The Dunkin' Sign Controversy Everyone Forgot About

One of the most uncomplicated items in existence must be the honorable donut. Simple, filling, and irresistibly tasty, the icing-coated and sugar-stuffed rings of heaven are without doubt sculptures of pure perfection. The only time anyone could be angry with a donut is if they'd seen someone else eat one — or they'd just been squashed by a weird, uncontrollable donut of destruction.

That has to be one of the reasons why Dunkin' Donuts has such a genius business model — all it has to do is ensure that donuts are pumped out as perfectly and quickly as possible to fight the incessant cravings of customers. However, despite its devotion to donuts being a gift to humanity, the firm is not beyond causing controversy. While the torrent of online outrage for anything at all is always present, Today reports an unusual occurrence at one outlet of Dunkin' Donuts that caused genuine alarm among its customers and across the internet.

Customers hungrily waiting for food at a Dunkin' Donuts store on West 41st Street in Baltimore were shocked to discover an aggressive sign asking them to call out staff members who spoke using a language other than English, according to Boston.

Today details the sign as stating that any member of staff heard to be shouting in a non-English language should be reported to a phone number — and that the caller could receive "a coupon for free coffee and a pastry." This naturally received the wrath of social media, with many commentators noting the discriminatory, hostile, and unethical suggestions of the message.

A statement released to Boston confirmed that the national Dunkin' Donuts brand had distanced itself from the scandal by apportioning blame for the incendiary sign to a general manager at the Baltimore branch. The company added that the sign was removed after the public protests.