A popular Ecuadorian restaurant in central Barcelona became embroiled in a controversy over linguistic rights after a customer alleged staff discriminated against and mocked him for speaking Catalan. The establishment, El Ñaño on Carrer de Balmes, has strongly denied the accusations of ‘Catalanophobia’ and announced an internal investigation into the incident.

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The dispute, first reported by radio station RAC1, ignited a fresh debate on social media about the use of Catalan in public life and the obligations of businesses in a city with two official languages. The incident allegedly took place last Saturday, 7 March.

A Customer’s Complaint

According to the customer’s account, the situation began when a waiter, who had initially understood his order in Catalan, later loudly told him to “speak in Spanish” while he was addressing another member of staff. The customer said he confronted the waiter, leading to a heated exchange.

The situation reportedly escalated when a diner at a neighbouring table also began to reprimand him for continuing to speak in Catalan. “What is happening? I haven’t done anything,” the man recalled thinking. “I’m just speaking my language and I’ve received a xenophobic comment against my culture.”

The restaurant’s manager intervened, but the complainant stated she did not apologise. Instead, she allegedly made further jokes about the language and congratulated the customer’s companion, a Venezuelan man, for speaking in Spanish. He also claimed the restaurant did not comply with local regulations, asserting all its signs were in Spanish and that it lacked a Catalan menu – a specific point the restaurant disputes.

The customer then requested an official complaint form (hoja de reclamaciones). He claimed staff deliberately delayed providing it, telling him it might take an hour and that he would not receive their side of the story until the police compelled them. He called the police, but no officers were dispatched. After a 40-minute wait, he was given a form with just two sentences written by the restaurant.

During the wait, the customer confronted the waiter in the restroom. “I told him it is respectable to live and work elsewhere to seek a better life, but respecting and tolerating the culture that welcomes you is the minimum,” he told reporters. He added that if the waiter had a problem with that, he could move to Madrid, León, or his homeland. The waiter reportedly accused the customer of xenophobia in response.

The customer also claimed staff mocked the term ‘Catalanophobia’, with one employee saying she had heard of phobias of spiders, but never that one. After leaving, he claimed to have received two calls from a hidden number, which he suspects were from someone at the restaurant, raising concerns about a potential data protection breach.

The Restaurant Responds

In a statement to RAC1, the El Ñaño group vehemently denied the label of Catalanophobia. The management expressed regret over the incident and confirmed an internal investigation was underway to clarify the facts.

The group highlighted its 25-year history in Barcelona, stating they feel “fully integrated as part of Catalan society.” The statement highlighted that the restaurant celebrates both Ecuadorian holidays and local Catalan traditions, such as the Diada (National Day of Catalonia) and Sant Jordi, as proof of their respect for the local culture.

The management also insisted a Catalan version of their menu was available. As a group of Latin Americans who have experienced racism, they said they are particularly sensitive to any form of discrimination.

“We know perfectly well what it means to feel excluded or treated with prejudice, and we hate to think that someone could have felt that way in our house,” the statement read.

Since the allegations became public, the restaurant has been targeted by negative online reviews, fake reservations, and hostile messages on social media, which they say has had a “considerable impact” on both the business and its staff.

A Wider Linguistic Debate

The incident highlights the sensitive and legally protected status of the Catalan language. Under Catalan law, consumers have the right to be addressed in Catalan, and businesses are required to have signage and documentation, such as menus, available in the language. Bodies like the Oficina de Garanties Lingüístiques (Office of Linguistic Guarantees) oversee the enforcement of these rights.

Disputes over language are common in Catalonia. Recently, similar public debates have emerged over issues ranging from the restoration of Catalan place names on maps to major companies like Nintendo Spain criticised for omitting the language in promotional materials. This case, while involving an individual complaint, reflects a broader societal tension over cultural identity and respect in an increasingly diverse Barcelona.

As an internal investigation is pending, the full facts of the encounter at El Ñaño remain contested. However, the story has already served as a potent reminder of how deeply language and identity are intertwined in the city.