Video shows Jack in the Box drive-thru worker mocking deaf woman, refusing to serve her

Hope Schreiber
·Writer

A deaf woman in California was mocked and refused service by a Jack in the Box employee after she passed the speaker at the fast-food franchise's drive-thru and went directly to the service window to place her order.

As ReVae Arnaud-Jensen of Campbell, Calif., explained why she was unable to use the drive-thru's speaker and attempted to give her order on Aug. 31, she was berated by the worker. Eventually, her son, Malachi Jensen, started to film the offensive interaction. He told NBC News that he began to record because the interaction is a "common problem" deaf people face.

The video, which Arnaud-Jensen shared on her Facebook page, shows the woman attempting to explain to the Jack in the Box employee that she is deaf. She can be heard saying, "I can't hear" and "You're discriminating."

In response, the worker said, "I don't care. ... Go. Go. Go. Go." At one point, the employee told Arnaud-Jensen to "shut up."

"I was shocked and perplexed," Arnaud-Jensen, who has been deaf since birth and can speak and read lips, told NBC Bay Area.

At the end of the video, an emotional Arnaud-Jensen tried to place her order again. The Jack in the Box employee then seemingly mocks her sign language, laughs and shuts the drive-thru window.

According to Malachi, he and his mother sat for two hours outside the restaurant in the drive-thru until they were finally given their order, as she refused to leave until they were given their food.

"It was my first time seeing an employee acting like that, and honestly I was very shocked. I felt pretty mad too because deaf people very often get treated differently," he told NBC News.

Jack in the Box issued a statement to Yahoo Lifestyle on the incident.

"We do not tolerate the mistreatment of any customers and expect employees to follow all training procedures, be respectful, courteous and accommodating to all guests," the company said. "After a thorough investigation of the incident and direct contact with the local franchise owner, we understand the employee in the video has been terminated."

Arnaud-Jensen did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment but told NBC Bay Area she intends to sue.

"It's not only training ... You need that depth of knowledge of deaf culture to fully understand the needs,” she said.

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