Toddler asked to leave restaurant for 'squeaky' orthopedic shoes

Toddler Asked to Leave Panera Over Noisy Shoes

The father of a 2-year-old girl with medical issues who was asked to leave a Panera Bread restaurant because the noise of her shoes was bothering a customer says the family was “shocked” by the restaurant’s actions.

“The employee and the manager knew what we’d been going through with Emma because she and my wife go there so frequently, Stephen Duke told GoodMorningAmerica.com. “They knew why she had the shoes so that’s the thing that shocked us the most.”

Two-year-old Emma Duke was at a Panera Bread in Savannah, Ga., with her mom, Catherine Duke, on Jan. 2 when an employee told Duke that she needed to either take off Emma’s shoes or leave the restaurant.

Emma suffers from a still-undiagnosed illness that has led to developmental delays, including the inability to walk.

The squeaking noise, according to the Panera employee, bothered a customer, prompting the request that made the mother leave the restaurant in tears.
She was given a choice but still, that had to be upsetting

The restaurant has since apologized for the inconvenience after they filed a complaint with the home office.
Corporate staff also pledged to hold a fundraiser for the Dukes in the coming weeks in which 50 percent of the restaurant’s proceeds on a given night will be given to the family to help offset Emma’s medical bills.

Now then, there will be some posters that will find the negative aspect of this by blaming the mother
So to that, I say that it does not mention in the article if the toddler was running around, disturbing the customer or if they had just walked in-- therefore, unfair to lay blame solely on the mother

Regardless, what kind of person would complain about a handicapped kid anyway??
It's not their fault if the special shoes made noise

At least Panera's apologized for the awkward situation

Hmmm, if we can get people removed for 'noises', how about we start with the inconsiderate ones who insist on talking on the damn phone so loud the whole place hears the stupid conversation !!

Now that is grounds for removal in my opinion

reply to post by snarky412


Just the society of smug and pretentious pri***s

They think anyone less then themselves are disgusting and bothersome.

Sad.

snarky412


Regardless, what kind of person would complain about a handicapped kid anyway??
It's not their fault if the special shoes made noise

At least Panera's apologized for the awkward situation

edit on 14-1-2014 by snarky412 because: (no reason given)

This is what I thought when I read this. I don't understand how you can complain about something as simple as a little squeak, enough to have the people have to leave. That's ridiculous. Probably some stuck up "im better than everyone" type person.
Sad thing to see. The manager should have explained the child's problem to the other customer. If he didn't want to deal with the sound, he could have left. Not complain and get other people removed who are obviously going through enough problems to begin with.

Why not just throw the complaining prick out! Is it so bloody hard to get it right.

John Cleese style would do.

"What! You want to complain about the little girl's squeaky shoes. Well hurry up and finish, then you pay your bill and leave. Then you don't have to listen to the squeaky shoes and I don't have to sit hear and listen to your whiny stupid voice."

What is so hard about saying that! If everybody took that attitude they would all stop bitchen and moaning.

P

reply to post by pheonix358


It does work both ways doesn't it.

Your avatar works here, LOL

Whilst agreeing that the US culture includes litigation for anything at the drop of a hat. This is one case why the offending company should have its corporate ass blown off.
As for the complainant, move to another part of the premises or better still depart and do everyone a favour.
Agree wholeheartedly with the comment about noisy mobile phone users particularly those that choose to discuss their recently diagnosed or treated medical issues!
Read the post elsewhere about the businessman on the plane and the little girl with autism, that's the true US character coming through...

The "Modern Society" that we've all had a hand in creating, is downright disgusting in my opinion.

reply to post by snarky412


Sounds like it'd be annoying as hell. Good on them for throwing the kid out.

DPrice
reply to post by snarky412

 

Sounds like it'd be annoying as hell. Good on them for throwing the kid out.

You're joking, right? This kid has a problem they can't control. Sorry if you can't move, or deal with a little squeak for a little while you eat. Instead you have to complain and have them kicked out? Seriously? If anything they should have explained the issue to the customer, told them to they can move, or leave. NOT kick out the handicapped kid just because a stuck up customer is unhappy.

The article says she has an inability to walk, soo obviously she wasnt running around bothering people with the shoes like that so im confused why it would be such a big deal? I have a 2 year old and would be disgusted if i witnessed that

reply to post by Havox


agree with you 100% the ortho shoes on this child are the same as leg braces on someone with MS or a person in a wheelchair.

but the child isn't "handicapped" (seems strange to hear that term after so many years of the mor PC but LAME "challenged")
but I guess as yet the victim of a supposed "undiagnosed" condition.

but yeah a 2 yr old kid, with a little sqeauk in they're shoes?

maybe someone was nursing a hang over, or whatver but yeah, you wouldn't ask someone in a whellchair to leave if they're tires were noisy. you wouldn't ask a person wearing leg braces to leave because they're foot falls are too loud or they drag they're feet.

and then you ma have hit it right on the head. someone who doesn't know the quality of mercy or compassion. somebody that is barren of the milk of human kindness. just sad.

If the kid is just sitting there, eating, how are their shoes causing any sort of commotion?

I suspect that, as is almost always the case with these "I am outraged!" stories, there is more to it than we are getting (which is not a complaint against the OP, but rather the original source.)

How much noise can toddler size shoes make. This has to be trivial.

Thank goodness the person complaining wasn't the ex cop in the movie theater incident.

Not enough information, the kid could have been running around the restaurant non-stop for 30min and asked to stop several times before being asked to leave for all we know. Personally i think more places should kick families out who can't control their children, retarded or not.

SO the next time I go in Panera and I have to listen to folks talking to themselves with those ear bluetooth thingies or have to deal with mouth breathers ( Ugh.. that bothers me.. theyre BREATHING my air in and out.. heating up the atmosphere) I can get them thrown out? GO PANERA~!!!

IN reality, this is ridiculous. The mgr should have slapped the complainer and made him/her wear that bread bowl like a hat. If I were going to be fired either way, Id make sure it was for an excellent reason.

Lice00
Not enough information, the kid could have been running around the restaurant non-stop for 30min and asked to stop several times before being asked to leave for all we know. Personally i think more places should kick families out who can't control their children, retarded or not.

Emma suffers from a still-undiagnosed illness that has led to developmental delays, including the inability to walk.

Yeah, sure, the kid was running around for 30 minutes non-stop.

reply to post by snarky412



I'm betting that the parents let her run all around without restraint.
Therefore, the ultimatum from the manager. Otherwise, why?
At two she should have been in a seat shortly after their first appearance into the restaurant.
I suspect that was not the case and the parents don't understand their obligations to society when it comes to what their child should be allowed to do or not. We see it all of the time in stores.

The restaurant intercedes for the rights of others and get slammed with bad publicity. Shame on the parents and any news agency that pushed the story (where it must have been a Hell of a slow day).

She has an Inability to walk it says it right at the bottom of the article that means she is unable to walk!!! how can everyone say she must have been running around etc. maybe moving around on her seat, i know i cant keep my kids still in a resteraunt but given her disabilities i dont think she was running around considering she cant even walk properly! Maybe she was trying to practice when going to the bathroom or something who knows why always assume the worst & blame the parents always the way just blame the parents.