SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco restaurant says it eliminated an employee who left a racist note on a customer’s receipt. That client told KTVU she was visiting the Bay Area from the East Coast when she received the disturbing letter. The eatery told KTVU that it acted quickly.
A family trip to California was ruined by what one family claimed they saw on their receipt from Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen in San Francisco’s Mission District on Monday afternoon.
Whitney Washington stated that after ordering lunch, her family sat down to await their order and reviewed the receipt. “My daughter is the one who notices what’s written in the upper right-hand corner. “Here’s the N-word,” said Washington.
Washington and her family verified other diners’ receipts and determined that they were the only ones in the restaurant whose receipts included the racial epithet. “We were the only Black people in the restaurant,” explained Washington. “She showed us her receipt, and in the same spot where ours said ‘here the N-word’ hers only said ‘here.'”
Washington stated that she returned her lunch and requested a refund and an explanation. “I pointed to the ‘here N-word,’ and I said ‘Do you know what this means?'” according to Washington. “He didn’t say no, he said ‘I don’t know how that got there.'”
Washington stated that the employee grabbed the receipt from her, but not before she was able to photograph it. She also stated that when she requested to speak with management, he informed her that no manager was on duty.
On Tuesday, a manager at the restaurant stated that she knew about the incident shortly after it occurred and responded immediately. “I am so glad that I can speak with you to resolve this issue,” said Vena, a lady who was described as a manager. “Because it’s unacceptable.”
“We fired the employee immediately. “I had no idea what was going on,” Vena stated.
The manager also stated that the former employee provided no explanation for his behavior and that when she fired him, he attempted to turn the tables. “Fired him, pay him in full everything, and he was going to sue me,” Vena informed me. “But I say, ‘Come!’ I have it in writing.”
Washington and her family flew back to Maryland after the event. She claims that after thinking about what happened, she is more shaken than when she originally witnessed the insult. “I know some people use that term culturally, interchangeably,” Washington explained. “That’s not a term I use at home. I don’t use that word, neither do we, and no one calls us that.
San Francisco police verified to KTVU that they had received a report regarding the racist statement. At this moment, it is uncertain where things will go next.
Washington believes that, while her experiences have shocked her, she has also witnessed San Francisco’s beauty and diversity. She adds that when confronted with racism, she felt compelled to speak up and fight.
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