Black couple says an employee laughed after writing a racial slur on their check and responded with ‘This is just something we do in the kitchen’
The couple says the restaurant offered flowers and gift cards, but LaToya Harris-Mathews says “I didn’t ask for a gift.”
A Houston couple says a racial slur appeared in red ink on the reverse side of their receipt at a Becks Prime restaurant. They say the employee responsible appeared to laugh when they confronted him. According to KPRC 2 News, Melanie Mathews and LaToya Harris-Mathews were eating at the Meyerland location when Harris-Mathews turned the receipt over.
The couple states they visited the restaurant, a regular stop for them, after a shopping trip for a birthday present. Harris-Mathews says she froze when she saw the writing. “It was very traumatizing for me,” she states, adding that she cried during the entire drive home. The couple says they confronted staff and that an employee acknowledged writing it. Mathews states he told them “this is just something we do in the kitchen.”
A Becks Prime spokesperson called the incident “deeply troubling” and stated that the worker responsible was dismissed that same evening. The company says it contacted the couple that night to apologize for what he did.
The couple says the company’s offer fell short
The company also dismissed a second employee after “an extensive internal review,” according to the Daily Mail. The company did not provide specifics, and it stated it “acted immediately upon learning what happened.” The couple says a company representative called less than 15 minutes after they left and offered flowers and gift cards. Harris-Mathews states the offer added to their frustration.
“I didn’t ask for a gift,” she states, adding that she had already paid for her meal. “This is not how you treat customers that are long-time customers,” she continues. Mathews says they were the sole Black diners in the restaurant at the time. She states that they hear about incidents like this “all the time” but “never thought that we would be on this end of it.”
Courtney Vincent, a civil rights attorney retained by the couple, says the restaurant “tried to mitigate their damages extensively.” If Becks Prime fails to negotiate in good faith, she states she intends to sue. She says the company should improve how it vets employees and provides race relations training. “This is beyond not appropriate to me,” she adds.
The couple’s account follows other restaurant disputes over race. A Virginia woman claims a slur on her Wingstop order, and a federal lawsuit alleges Hooters discriminated against Black workers in North Carolina. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars race-based discrimination at public accommodations, and restaurants are covered. The department states it can investigate when there may be a pattern or practice of discrimination.
It also states it cannot obtain money damages for individuals, and that people can submit reports online through its Civil Rights Division.
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