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Dunkin' Donuts Sign Asks Customers To Snitch On Workers Not Speaking English

The sign at a Baltimore location promising free coffee and pastry to tattling customers was removed after an outcry.
Jim Young / Reuters

A Dunkin Donuts in Baltimore is under fire for posting a sign offering customers coupons for reporting employees shouting in foreign languages.

Gillian Morley, a producer at WBAL-TV, saw the sign Monday morning at a Dunkin Donuts on West 41st Street and photographed it. The sign reads:

“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 to receive a coupon for FREE Coffee and a pastry.”

This sign is being displayed at a @dunkindonuts in Baltimore. General manager posted a sign asking customers to report employees not speaking English. Even offering a reward. #shocking pic.twitter.com/1kUr0lcYuY

— Gillian Morley (@GillianMorley_) June 18, 2018

A Dunkin’ Donuts corporate spokeswoman confirmed that the sign had been posted by the location’s general manager “based on her own personal judgment” to uphold the company’s goal “of creating a welcoming and hospitable environment for all guests.”

The manager’s “intent was to address a customer service and satisfaction issue,” spokeswoman Lindsay A. Cronin said in a statement. The franchise owner, Cronin added, “determined her approach was inappropriate and confirmed the sign has been removed.”

A man who answered the phone number on the sign told a WBAL staffer he was the former general manager at that location. He said it was an old sign. The man admitted he had posted a similar sign in the past, and said customers complained.

WBAL sent a reporter to the Dunkin’ Donuts later Monday, Morley told HuffPost. By then, the sign had been removed.

A man who answered the phone at the Dunkin’ Donuts denied that the sign was ever there.

“We’ve been getting calls on it, but it must be another location,” the man, who wouldn’t give his name, told HuffPost.

The sign inspired lots of comments on Twitter.

But they're allowed to whisper in another language right?? smh 🤦🏻♀️

— mother of one 🐉 🇵🇷 (@madelinedtorres) June 18, 2018

The next @Starbucks
Last l heard WE don't have a national language and a constitutional right to freedom of speech

Now a company can request employees speak English in front of customers

However this gives customers the means to get someone fired if dont like their accent

— Dana S.🇺🇸🗽✌💕😁 (@danas41962) June 18, 2018

wonder why the General Manager didn't put his name on that flyer. Probably just shy.

— truth balloon (@truth_balloon) June 18, 2018

One guy wondered if the sign was some kind of setup.

The more I think about this the weirder it is. Why would the general manager be OK with employees yelling in English? Why would he be fine with them yelling at all? This is weird. We’re going to find out this is something weird

— Alex Olive Era (@alexoliveira) June 18, 2018

You know if some troll wanted to print this and put it on display without anybody in the store knowing… That would make a certain amount of sense here

— Alex Olive Era (@alexoliveira) June 18, 2018
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