Los Angeles taco stand shuts down after relentless abuse from customers without masks

Record ID: 1560380

  • Title: Los Angeles taco stand shuts down after relentless abuse from customers without masks
  • Date: 2nd July 2020
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JULY 1, 2020) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HUGO'S TACO STAND STREET TO MAN WALKING TO STAND AND LOOKING AT SIGN MAN LOOKING AT SIGN VARIOUS OF SIGN 'OPEN' SIGN OFF (SOUNDBITE) (English) HUGO'S TACOS OWNER, BILL KOHNE, SAYING: "With the increase of business that we've noticed since the end of May, roughly around Memorial Day, came an increase in the confrontation over the masks, specifically these masks. Over the last two, three, four weeks the emotions attached to simply asking people to wear one while they're with us has become really vitriolic and at times, personal, hostile and abusive, really, to people that are already asking themselves each day 'Do I feel confident about coming to work?'" VARIOUS OF HUGO'S TACOS MANAGER, ELLIE ROSALEZ LOCKING UP STAND (SOUNDBITE) (English) HUGO'S TACOS MANAGER, ELLIE ROSALEZ, SAYING: - GIVING EXAMPLES OF BEHAVIOR SHE FACED "Being called names, being thrown objects at us, mocking us, ignoring us - pretty much all of that. Just felt uncomfortable for me and my employers here at the taco stand that we just couldn't take it. All we asked for was for respect." (SOUNDBITE) (English) HUGO'S TACOS OWNER, BILL KOHNE, SAYING: - ON THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK "A lot of it is very belligerent and almost childlike - you can't tell me what to do - and mockery. Five in one hour was really startling to us and I think it was that moment when we began to really consider that we needed to take some time to consider how to deal with this in the most effective way." SIGN READING (English) "Mask required for service" SIGN TO WELL-WISHER SIGN
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2020 22:09
  • Keywords: Coronavirus Hugo's Tacos abuse beliefs closure masks taco stand
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; INTERNET;
  • City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; INTERNET;
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CL4BT53
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:A Californian taco stand chain has closed its doors, after relentless confrontations by customers refusing to wear masks.
    Bill Kohne, the CFO of Hugo's Tacos, told Reuters on Wednesday (July 1) that he made the decision to protect his staff, who were becoming traumatized by the constant verbal abuse.
    "With the increase of business that we've noticed since the end of May, roughly around Memorial Day, came an increase in the confrontation over the masks, specifically these masks. Over the last two, three, four weeks the emotions attached to simply asking people to wear one while they're with us has become really vitriolic and at times, personal, hostile and abusive, really, to people that are already asking themselves each day 'Do I feel confident about coming to work?'"
    Ellie Rosalez managers one of two taco stands in the Los Angeles area that has shut down.
    "Being called names, being thrown objects at us, mocking us, ignoring us - pretty much all of that. Just felt uncomfortable for me and my employers here at the taco stand that we just couldn't take it. All we asked for was for respect," she said.
    The behavior by customers has increased recently, with as many as five verbal attacks happening within one hour.
    After a sign about the closure was posted at the taco stand, Twitter user xfurnx took a photo of it saying "WTF is wrong with y'all?" and it was retweeted nearly 20,000 times.
    Consequently, a GoFundMe page set up to help the workers of the stands has surged, reaching its goal of 50,000 dollars.
    Kohne said "This whole episode that we accidentally created just by posting up a sign on our taco stand has made us aware of the fact that there are people across the country that are having the same experience. They're having the same 'Karen' and 'Kevin' coming in defiantly, saying it's their right to ignore the rules and while this doesn't bring anyone pleasure, it brings you a little bit of comfort to know that there are more people willing to speak up now, that are willing to say 'No. Enough. We have to get ourselves together here'."
    He added "For us, this isn't a policy, this isn't a decision that we've come to. This is part of health code now much in the way that health code dictates how I handle raw chicken and how I keep my kitchen safe. They require us to only serve people with masks so for us it's very black and white but for customers, it's become an entirely different thing so far beyond the scope of choosing to work at a taco stand. It's really time for us to all collectively say 'Enough of this behavior.' We've got to start thinking about the people around us."
    "People turn these masks and the whole episode into something symbolic or it's almost tribal as though it indicates something. It doesn't," he said.
    Now, Kohne is working out how to reopen the stands with additional security for his staff and the well-behaved customers.
    He said "If you'd told me 15 years ago that we would have security at a taco stand, I may have laughed at you but it seems that at least until people have collectively decided to take a breath on this, we're going to need help out front, for sure."
    (Production: Alan Devall/Rollo Ross)
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