Posted on 02/26/2010 7:48:42 AM PST by dennisw
WINSTON-SALEM -- A woman who a local restaurant manager refused to serve claiming she is a habitually poor tipper told WXII Wednesday she is in the process of consulting an attorney.
Monica Covington was recently banned from the Kanpai Japanese Steak and Seafood House on Stratford Road after manager Michael Lam said servers and chefs refused to serve her because of her less-than-expected tipping history at the establishment.
Covington, who started a boycott petition against the restaurant, said the restaurant slandered her in the WXII report, which has set off a firestorm of opinions surrounding the issue of tipping.
"At this point, I am securing an attorney to address the slander against my name and character," Covington said in a statement to WXII. "I have always left a good tip at Kanpai Restaurant , even when I was given poor and less than honorable service."
Covington said her spat with the restaurant began in 2008 when she was told she would have to pay an 18 percent gratuity to dine.
"Yes, because we can't keep continuing to serve her anymore because the servers and chefs are not willing to serve her," Lam said Tuesday when asked if he refused Covington service.
On Wednesday, Lam said his establishment has never tacked an 18 percent gratuity on to her bill without her knowledge.
So far, 300 people have signed Covington's petition. Supporters of Lam's restaurant have also started an online petition.
Oh man, what next? How about suing because they don’t give you a discount? Hey, I like that one...
“We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.”
She needs to hit the door.
African Americans are notoriously bad tippers. Sorry, I really don’t mean to be racist, I think it’s just a wired cultural thing.
"This soup tastes different, what's in it?"
I wonder; did the lawyer demand payment up front?
A friend of mine is from Australia. Tips are included in the tab there and she was horrified to find out (after she questioned why I left so much money on the table, most of the time people don’t leave cash on a table-just put the tip on the card receipt) that not only do waitresses and waiters make like $2 an hour instead of the minimum wage, but that the gratuity is not included in the check here in the states. She said “Oh my GOD! I’ve been shafting people for months now!!”
I have been a server, and you are correct as a general statement. I will add they act as though they are entitled.
It's not racist, it's just an observation.
Ask pretty much anyone in the restaurant industry.
ROFL!
Went to a restaurant in December with the family. Group of AA young people behind us. They left before us but we had already paid and waiter had already retrieved our receipt. Husband took the kids to wash hands so I was the only one at the table. Waiter comes up to me and says that we left more for our $30+ meal than they did for the $100+ meal.
Gawd, the humiliation!
Well even if she wins, she can never eat there again. God only knows what would end up in her food. Other restaurants might do the same thing now. *gag*
What kind of drop is in this egg drop soup?
yup. I’ll pass on the “pest stick-um strip surprise”.
I highly doubt that is true. Waiters and waitresses do a slow burn when a customers keeps returning and stealing from them each time. I tip so I end up subsidizing the greedy a-holes that don't
My cousin from England was really amazed when he visited Orlando a few years back that everyone expected a tip.
We always tip 20% IF the service and food is extra good. Then we get extra service the next time we go back. 15% if it is average. And if it is not, we do not go back, ever.
You know the patron is bad when your staff refuses to wait on her. Then it’s really, really bad when the chefs can’t stand her either.
Back when I was a waiter at Pargos in Nashville I did not notice this but...my wife’s waitress work at TGI Fridays in Columbus, Georgia is different. She gets stiffed or undertipped by Blacks constantly.
Many go in with an attitude and don’t accept the first table offered as if they are a Rosa Parks wannabee. Then they send food back because the decided they didn’t like it (after eating 90 percent of it) and are always cruising for complimentary dessert or appetizers. Even the Black wait staff don’t like Black customers.
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