DES MOINES — Two former doughnut franchise employees were fired after refusing to serve a Des Moines police officer, the shop’s corporate headquarters said.
Sgt. Paul Parizek, a spokesman for the Des Moines Police Department, said he was refused service over the weekend at a local Dunkin’ doughnut shop because he’s a police officer, television station KCCI reported.
Parizek said he asked a woman behind the shop’s counter, “What’s going on?”
“She said, ‘We’re not going to serve you today and you need to leave,’ ” Parizek recounted.
Corporate Dunkin’ officials sent a statement to KCCI saying the Des Moines store’s franchise owner fired two employees over the incident and had contacted police to apologize.
“The employees’ behavior is not consistent with Dunkin’s goal of creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for all of our guests,” the statement said.