Last updated: September 02, 2010

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Michelle Fonville charged extra $5 for being overweight

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A NAIL salon in Georgia has charged a woman having a manicure and pedicure an extra $5 because she was overweight and could damage their chairs.

Michelle Fonville, 40, of Lithonia, said she was at the Natural Nails salon getting a burnt orange color applied to her fingers and toes, along with an eyebrow wax, when she was presented with what seemed like an excessive bill.

“I said to the clerk I thought I had been accidentally overcharged, I honestly thought it was an error,” she told ABC News.

But then, Ms Fonville said, “when she came over and wrote out the prices she then said, 'I charged you five dollars more because you're overweight'."

Kim Tan, the salon manager, told ABC News' Atlanta affiliate WSB-TV that the chairs in her salon can only hold 200 pounds and cost $2500 to repair.

"Do you think that's fair when we take $24 dollars and we have to pay $2500 in repairs?" Ms Tan said.


"I said to her I'm sorry, but next time I cannot take you."

Ms Fonville said she plans to protest outside the salon later this week.

Ms Tan returned the extra $5, ABC reported.
 

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  • Jeff Albertson Posted at 4:40 PM August 24, 2010

    As a skinny person I have been discrimanated against for years by getting charged the same amount to fly on planes and and to hire bikes when I dont take anywhere near the space on a plane (usually have someone half way over my chair) and still can only toake on 20kg of luggage which is what these people eat in a meal before they fly. Can't stand that they don't get taxed more on more things as they are the single biggest drain on our health system

  • Ali Posted at 4:39 PM August 24, 2010

    @donna pedicure chairs are expensive - they often have built in massagers and all the mechanics to work the foot spa so yes, $2500 seems like a lot of money, but they aren’t your average chair! And to the lady who got charged an extra $5, she should be glad it was only $5 and that she didn’t get humiliated and turned away straight away when it was clear that she could cause damage! I say good on the salon worker! I have no sympathy for overweight people.

  • Tara of Sydney Posted at 4:23 PM August 24, 2010

    Well I think that it's a good move to vocally condemn obesity. Obesity is becoming an epidemic and people turn a blind eye because they think the associated health problems will simply 'happen to someone else & not them. I know if i was publicy embarrassed regarding my weight i'd think twice about that doughnut.

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