This is the letter I wrote to Dunkin Donuts detailing my experience of discrimination at this store.
I would like to preface this correspondence with the fact that I have lived in West Haven for over 15 years and I have been a customer at this particular store since I have lived in Connecticut. I recently visited your West Haven store on Captain Thomas Blvd and had an extremely disturbing experience. Upon ordering we received a very condescending and arrogant comment by a sales associate named Dave that my fiancé and I spoke very good English without an accent. We informed him that we were both born in the US and he again commented on how we still speak with no accent and how he finds that surprising. I find this to be a very ignorant remark based on the color of my skin. He assumed that since we are not what he thinks of as an "American", that we would have an accent and speak differently than he does. This is an offensive remark in and of itself. When I later asked another associate named Angel what this sales associate's name was, she asked why and I told her I was not sure why the cashier felt the need to point out that I spoke without an accent and she proceeded to become very defensive and turned vulgar in her language. The managers, Pam, had to ask her to the back room as she continued to gesture and scream obscenities at us and told my fiancé and me to go back to our country which happens to be the United States of America. I explained the situation to the manager and Angel appeared from the back room for a second time, threatening both of us and screaming obscenities and again had to be asked to go into the back room.
I have never been this blatantly discriminated against or treated in such a vulgar way by any business establishment. I fear Dunkin Donuts is not steadfast in their commitment to customer service and human decency if such people are allowed to work and represent their establishment. My fiancé and I are hard working, educated, and civilized citizens of the US and expect to be treated with respect when we walk into a Dunkin Donuts store. My fiancé is a Yale University Alumni and Faculty Member and we intend to take this issue to the Yale community as we continue to speak out against such deliberate acts of discrimination. Not only were both of your associates Angel and Dave very discriminating, Angel took it one step further and was threatening and rude. I attribute Dave's behavior to sheer ignorance and I think Angel also falls in the same category with added aggression and vulgarity. These are two people I hope never again to have contact with and it is a shame that I will no longer patron this Dunkin Donuts again due to their behavior. I have an established voice in the West Haven community and I plan to spread the word in print on the ill treatment that is allowed in this particular Dunkin Donuts establishment.
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