Pizza Hut Eats Humble Pizza

Discrimination against disabled: Outlet eats humble pizza

Priscilla Prasena | October 30, 2013

A disabled man claims he was discriminated by a pizza outlet as they told him that it was not their policy to allow wheelchairs in.

PETALING JAYA: All he wanted was to treat himself with a pizza, but the disabled man was told that he might not be able to enjoy his meal if he is on a wheelchair.

“It takes Pizza Hut a lot to tell a disabled person that he should feel lousy about his disabilities,” said Anthony Thanasayan, who is also a MPPJ councillor and a well-known activist fighting for the rights of the disabled.

Thanasayan, 53, who was accompanied by his friend, visited the Pizza Hut outlet in MidValley shopping mall on Monday and chose his own place to sit and enjoy his meal, when he was instead offered another place to sit, claiming that it was their company policy not to allow wheelchairs into the premises.

“The restaurant manager asked me to leave my wheelchair outside and walk into the restaurant as she claimed it was their outlet’s policy,” he said.

Pizza Hut management has however rejected claims that their story manager practiced discrimination against the disabled, adding that it was against their policy. They met Thanasayan this morning and apologised to him.

Thanasayan however does not buy into the explanation given by Pizza Hut.

Speaking on behalf of the disabled, Thanasayan questioned the manager on how could a disabled person walk-in if he does not have both legs.

He added that during the fiasco, even the shopping mall’s customer service representative who had rushed to the incident, heard the manager asking him to walk into the restaurant.

Thanasayan, who had been on wheelchair for the past 10 years said: “I struggled for years with disability not to be told by Pizza Hut that I am not good for their pizza’s.”

Apology from Pizza Hut

“I met with the top management people this morning that showed their concern and they apologised unconditionally, while offered to help combat discrimination,” he said.

Thanasayan said the Pizza Hut management denied the allegations made against the outlet manager, claiming that her intention was only to offer him a better place to sit.

“Why will one make a fuss and lodge complains if we were offered a better place to sit and served better,” he ranted.

“I hold them responsible for whatever has been said by the manager as it shows that she lacks training,” Thanasayan added.

Thanasayan, who is a MBPJ is in charge of issues related to the disabled, advised Pizza Hut management to conduct training for its staff on handling the disabled.

“They must understand that we are also paying customers and not patronising the outlet for charity,” he said.

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