By Police1 Staff
NEW YORK — A manager of a Dunkin Donuts has apologized after an employee allegedly refused to serve two NYPD officers.
Two plainclothes police officers with visible badges on their shirts were ignored by an employee Thursday, who asked the customer behind them what he wanted instead, the New York Post reported.
The man ordered then said the officers were in front of him, to which the employee allegedly said “Yeah, I know, but I don’t serve cops.”
The manager said it was all simply a misunderstanding and the officers waited at the counter where customers pick up their food, not where they place orders. The unnamed manager wouldn’t allow The New York Post to see the footage.
“I kept trying to explain that we serve everyone, we have nothing but respect for the police, and that they were standing at the wrong counter. It was busy at the time, and we were busy serving customers,” he said.
Police union President Michael Palladino said that the incident was “disgraceful and it should not go unattended.” Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner James O’Neill both condemned the incident.
“I don’t know the details and I wasn’t there, but if it’s what you describe, it’s someone being stupid and unfair to our police officers,” De Blasio said.
According to the International Business Times, Palladino announced Thursday that NYPD officers and their families would be boycotting Dunkin Donuts until they receive an apology for refusing officers service. The franchise owner has since personally apologized to both officers.
“Our franchises are committed to serving each and every guest with respect and courtesy,” a statement from Dunkin’ Donuts issued on Twitter said. “The franchisee of the Brooklyn restaurant is meeting with the police officer he spoke to earlier this week in person to hopefully bring this to a satisfactory conclusion for all involved.”
Palladino said officers aren’t looking for special treatment, they just want equal treatment.
“I respect the response from headquarters and I think they can use this as a learning process I think from what happened here they should start ordering their franchise to start giving their employees a little sensitivity training and maybe check their politics at the door before they punch into work,” Palladino said.