Sant Celoni takes on Burger King for discrimination against Catalan
At the Burger King in Sant Celoni, a worker refused to serve a customer in Catalan in January. The situation ignited tempers and brought to the forefront a burning issue: respect for Catalan in a multinational establishment.
The complaint has been accepted for processing by the Catalan Trade Agency, and the City Council is keen to remind that companies must comply with customer service law
The Reaction of the Sant Celoni City Council
The Role of the Language Policy Department
The department has raised an alarm after a worker at the Burger King located in the Sant Celoni industrial area refused to serve a customer in Catalan, demanding that he speak Spanish. Montserrat Sendra, Councilor for Language Policy, was clear: "They must comply with the law." And it is not a suggestion.
According to article 8.3 of Law 18/2017, commerce workers must be prepared to serve customers in any of the official languages in Catalonia, and the City Council has provided resources to the establishment to prevent this type of incident from happening again.
Support for Language Normalization
To assist staff, the Catalan office and courses from the Consortium for Language Normalization have been offered. Language training is presented as key to avoid misunderstandings in a territory where Catalan is a cultural heritage.
The message is clear: not one excuse to ignore the native language of the country where they settle.
The Complaint to the Catalan Consumer Agency: Reactions and Procedures
How It Happened and What the Complainant Says
The case started at the Burger King drive-thru, where the customer, accompanied by his daughter, was warned that he had to speak Spanish. Upon refusal, he asked for the complaint form and formalized the complaint, although the workers tried to dissuade him.
An out-of-place political comment closed the incident: "We are in Spain here, whether you like it or not." Nothing more to say.
The Legal Consequences and the Importance of Complaining
The Control Area of the Catalan Consumer Agency has accepted the complaint for processing and announced it will initiate actions to clarify the facts. If any infringement is detected, measures will be taken to correct illegal practices.
The complainant, who wants to prevent more people from Sant Celoni and Catalonia from suffering similar situations, explains that linguistic substitution is advancing and people are increasingly less afraid to raise their voice.
Legislation That Defends Catalan in Commerce
Law 18/2017 and Consumer Rights
Article 8.3 of Law 18/2017 establishes that commerce workers must be able to serve customers in any official language of Catalonia. This does not obligate speaking Catalan, but it does require respecting customers’ right to express themselves in it.
This is precisely what the City Council and the Language Policy Department demand to guarantee the use and respect of Catalan in the territory.
Law 1/1998 and Corporate Commitment
Article 32 of Law 1/1998 reinforces that companies must be prepared to serve consumers in any official language. This implies not only a right but an obligation for establishments in Catalonia.
If the law were truly enforced, perhaps there would be no such scandal over an order at the Burger King in Sant Celoni.
What will happen now? The Catalan Trade and Consumer Agency will decide if the case warrants sanctions. Meanwhile, the people of Sant Celoni are already clear that language is non-negotiable in their home.
If you want to learn about the tradition and ritual of Holy Week in the area, you can explore the schedule and processions of Holy Week, Good Friday, the holy burial, and Holy Thursday, all celebrations where language and culture go hand in hand.
Burger King, multinationals loaded with anglicisms and hamburgers, now face the reality of Catalan. And it is clear that language is not a trend, it is a law.
