The owner of a restaurant in New York City, originally from Georgia, faced harsh criticism from a customer over her accent in a video that went viral.
Mariam, who runs Mamari NYC, shared a troubling exchange on TikTok last week, revealing the difficulties she faced while communicating with patrons. At just 25 years old, she candidly tells a visiting male customer about her immigrant background and acknowledges that her English isn’t flawless.
The nameless customer seemed intent on creating a confrontation, disregarding her explanation and demanding clearer communication. “You should speak good English because you work in America. That’s not an excuse,” he asserted without hesitation.
As the conversation progressed, the customer, whose face wasn’t visible on camera, pressed her about how long she had lived in the U.S., incredulously saying, “Four years, and didn’t you think you’d learn better English?” His rudeness escalated to the point where he insisted on speaking to another “owner” who he believed would communicate in “better English.”
Mariam responded that she is indeed the owner, which only fueled his anger. “Well, I don’t understand what you’re saying, so I’ll leave you to it,” he retorted in a mocking tone, suggesting perhaps she needed to practice more. His dismissive attitude continued as he quipped about the way she pronounced certain words.
After snickering at her, he wished her a “great day” while implying she needed to improve her language skills further.
Mariam ended by questioning why he was raising his voice, to which he claimed he wasn’t yelling but was frustrated with her speech. His rude comments about her accent only added insult to injury.
The young business owner later expressed her experience in a TikTok caption, noting that while she may have a thick accent and struggle with some vocabulary, she is actively working on improving her English. Since the video was posted, it has gained over 3.5 million views.
Many viewers criticized the rude customer, with some commenting on how her English was better than that of many native speakers. “Your English is perfect! Remember, he can only speak one language,” one user remarked. Another added, “In New York City, we embrace those with accents,” emphasizing the city’s multicultural nature.
Following the supportive response from viewers, Mariam recorded another video thanking everyone for their kindness. “A few days ago, someone laughed at my accent, and now countless people are showing me love and support,” she shared tearfully, expressing her gratitude.
Mariam, who came to the U.S. from Georgia to pursue her studies, fell in love with New York City and ultimately chose to invest in her restaurant, Mamari NYC, located in West Village. Her establishment creatively combines Australian coffee with delightful Georgian comfort food and inventive cocktails.
