Dozens show support after deaf woman is refused service at Dunkin Donuts

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — A deaf woman who was outraged by the way a Dunkin Donuts employee treated her is getting support from her community.

Jessica Sanzillo said she's a frequent customer at a Framingham Dunkin Donuts and uses a texting app to order through the drive-thru.

But when she drove up one day, she was refused service because she wouldn't use the speaker.

On Sunday, Sanzillo and several others went through that drive-thru and ordered like a deaf person would.
They hope this sends a message to others.

"To see, to get them the experience of people that work at Dunkin Donuts. To know what it's like for when a deaf person is going to come through the drive-thru and how to approach that better in the future,” Sanzillo told FOX25 through an interpreter Friday.

Hearing people and other who have deaf families members came out to the rally as well.

"As a parent of a deaf child, I would never want William to be excluded from anything and so thinking of him wanting to get a cup of coffee later in life and being told he couldn't go through the drive thru like everybody else really upset me,” one parent said.

Dunkin Donuts did apologize for that initial incident and said the employee involved has been fired.

Cox Media Group