Three-year-old William Bancroft was excited to go to IHOP for the first time and knew exactly what he wanted – pancakes.
The little boy was born without arms and is used to eating his food with his feet.
As the manager watched William use his feet to pick the syrup bottle up he approached his family’s table.
What he said next has sparked complete outrage and forced the huge breakfast chain to apologize.
It was the first time three-year-old William Bancroft and his family went for breakfast at IHOP.It was a Saturday morning, and William wanted pancakes. William, from Arkansas, eats his food the only way he knows how, with his feet.
“That’s all he knows,” William’s mother, Alexis Bancroft, told the local station KARK.
His mom Alexis Bancroft makes sure he always washes his feet before eating, and this time was no exception.
But when the manager approached the family’s table he told them that the boy was raising concerns about the health code, according to The Washington Post.
William, who was born without arms, was sitting on the table and touching the syrup container with his feet.
But before he could eat, a manager at the franchise in Hot Springs, Ark., told William and his family that the boy was raising concerns about the health code.
Alexis Bancroft was forced to leave the restaurant with her family and is now taking action against the IHOP manager.
When the two left their table, a veteran and two women left with them to show their support for the family.
There was also a baseball team in the restaurant and the children were asked if they had washed their hands.
All of them said they hadn’t so one of the adults gave them a syrup container so that they could all touch it as a way to show support also.
Alexis shared her experience on social media and asked if anyone was ever questioned about washing their hands in a restaurant.
She wrote on a now-deleted Facebook post that she and her family left the restaurant without paying for their drinks.
Several servers messaged her that they were deeply ashamed of what happened and completely shocked with their manager
”I just wanted to tell you how deeply ashamed I am of what happened to your child today,” wrote one worker at the restaurant.
“Me and a few other servers were completely SHOCKED that our manager did that.”
She has also asked that others join with her in boycotting the restaurant until changes are made to their policies.
Alexis Bancroft told KARK that the incident at IHOP was the first time her son had been discriminated against in a restaurant because of how he has to eat.
IHOP has since apologized, saying the company and its franchisees do not tolerate “discrimination of any type.”
An IHOP spokesperson told The Washington Post that the manager is currently on leave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0-ZrlVcFH4
What is wrong with people, if he had arms I’m sure he would love to use them!
I think William is a little star to be able to use his feet and be independent – you go young man, your going to go far and God bless you!
What do you think of this family’s treatment at IHOP?
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