A restaurant server who works in the Los Angeles International Airport was rattled after two customers left him a racist message at the top of their receipt.
“No tip for illegals,” read the handwritten note. “Go back to Mexico.”
Guillermo Ortiz, who works at the Panet Hollywood in the Tom Bradley International Terminal, said it was toward the end of his shift on March 21 when he waited on the couple.
“20 minutes after [they left], I opened the checkbook and I found the message, and it made me feel bad,” recounted Ortiz. “I’m not even Mexican, I’m Puerto Rican, but my wife is Mexican – there’s no right to treat people like that.”
Ortiz told KTLA’s Carlos Saucedo that he thought everything had been going just fine with the two customers until he brought out their check.
“The way they were looking at me, you can tell when something is not right,” said Ortiz.
An 18.5% gratuity was already included in the bill, but, as stated at the bottom of the receipt, a customer can remove the tip if they are not satisfied with leaving that amount – which is what Ortiz said he had done.
But then, when Ortiz opened the checkbook, instead of any tip amount, he saw the hurtful, hate-filled message.
“I’ve been working as a server since 2014, and this is the first time this has happened to me,” said Ortiz.
The couple was already gone when Ortiz saw the note, and since they paid in cash, there was no trail left behind to track them down.
“Probably ’cause they saw me, they know I’m Hispanic, they thought I’m Mexican or illegal or I don’t know what they’re thinking,” said Ortiz.
Ortiz said he thinks the current political rhetoric on immigration has emboldened this type of behavior.
“This is happening because of what’s happening with President Trump right now,” said Ortiz. “I think that’s the reason people are acting like this.”
Despite what the customers felt by leaving that note, Ortiz said it does not diminish the work he does.
“I’m proud of what I do,” said Ortiz. “I’m a server; that’s the way I support my kids, that’s the way I support my family.”
Ortiz said he reported the incident to his management and that corporate is looking into it, but that, regardless, he will unfortunately be unemployed by Saturday when that Panet Hollywood location closes for good.
