We've been loyal customers to this location for 5 years since purchasing a home in Newport. We stayed with this location through Covid and supported them. Today, my 3 year old son needed to use the restroom and like a typical 3 year old didn't give me much notice. There are 2 single stall restrooms and the only one available had "employee restroom" written above the handle. Afraid that my son couldn't wait and would have an accident, we opened the door to use the sacred restroom and I heard "that is for employees only" in a nasty tone coming from the front window where an employee was sitting with another writing on the menu board. I said "I'm sorry he really has to go and he's only 3" and went inside. The whole time we were in the restroom the employees talked about how "we can't read" and other slander about us (my son and I) in regards to using their restroom. After finishing, I passed them again and said to her "I heard everything you said about me" and she said "good I don't care" and I said "I'm thinking when you have kids one day you'll think back to this moment and think differently about how you handled it." After this, I retrieved my coffee and asked for a manager. When I politely spoke to the manager about what happened to me and my son, she supported the employee and did not apologize. She said it's for sanitary reasons that we are allowed to use their restroom. I replied to her "are you saying that my 3 year old using your restroom could cause you harm?" And she said "you should have asked permission before allowing him in" and again did not apologize for our treatment by her employees. I left in shock and cannot believe this is how our relationship with Empire has now ended. I cannot support a business that treats their customers this way, especially an innocent child. I'm honestly appalled.