Server receives checkbook thinking it was tip before making horrifying discovery about what was written inside
A server at Los Angeles International Airport’s Planet Hollywood restaurant experienced a shocking act of discrimination during his shift last week. Guillermo Ortiz, a veteran server since 2014, was waiting on a couple who left more than just an empty table – they left a cruel handwritten message that cut deeper than simply skipping a tip.
When Ortiz collected the checkbook after the customers departed, he discovered a note scrawled on the receipt that read: “No tip for illegal. Go back to Mexico.” The Puerto Rican server, whose wife is Mexican, told local station KTLA the racist remark left him feeling hurt and disrespected. “You can tell when something is not right,” Ortiz recalled about the couple’s demeanor during service.
The insult carried extra sting as the diners had actively removed the automatic 18.5% gratuity typically added for larger parties – an option available when customers are dissatisfied. “I’ve been working as a server since 2014, and this is the first time this has happened to me,” said Ortiz, who takes pride in supporting his family through his restaurant work.
While the cash-paying customers can’t be identified or held accountable, Ortiz believes the current political climate surrounding immigration debates has emboldened such prejudiced behavior. “This is happening because of what’s happening with President Trump right now,” he speculated to KTLA. “I think that’s the reason people are acting like this.”
The painful incident comes at an already difficult time for Ortiz, whose workplace at the LAX Planet Hollywood location is set to permanently close this weekend, leaving him suddenly unemployed. His experience highlights how service industry workers often bear the brunt of customers’ prejudices while simply trying to do their jobs and support their families.
