"Dear Owner/Management Team,
I hope you are doing well. As a regular customer of your cafe, I have always admired the quality of your food and the cleanliness of your establishment. However, I felt it was important to share an experience I had during my last visit.
On May 27, 2024, I entered your cafe and encountered an interaction that raised concerns regarding staff training related to discrimination and profiling. While I appreciate the multicultural environment we live in, it's crucial for your team to understand the difference between cultural sensitivity and making inappropriate assumptions.
Here are the details of the incident: when I arrived with my phone in hand, a bilingual staff member addressed me in Spanish, asking if I was there to pick up an order via Uber Eats. I responded in Spanish, expressing my disappointment at being stereotyped based on my ethnicity. Even after clarifying that I was not an Uber driver, the situation worsened when another staff member spoke to me in Spanish while I was inquiring about the menu.
While I value the diversity of your team, it's important to remember that Taziki's is a Mediterranean cafe, not an establishment focused solely on Spanish-speaking or Mexican cuisine. Making assumptions based on ethnicity or language skills is inappropriate and goes against the inclusive atmosphere you aim to create.
I believe it would be beneficial for your staff to receive further training on the distinction between discrimination and profiling, especially for those in direct customer-facing roles. Encouraging open communication and promoting a culture of awareness will only enhance the overall customer experience and solidify the values of your cafe.
I share this feedback in a spirit of constructive criticism, hoping it will help improve your business practices. Thank you for considering my concerns, and I look forward to seeing positive changes in the future.
Sincerely,
Ed Morales"
