A Regina woman is speaking out after witnessing a disturbing event at a local restaurant.
Sheree-Ann Sadler went to the Avonhurst Subway for lunch last week, when she noticed a homeless man walk up to the counter and ask for something, only to be denied by the staff.
On his way out of the restaurant, the man turned to Sadler and asked if she could buy him something to eat, after initially saying no, Sadler agreed.
When she brought the man back into the store, the staff spoke out saying that the restaurant had a strict rule that only allows three people in the store at once and asked the man to leave.
Sadler says the man then thanked her for her offer and ran out of the store. After the man left, the staff said nothing about the three-person limit.
At that point, she wondered if the rule was only being applied to the homeless man.
According to Sadler, a woman and her three kids came into the store shortly after, and still, nothing was said.
Once at the counter, Sadler decided she was going to say something.
At the counter, she told the employees that they should be “ashamed of themselves” and told them the way they spoke to the man was “outrageous”.
After speaking out, the employee decided that they weren’t going to serve Sadler anymore, tossing out the sandwich she ordered. Sadler then pulled out her phone and shot a video that would later go viral.
Sadler said she posted the video because she wanted to let everyone know what was happening at that location.
“If there’s a three-person rule, that is completely fine, totally enforce it,” said Sadler. “But enforce it for everybody, don’t just enforce it because somebody’s homeless. That’s discrimination.”
She says, despite all the positive feedback she has gotten on the post, she wants people to focus on the homeless man.
“I can’t imagine how embarrassing it must have been to be single out like that, and basically being told to leave the store,” said Sadler. “He’s still a person and all he wanted was something to eat. You’re already down in society right now, you’re going through hardships, and to have a member of society kick you while you’re down essentially, it’s heartbreaking.”
Sadler says, as a Christian, her main goal is to spread as much love as possible, and that during this pandemic especially, people need to help each other out.
She says that she has filed formal complaints to Subway International and hasn’t heard anything back. She adds that she will never go back to the Avonhurst location.
Sadler says that she hopes that one day, she will be able to reconnect with the homeless man again.
In a statement, Subway said “It does appear that enforcement of the 3 customers limit was inconsistent on this occasion, and we apologize to those involved.”
The restaurant has put up new and larger signs to help better communicate the policy, and reviewed the importance of consistency in the application of this rule with staff, as well as that of clear and respectful communication with all their guests.
