Do disability exceptions equal unfair treatment?
I’m a restaurant server and had a messy late shift situation a couple nights ago. A 30 something pair walked in around 2 a.m. When I took their order, the husband said his wife’s autistic, so her food needed separate plates. So I noted that.
She asked for a kids’ meal, but our policy only lets kids get those. I explained we could make the same food for adults, just $1.50 extra. He agreed, so I sent the order to the kitchen. Homecoming weekend had us swamped with big groups. About 20 minutes later, he flagged me down and said his wife was having a panic attack, and they just wanted to pay for drinks and leave. I said I’d tell the kitchen to cancel, but the food was already done so I had it boxed.
I went back, told them the food was ready to go. She said her panic attack meant she couldn’t eat it. I felt bad, but said they still had to pay for the food. She argued and said I should’ve noticed her “medical episode” but I told her I’m a server not a medic. If she’d been on a stretcher, I’d make an exception but she was talking to me fine. Today, corporate got a complaint saying I discriminated against her autism. But I’d do this for anyone, making an exception only because she’s disabled feels like real discrimination. Was I wrong to stick to the rules for everyone?
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