Family says Five Guys restaurant refused service due to service dog

July 12, 2021

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – One family says they were discriminated against when they brought their service dog inside a local restaurant.

The family says they went inside Five Guys Burgers and Fries on Columbiana Drive and the manager told them the service dog wasn’t welcome because of the dog hair.

Carlie is a nine pound chihuahua that is a trained service dog because her owner David Davies suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and seizures.

They have their service animal papers although it isn’t mandatory to show your certification according to the American with Disabilities Act.

According to the family, the Five Guys manager said the dog would get hair everywhere.

“I said ‘this is my service animal. I have documentation if you want to see it.’ And she said ‘I don’t give a f’,” said David Davies.

He said the manager got so hostile another employee had to get in between her and Davies.

He started to have a panic attack so the family of seven chose to leave and contacted the corporate office.

“It’s discriminating and it hurts. It’s the only time. I got her in 2016 and this is the first time we’ve had this experience and we’ve had her all over the US. She’s been in Red Lobster and Joe’s Crab Shack,” said Davies.

His daughter is just upset at how poorly she says the manager handled the situation.

“I was more aggravated they were cussing because they were cussing and my 1-year-old was in my arms when she was yelling and coming at me. It was a toxic situation. It really was,” said Kelly Pressley.

We reached out to Five Guys corporate, but they didn’t return our phone calls.

We went inside the restaurant on Columbiana Drive and they said it is under investigation so they can’t comment.

Five Guys corporation offered Davies a fifty dollar gift card, but he wants an apology from the manager and better education on service animals for the Five Guys’ employees.

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