am tired of hearing against anything as doctor or Mc Donald have a millions of money since they are not friendly and keep going on attack on deaf people who have a disabities inside their body or their children’s health is very serious. Discrimination seem getting worsen!
Deaf Pixie,
I understand your frustration. We need to stand and be strong. Don’t let them win. They are the ones who are really deaf to our voices, our needs, our language, and our culture. If the life bites, bite back.
DS is deaf (CI) and autistic…i am hearing. I haven’t had this problem- but there is a simple solution…. well maybe not sooo simple… but just sit there and don’t leave. It works;) i’ve done it. long story- but i was told they could not meet my needs- but when I just sat there what could they do but meet my needs…i can be stubborn and there was quite a line forming LOL! i hear plenty of stories about kids (autistic) not being welcome in restaurants. to be quite frank- I think it is a two way street on that one- I do not want to be a disruption but also think folks need to be tolerable of children unless you are in a fine dining establishment.
I’ve never expected anyone to kiss my a** because I’m deaf. I hold my head up high and walk inside, not hard. Get real.
Why in the world is it that some of the deaf feel they need to be treated specially? As a senior who now has 90% hearing loss that cannot be corrected, I’ve been on both sides of the fence. I can still talk, and a simple explanation of my problem always has a positive outcome. Sure, I get frustrated but that is MY problem. As the person above said, get real. Life is full of problems, and everybody has some.
Older and a Little Bit Wiser!
I have never had a problem with drive thru. I just drive up to the window and tell them I am deaf and have to worder this way. Its always fine and never have a problem. I do usually go inside, even though it is an inconvenience because others in the drive thru line may not understand and get mad someone just drives up. You have to tell people up front that you have a disability and you would be surprised of the positive response and help you can get. I also try to offer a way to help them. For instance, order fast and have money ready. Think outside your ears.
It can very frustrating not being able to have some understand you but as a hearing person who went deaf then received a implant. The few times I had a real problem are when I was in a fast food place. This is because these places do not take the time to educate there employees on good public relations.
I would just take a extra minute and go into the resturant and order the food. You people out there are making a “mountain out of a mole hill” Please get real! There are other issues that are more impportant than ordering fast junk food from your car!!
We have to understand that the food services need time to prepare and is why they don’t like taking orders from the windows. We deaf people wouldn’t like it if hearing people did that; it would take real long.
Best thing is : if we only want fries or a drink or something simple or that they have ready then the food service should serve us. If we want a lot that needs to be prepared,then we should write our order hand it at the window and drive around again to pick it up.
Lines are not usually long and if notpre ordered
The principle is that people will not accommodate unless challenged. It may be as simple as a ramp or a little more complicated such as a pushbutton menu as an alternative to voice ordering.
Otherwise, the attitude will prevail that people with disabilities must go to the back of the line and that able people have no obligation to them at all because it takes more than average effort.
This attitude was in fact the rule during the early part of this century and existed along with racial segregation laws. Those people who said “get real” and expect people to come inside are expecting us to accommodate the able, not the other way around.
I have not had a problem with my local drive throughs. I can hear enough to know when they are ready for my order,(noise coming from the speaker) or else the screen lights up and I say I am deaf and coming to the window. I then tell them at the window what I want. I have also just driven up to the window and said I am deaf and given my order. I know what I want ahead of time and have the money ready. Just as a thought I generally don’t go late at night and I live in a fairly decent section of town. I have not had any bad experiences with drive-through windows, but other places and times, OH yeah!
I have a sister who is hearing impaired. Its not the initial reaction (of the people with no disability) to her impairment that bothers us but the callousness of the people who are aware of her condition and who had been physically interacting with her but still treats her badly.
These people should also be aware that while some deaf people get through with their lives thru strength and determination – there are also some who not fortunate enough to get help and are sensitive about the misfortunes they have encountered.
Please – people with disabilities have feelings too!