A server at a popular Iowa hamburger restaurant says she’s angry after a customer declined to leave a tip, instead crossing out that section on the receipt and scrawling an offensive message.
Taelor Beeck a server at Zombie Burger in Des Moines, Iowa, is speaking out to local media after she came back to one of her tables to find an offensive comment.
“Tips are only for normal looking people,” reads the comment from the unknown restaurant patron.
“At first, I felt really upset, I felt attacked, I almost felt like I was back in middle school all over again, like being bullied. I felt like a burning anger inside of me,” Beeck told NBC News 13 in Iowa. “But I didn’t act on it because it’s not worth it when someone puts hate out there, you know to respond in a hateful way will do no good.”
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For the record, Beeck says the total for the bill was $17.26 US. So even assuming a full 20 per cent tip, that means the customer opted out of a whopping $3.50 in order to write his comment.
“I would tell [the customer] to not judge someone based on what they look like,” Beeck said. “I mean, I may look like a weirdo, but I’m actually a very nice, decent person.”
Beeck describes herself as an “individual”, and is known for her pink hair, large earrings, variety of different tattoos and colourful, funky dress style.
In other words, she wouldn’t even stand out walking down Queen Street in Toronto, or through Vancouver’s Gastown neighbourhood.
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“It’s the way that I can express myself artistically and it’s really important for me that I’m allowed to do that, and it’s ok if people don’t understand it because it’s just who I am,” Beeck said.
For their part, Orchestrate Hospitality, the parent company of Zombie Burger, is throwing their full support behind their employee.
“We believe that Zombie Burger is a place that celebrates individuality,” a statement released by the company reads. “We stand by our staff. We also believe that our customers enjoy Zombie Burger because it is a wonderfully unique place and that includes the team members.”
“We are in 100 per cent support of our staff. And we’re confident that our customers will be as well. She is an example of a great team member and we are standing by her.”
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