‘Most difficult customer ever.’ Deaf woman upset by note on Dutch Bros Coffee receipt

Dutch Bros Coffee has referred to an inappropriate note left on the receipt of a deaf customer in Texas as “unacceptable.”

Ashley Vallejo detailed her recent experience at the coffee chain in a TikTok video, describing her first visit to a Waco location as “a little bit awkward.” She said she can read lips but notes her “voice is not perfect.”

When she received her order, she noticed on the receipt she was referred to as the “most difficult customer ever.”

She said she did not wish for the employee or coffee shop to be attacked but shared the video to spread awareness about the treatment of customers with disabilities.

“We are like you. We try to order food and stuff like that like everyone else,” Vallejo said in her TikTok. “Don’t punish us. Please have a lot of patience with us.”

Dutch Bros Coffee in a statement sent to McClatchy News said the customer’s experience was “deeply disappointing, unacceptable and against everything Dutch Bros stands for.” The company said it addressed the incident internally, but the spokesperson did not go into further detail.

“It’s our hope we can work with her and the deaf community to ensure we always provide an excellent experience and meet the exceedingly high bar we’ve set for ourselves,” the coffee shop said in its statement.

This story was originally published May 25, 2022 at 12:15 PM with the headline "‘Most difficult customer ever.’ Deaf woman upset by note on Dutch Bros Coffee receipt."