Immigrant NYC restaurant owner mocked by rude customer over accent in viral TikTok: You should speak good English

An immigrant restaurant owner in New York City was mocked for her foreign accent by a cruel customer who told her to “speak good English” in a viral video.The owner of Mamali NYC, Mariam, who is from the country of Georgia, posted the bizarre and unwarranted interaction on the restaurant’s TikTok last week, showing the rude customer upset that he was having trouble understanding her saying the word “bowl.”Mariam, 25, explains clearly — in English — to the short-fused male customer that she’s an immigrant from Georgia and that her English may not be perfect as she works with him to place his order.However, the unidentified customer, seemingly looking to pick an argument, refuses to accept her “excuse” for why he can’t understand her.“You’re working in America, so you should speak good English.That’s not an excuse,” he boldly proclaimed.The customer — whose face was not shown on camera — then asks Mariam how long she has been living in the US, to which she replies four years.“Four years, and you didn’t think to learn better English?” the ill-mannered man rudely questions her.He then became so upset with the 25-year-old foreign entrepreneur that he demanded to speak to another “owner” who speaks “better English.”Mariam explains to him that she’s the owner, which only infuriates the customer further.“Well, I don’t understand what you’re saying, so I’m going to leave you to it,” he impolitely replied in a raised tone of voice.

“Maybe next time you can learn better English.”She then asks him why he’s screaming.“I’m not screaming at you!” He replies, telling her he’s getting upset that her accent is “wasting” his time.“Is it ‘bowl’ or is it ‘bone?’ Are you serving me a bone?” he asks her in a condescending tone.After mocking Mariam further, he tells her to have a “wonderful day” and once more to “go learn some English.”The young restaurant owner wrote in the caption of the vi...