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I am legally assigned a service animal to accompany me everywhere I go by my doctor for certain mental disabilities. I attended a breakfast buffet with my father at a Shoney's restaurant at 5310 Oaklawn Blvd Hopewell, VA on March 26th 2014 around 10:00am.
I went up to the bar with my service animal and made a plate of food. I was immediately approached by the kitchen manager, Tammy Redman, who stated that a customer who claimed they were with the Health Department and stated that service animals are not allowed around the bar.
I asked Mrs. Redman if this person showed any credentials or if she knew them personally, she stated "no" to both questions. I then told her that this is an inaccurate statement, that a legal service animal is allowed anywhere I am. Even around food being prepared for the public. She told me that I was not allowed around the bar with my service animal and that I had to keep the animal under the table while I ate.
I did not eat, left promptly and came home to send a formal complaint to Shoney's Corporate Management. I received a phone call there shortly after from a Jeff Nicklas, who is apparently the Corporate Manager for the Shoney's restaurants in this area.
At the time he called me, I was sitting in the waiting room at the hospital waiting for my mother to have unexpected heart surgery. I stated this to Mr. Nicklas. He continued to ask me about the situation. To which I told him what happened. Without asking me about proper documentation for my service animal he asked me what she is for. I told him what her duties are, to which he replied that she sounds like am emotional support animal. He then told me that my service animal is not really a service animal and that if I just agreed to keep her under the table and not take her around the bar that we wouldn't have any problems. I told him I would not agree to this and that I would be in contact later with him. He told me that wasn't necessary as long as I agreed to his terms because "some of the customers tend to get nervous with a dog in the restaurant.
I then became so upset I had to end the conversation in order to calm myself down.
I in return send another email to Shoney's Corporate office stating how upset I was at the actions of the manager they had call me. To this day I still have not received so much as an apology for what has happened.
I am very disappointed in the way Shoney's has treated me. I fear that the lack of education and training in the Shoney's management and employees will cause other disabled people to suffer as well. I am at a loss. And can only think of seeking legal help at this time. But I am not sure who to turn to.

"I had a problem with my local Home Depot based on a discount I thought I was owed and a Home Depot employee read my review and responded to me directly with a resolution." Chris J.