1 /5 Effie Rivas: I am deeply disturbed by what happened to my husband and me at Flanigan’s in Port St. Lucie. On Saturday, after being seated, the server, Nataly, told me the cup I had on the table needed to be taken to the car or placed on the dirty floor. I calmly refused to put it on the floor because it contained sterile medical supplies. I did not explain what was inside to her; she never asked. I walked the cup to the car myself.
After returning, I asked the hosts to change my server and send the manager over. When the manager arrived, I explained that the cup contained medical supplies for my terminally ill husband. The manager immediately became aggressive and hostile. She told me it was against the law to bring outside cups into the establishment, and I explained that it would be against the law for her to deny my husband’s medication, which is protected under the American Disabilities Act. The cup was already gone to the car, but she continued to antagonize and intimidate me, repeatedly coming to our table in a clear attempt to provoke a reaction she could blame on me.
I repeatedly asked her to please calm down and stay away from our table, explaining that her behavior was triggering my PTSD and causing extreme anxiety. She ignored me, clapped her hands while bending over, and spoke directly into my husband’s face, spit flying, despite my clear requests for space. Her actions were discriminatory, hostile, and unlawful, targeting my husband’s medical needs.
Throughout the meal, I had to leave the table multiple times to try to calm down. I experienced a severe anxiety attack triggered by her harassment. Despite her aggression, the rest of the staff, including our server Kilmar, were kind and professional, which made it even more obvious that the manager’s behavior was unnecessary and targeted.
No customer should ever be harassed or discriminated against, especially when dealing with medical needs. Flanigan’s should review security camera footage and hold the manager accountable for her actions. This was humiliating, intimidating, and unacceptable.
