It’s important that we talk about the message that was left in place of this server’s tip
Sadly, we’ve heard all too often about the story of a server being snubbed on his/her tip — and in cruel ways, such as leaving messages like “find sour cream” and “LOL, one hour for food” in the gratuity line. But recently, a waitress was left a “tip” that went beyond cruel. It had nothing to do with her service. It had nothing to do with how long it took for the kitchen to cook the food. It had to do with her ethnicity.
The waitress, who is from Thailand and in the U.S. legally on a visa (but hopes to get a green card), was working at Bamboo Thai Bistro in Redondo Beach, CA on November 11th. One of the customers she was serving was Jason Paul Naglich. A 15% tip on his $22.84 bill would have been $3.43, but instead, he wrote “Tip for U.S Citizens Only” in the gratuity line.
“It was really bizarre,” the owner, Adison Karnsomport, told Daily Breeze. “She thought she did something wrong. She is one of the best workers here.”
By the time anyone discovered the cruel hate message, he had already left. But now, the Internet is rallying for the server, and making it very clear how they feel about this customer and his message. Although Karnsomport nor the server shared the picture online, it somehow was posted, and went massively viral when YouTuber Gina Darling posted it on Facebook.
Ever since, thousands have been taking to social media to share the man’s name to publicly shame him for his unacceptable behavior.
The restaurant has also received money from others who heard about the note and wanted to give back to the hard-working waitress. One left a 50 percent tip to “make up for the poor attitude of that other gentleman,” while another left $10 with a note reading, “Sorry you had to deal with that sad man.”
“Just to write a note like that is just plain rude,” server Chris Gomez, who works with the waitress, told NBC Los Angeles. “I’m 6 feet tall and about 250. But that [note] would still hurt me.”
We’re so happy the waitress has been receiving an outpouring of support and kindness after what she had to endure, but it’s still so essential to talk about this man’s note — and the stark racism behind it. Xenophobia is, sadly, still an issue that’s pervasive throughout our culture, and it’s fueling acts of hatred towards innocent people like this waitress.
We need to keep this conversation going, because although Jason Paul Naglich is likely going to get an earful from the Internet, there are thousands of others like him that are in dire need of education and a fresh perspective on these matters.
(Image via Twitter.)
