A Ham-Handed Approach To Religious Sensitivity

(I am working in a café-type chain that specializes in cinnamon-based, circular baked goods, but we also serve sandwiches, crepes, etc. A woman in a hijab comes up and orders a ham and cheese crepe.)

Me: “Right away, ma’am!”

(I start making the food, then realize she is most likely Muslim, and ham is a pork product, so I go back to her.)

Me: “Ma’am, I’m very sorry but I just wanted to double check: are you a practicing Muslim? Because ham is a pork product and I know that it is prohibited. If so I have no problems making one with turkey or chicken, or even a vegetarian one for you.”

Customer: “How DARE you ask me about my religion? I’m going to file a complaint about this for your discrimination!”

Me: “I’m very sorry. I don’t believe I was being discriminatory. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to eat something you shouldn’t be eating…”

Customer: “I know what I f****** ordered! Just give me my food!”

Me: “Oookey dokey, right away.”

(I finish making her ham and cheese crepe, and bring it to her where she’s seated.)

Customer: “People like you sicken me.”

(After three or so bites, she storms up to me, slams the food down directly onto the counter, yelling at me:)

Customer: “I SHOULD HAVE YOU FIRED FOR THIS! LOOK AT THIS! THIS IS PIG MEAT!”

(After a few minutes of this lady yelling at me, with me apologizing and explaining the situation, the owner (a practicing Muslim from Lebanon) shows up and asks what’s going on. I explain what happened, he then asks the woman, and she immediately goes on a rant in Arabic to him. Another few minutes later, he says two sentences in Arabic to her, she looks extremely angry and storms away.)

Me: “What did you say to her?”

Owner: “I told her that although she does have ears and a brain, she clearly has many years to go before she actually knows how to use them.”

(Needless to say we never saw her again.)