Subway Customer With Guide Dog Denied Entry, Brand Promises To Educate Staff

Customer Allegedly Denied Entry From Subway As Guide Dogs Are Not Supported By MUIS

Update (15 Aug): According to a Subway spokesperson, the restaurant chain has since apologised to the affected customer.

Ms Soon will also be joining folks from Subway for a “training opportunity” to help others better understand guide dogs.

Subway says it is an “inclusive brand” and welcomes customers of all abilities.

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Guide dogs are specially trained canines who help visually-impaired individuals with their daily lives. Given the vital role they play, they’re allowed in public places like food establishments and even public transport.

On Thursday (13 Aug), however, a female customer named Ms Soon was allegedly denied entry to the Subway outlet at Kallang Wave Mall as she was accompanied by her guide dog. A short clip documenting the exchange at the outlet was uploaded on Facebook.

Subway Singapore has apparently reached out to the customer via Instagram and said it plans on educating their staff moving forward.

Customer with guide dog seen in Subway outlet

In the video, a lady with a red haversack – presumably Ms Soon – can be seen holding a handle attached to a brown guide dog.

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She was accompanied by a male companion dressed in a grey TYR T-shirt.

Ms Soon was seen having an exchange with a Subway employee and seems to have requested the staff to make a phone call.

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The staff appears to accede to the request but gestured for the pair to wait elsewhere.

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Customer allegedly denied entry into subway due to guide dog

Ms Soon provided a clearer description of the events that transpired in the description section.

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According to her, a Subway employee allegedly denied her entry to the outlet as she was accompanied by her guide dog. The staff claimed that Subway is a Halal restaurant and that guide dogs “are not supported by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS).

Netizens subsequently shared a MUIS advisory which contradicts this claim.

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Ms Soon also claimed that she was yelled at when she requested the staff to speak directly to her.

Subway reaches out to customer on the same day

Later in the day, Ms Soon shared 2 screenshots showing Subway Singapore’s response to the incident.

In the Instagram message, Subway thanked Ms Soon for highlighting the situation and expressed their concern as an “inclusive brand”.

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They clarified that guide dogs are in accordance with MUIS guidelines and are also permitted in their restaurant premises.

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Subway said they’ll be using the opportunity to “educate their [our] restaurant teams” on how to deal with similar situations and how to render help to patrons with disabilities.

Glad Subway reached out so swiftly

While the situation must have caused Miss Soon some distress, we’re glad Subway reached out to her with such swiftness.

We hope more companies will educate their staff on their guidelines regarding guide dogs, to reduce the occurrence of such incidents.

If you happen to encounter a guide dog in public, here are the do and don’ts.

Featured image adapted from Facebook and Google Maps.