McDonald's Manager Punches Customer With Service Dog In The Face [UPDATED] (VIDEO)

On July 12, after customer Jennifer Schwenker brought her service dog and autistic twin sons to a McDonald's in Marietta, GA, manager Tiffany Denise Allen hit her in the face. Schwenker explained that she was legally allowed to have a service dog inside, but Allen berated Schwenker about the animal, claiming that unless her son was blind then the dog was not allowed. Allen followed Schwenker to the bathroom, then punched Schwenker in the face in the parking lot.

Allen was charged with simple battery, simple assault fear and disorderly conduct. She no longer works at the restaurant.

UPDATE: The Today Show has video of the encounter, as well as an interview with Schwenker. Watch the clip below.

Comments

[RK Johnston]

12:41 PM on 09/23/2011

First: Service Dogs are not trained to defend their human companions against assault. That's not their job.

Second: Besides Alsatians (known in the US as "German Shepherds") and Labs, two other popular breeds for service dog are Rottweilers and Pit Bulls (yes, this breed has been successfully trained as therapy/service dogs).

Third: Besides jail time, the now ex-manager of that Mickey D's may be facing prosecution in Federal District Court for a hate crime under the Americans With Disabilities Act, while the chain itself is looking down the barrel of a lawsuit that would be financial-and-public relations suicide to take to court for trial.

Fourth: Before you go beefing off about the victim being disabled? Just know that the person you are belittling today might just be YOU tomorrow! Becoming disabled is like dying--no one knows the moment or the hour it takes you.

There are no winners here in this case...except the judicial/correctional system of that state.

--RKJ

[Joel Kent Melville]

12:16 PM on 09/23/2011

she should have the dog attack the stupid woman for being so hateful. I know would have.

[ThinkCreeps]

06:07 PM on 09/09/2011

Dog was probably the healthiest thing in there.

[Perry Clease]

03:03 PM on 09/11/2011

Sounds like it was also the smartest thing in there.

[ThinkCreeps]

06:05 PM on 09/09/2011

Not much service from the dog - surely a better service would have been to leave a clear identifying bite on the perp-manager-lunatic.

[Mrs RAC]

01:08 AM on 09/09/2011

The 'manager' was off-duty and out of line. Then, to top off her already disgusting behavior, she threw the child she was holding (and setting a 'fine' example for) at someone and ran after the woman to punch her in the parking lot?

She needs jail time, anger management, and social services should make regular visits to check on any children she has to make sure they don't suffer from her juvenile lack of self-control.

[jmartinlegal]

10:39 PM on 09/08/2011

When I was a McDonald's manager, I would follow an unruly customer to the parking lot and give them a roundhouse kick to the side of their head. Effective? Yes.

[kareemachan]

12:14 PM on 09/09/2011

How funny.

Not.

[ThinkCreeps]

06:03 PM on 09/09/2011

That would be only marginally more damaging to the poor guy than the `food' you were serving.

[BlueCollarChick]

09:06 PM on 09/08/2011

Now if the customer had a GSD as a service dog, the manager would have had her face torn off! No one threaten's a German Shepherd Dog's pack and gets away with it. A Lab is only capable of licking someone to death. :-)

I have a strong admiration for the GSD in particular, but since I'm not a person with a disability that needs a specially bred dog, I insist on getting my daily canine kisses from my GSD-mixed, all-American mutt!

[howtowasteyourlife]

08:24 AM on 09/09/2011

Why do you keep calling it a "GSD"? That's weird. Stop it.

[BlueCollarChick]

02:27 PM on 09/09/2011

Because the breed is called a German Shepherd Dog. The abbreviation for it is a GSD. Nothing weird about it. Look it up before making such a ridiculous comment.

[Di Gray]

08:42 PM on 09/08/2011

She punched her in the parking lot. Wow. That means along with following her to the bathroom, she also followed her outside.

Simple battery? Not. There was nothing simple about this. Not only should she have lost her job, she should've gone to jail and been charged with something much more serious.

And for the record, blindness is not the only cause to have a service dog. Epileptics and autistics use them, too.

[kareemachan]

12:16 PM on 09/09/2011

Dear people, paralyzed people, etc. There are many, many uses for guide dogs, Dog bless them!

[kareemachan]

02:19 PM on 09/09/2011

*Deaf*, not dear. Oops....

[whoknew222]

12:27 AM on 09/14/2011

Really, I think assaulting an elderly or disabled person is much more of a crime. I don't think the dogs are trained to be used as protection though.

[Di Gray]

03:04 PM on 09/14/2011

I agree. It is so much worse. I've seen the video where she chased this poor woman out of the restaurant...and this manager was OFF-DUTY! My goodness. I don't know how or why she's getting off so easily.

[Sean Lucas]

06:35 PM on 09/08/2011

I wonder if this lady had a moment shortly thereafter in which it really hit her...

"I'm going to lose my job, and I'm going to jail."

[Marisa Stein]

04:42 PM on 09/08/2011

that poor woman, I hope that manager goes to jail.

[KennebunkportIndependent]

03:50 PM on 09/08/2011

GA McDonalds are not having a good day.  First this; then the dead 80 year old in a Pooler GA McDs'

Company statement:

"The safety of our customers and employees is always a priority," they said in the statement. "We wish everyone involved a speedy recovery."

[kareemachan]

12:17 PM on 09/09/2011

That speedy recovery is gonna be rather difficult for the 80-year old woman....

[BowlingForRevenge]

03:32 PM on 09/08/2011

I'm sorry and I know I'm being harsh but as the mother of a disabled child for the last 17 years WHAT mother/caregiver/parent in their right mind would bring 2 autistic 8 year olds AND a dog ALL ON LEASHES into a MacDonalds?
A self anointed martyr that's who.
In no way shape form or fashion is that a break...for anyone.
In the disabilities world these folks are a dime a dozen.
Mommy needed some attention and she got it.
Sigh.

[Laylahnajwa]

04:27 PM on 09/08/2011

Yes, you are being harsh.

And people are inclined to forgive you when the "I'm sorry" doesn't come first.

[Jacques Steen]

05:41 PM on 09/08/2011

She is NOT being HARSH but TRUTHFUL.

This Hole wants SAINTHOOD.

[Ana OrtizMonasterio Draa]

06:30 PM on 09/08/2011

I very much agree....she is being way to harsh, and judgement.

[Marisa Stein]

04:43 PM on 09/08/2011

guess she thought she could handle it, I wouldn't have brought them inside thought I would have taken them to the play area after going through the drive through

[Cyn de Harven]

02:34 PM on 09/08/2011

She didn't drop that drink. Both women were mouthing off to each other.

No, she shouldn't have punched her in the face.

But, honey, no matter how quietly you speak on video - I'm thinking you weren't exactly being a lady either.

[Laylahnajwa]

04:10 PM on 09/08/2011

No buts.

[fratricide08]

01:52 AM on 09/09/2011

I saw that too. And I'd say that's why the other woman is only charged with battery.

[blackjacki2]

05:20 PM on 09/07/2011

Just go to the 2:00 mark and ask anyone with a background in physics (or anyone with a little common sense) and they will tell you that water was thrown and not dropped.

The odds of accidentally dropping a beverage and its contents flying 10 feet across the room to spray the person you were just having an argument with would have to be 10 trillion to 1.

[O K Ali]

05:18 PM on 09/07/2011

Updated? This story has long went past it's shelf life.

[chesscub]

03:41 PM on 09/08/2011

A McDonalds story being stale? Say it isn't so!

[Decipherer]

03:48 PM on 09/08/2011

But your grammar "skills" not nearly far enough.

[PitBullWoman]

10:06 PM on 09/08/2011

The man is speaking colloquially. When communicating informally such as with e-mail his language style is grammatically acceptable. Y our content is out of order. Perhaps a review of Miss Emily Post's "Rules of Etiquette". Civility is always good form.

[bob40wil]

04:29 PM on 09/13/2011

Ah yes, the obligitory grammer cop. Always on the job, bless you.