A server responded to a negative review from a customer who said their dog was mistreated during a recent visit to the restaurant, leading to questions about whether a restaurant should have a “dog menu” and whether dogs should have jalapeños.
The TikTok video exploring these issues came from New York City-based creator Dean Redmond (@deanredmonds), who ranted for a minute and 18 seconds in front of a screenshot of a two-star Yelp review from a user named Elliott advocating on behalf of a dog named Missy.
@deanredmonds Replying to @Amy #greenscreen sorry we don’t have a dog menu #restaurantreview #serverproblems #dogsoftiktok #serviceindustry #servicedog ♬ Spongebob Tomfoolery – Dante9k Remix – David Snell
After acknowledging the current air quality in NYC by questioning why people don’t have better things to worry about “while there’s fires going on,” Redmond launched into Elliott’s complaint. The customer’s primary concern was that he and his dog Missy were “discriminated against” for not being seated in the dining room after he couldn’t provide proof Missy was a service animal.
“Brother,” Redmond said, “I’ve worked at literally four different restaurants in the span of five years. In every single place, I was told that if we don’t have identification that it’s a service animal, they cannot sit in the dining room.”
Elliott complained about being seated outside where it was “cold,” though Redmond maintains it was 80 degrees. He was also unsatisfied with the options for Missy.
“He literally asked me for a dog menu,” Redmond shared. “Like, where else is there a dog menu? And if there is, just go there, please.”
Redmond then refuted Elliott’s charge that “Our server made no effort to accommodate her or show compassion” with, “I literally pet her, she wagged her tail, so, lie again.”
After the refutation, he addressed his discussion with Elliott about feeding Missy jalapeños, which Elliott maintained was a regular part of Missy’s diet. “I need some like veterinarian to stitch this and tell me that these animals can not eat jalapeños because this man was feeding her bunches of jalapeños,” he says. “Like, wouldn’t that make her have diarrhea? I don’t know.”
A number of online pet sites state dogs should not eat jalapeños. Pettable notes, “Jalapeños may cause gastrointestinal problems in dogs due to the presence of capsaicin. Though not toxic, ingestion can lead to stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting. It’s best to avoid feeding jalapeños to your furry friend and opt for dog-friendly treats instead.”
Elliott ended his review with the assessment that while the food was good, the restaurant failed him for not being “dog friendly.”
In the comments section of Redmond’s video, viewers agreed with the creator’s judgment that dogs shouldn’t have jalapeños.
“As a current vet student, jalapeños can actually burn through dogs stomachs and service dogs can’t eat normal people food,” said one commenter.
“Dogs are definitely not supposed to have jalapeños. Or anything spicy,” a second agreed.
However, many commenters pushed back on Redmond’s request to see proof of Missy’s service animal status.
“I was told it’s against the law to ask for identification for service dogs,” one viewer said.
Others shared their interpretations of the Americans with Disabilities Act ruling on service animals: “When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.”
New York state law appears to back Elliott’s assertions on being inside a dining room with Missy, per the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets guidelines.
Still, that doesn’t mean commenters sided entirely with Elliott. As one observed, “Not somebody literally rating someone’s business based on DOG friendliness. I love my dog more than life but how are you gonna do that.”
The Daily Dot contacted Redmond via TikTok comment for further information.
