African-American couple upset over words written on IHOP receipt

I don't think this was racist per se. But I do think it is bad for business. You should only use name or a number. Not a description of the people ordering. Its too much of a slippery slope.

originally posted by: Sremmos80
I don't think it is racist, but a very weird way for a restaurant to label their ticket. Seems like that is just asking for something like this to happen. What happened to just using a table number?

I agree, all is needed is, 'two guests' if such a section is needed at all.

originally posted by: Edumakated
I'm a black guy. Sometimes I'll meet clients for the first time, most who are invariably white. Often times, I'll meet them at a Starbucks. I've often debated do I say "I'm the black guy..." knowing in all likelihood, there won't be any other black guys at the Starbucks thus making it easy to identify me upon arrival OR do I use some other more generic descriptor like "I'm the guy with the blue dress shirt on"

I'm not hung up on race too much. I recognize and accept that it is an easy identifier. It doesn't bother me being referred to as the "black guy". I am black... just like I've referred to people as the "white guy", the "asian chick", etc.

I guess context is always important.

In this setting, I can't really see why the need for the descriptor, but then again it could have just been done on whim and no intent to offend.

You do realize that you are really not black, just a lot darker than I am.

I can't understand why people get so upset about color myself, it seems that this concern is driving a wedge between people. We're all just people, serfs that are controlled by a bunch of people at the top and conditioned to disagree with each other so we can't see what is really going on.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
How is it racist?
They were people, they were black. I don't see how that's insulting.

Why would you record the race, gender, age, weight or anything, of the customer buying your food?
Seems pretty stupid.

I'm a ginger and if it happened to me it would just be funny.

originally posted by: snowspirit
As a white woman, I'd like to see "cracker, nice ass, cracker"....
That would be totally acceptable

As a white women no self respecting black man will ever tell you that you have a fine booty. You would be lucky to get 'snowball' on your ticket.

originally posted by: blupblup

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
How is it racist?
They were people, they were black. I don't see how that's insulting.

Why would you record the race, gender, age, weight or anything, of the customer buying your food?
Seems pretty stupid.

It's time to go old school, stone age on people!

Due to words being so inflammatory?

Take a damn number!

originally posted by: Edumakated

I'm a black guy. Sometimes I'll meet clients for the first time, most who are invariably white. Often times, I'll meet them at a Starbucks.

Do you mess with them and give the baristas fake names before they show up? 'Malcom X Farrakhan, your vanilla latte is ready!'.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Edumakated

I'm a black guy. Sometimes I'll meet clients for the first time, most who are invariably white. Often times, I'll meet them at a Starbucks.

Do you mess with them and give the baristas fake names before they show up? 'Malcom X Farrakhan, your vanilla latte is ready!'.

Nah. I think they just write "black guy" on the cup... lol

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: snowspirit
As a white woman, I'd like to see "cracker, nice ass, cracker"....
That would be totally acceptable

As a white women no self respecting black man will ever tell you that you have a fine booty. You would be lucky to get 'snowball' on your ticket.

I dunno... white women seem to have stepped their game up these days when it comes to having a little junk in the trunk.

a reply to: ReadLeader

This is not racism--it's a damn descriptor, and the "victims" turn around and say the waiter is "their people" just because he's black.

To me, that mentality says it all right there.

Yes, the waiter could have used a different description, but he didn't. But damn, this is not racism, unless we've just watered down the word so much that everything is racism now.

ATS has a dark theme and a light theme--I guess that those terms are racist now, too? Will the stupidity ever end?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Oh you mean those big letters that say To Go that I missed? Ya that does explain the no table number.
I think he would put pretty fly for a white guy for you.
That or guy with the horns and hoofs.

Is anyone else hungry for Ritz Crackers?

originally posted by: Edumakated
I dunno... white women seem to have stepped their game up these days when it comes to having a little junk in the trunk.

Thanks GMOs and Obama!!!!

originally posted by: Sremmos80
I think he would put pretty fly for a white guy for you.
That or guy with the horns and hoofs.

Flattery will get you everywhere.

Was their last name Black?

I'm part native American. They usually don't mind my bow and arrows, but the tomahawk sometimes gives them fits.



I should clean it someday...

I'm confused.

A black person referred to black people as black people.

How can that possibly be racist when black people are the only people with free license to drop even the n-word with impunity?

a reply to: ReadLeader

To be honest, I don't blame these people for being upset. I'm a 36yo minority who grew up in a small, racist redneck town. I've dealt with a lot of racism, but also dealt with lots of nice people. I honestly don't like playing the race card, because more often than not it's not true(at least in my experience).

With that said, if I was eating at ihop and my receipt said "Mexican", or "brown guy", I'd be pretty pissed. First off, it's their job to ask for a name for the customer. I mean, they introduce themselves, why not ask your customers their name so you can put it on the receipt?? Secondly, how stupid do they have to be to do that in today's PC world?? Don't get me wrong, I'm just as sick of PC politics as many others are, but did they seriously think they could do that and not cause a controversy?? It's like they're asking to get in trouble and/or fired.

I don't think I'd make it into a lawsuit or anything, but I would definitely speak to management about it.

a reply to: Necrobile

Guess their racist waiter is to blame eh?

Pretty sure he got to enter that via his Aloha system.

Wow this thread shows perfectly why racism is so bad in the states, It's the unbelievable statements by people who don't realise the veiled racism that identification is. The comment "they are black so it's not racist" Sheesh !!!!!!

The fact that those CUSTOMERS have been identified as being different due to the colour of their skin IS RACIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR FECKS SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!