On Saturday night, Khalil Cavil noticed a note at the top of a customer's bill that read, "We don't tip terrorist." The customer at Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa, a city in western Texas, had also circled the server's name and left a zero in the tip field on the $108 bill.
"At the moment I didn't know what to think nor what to say, I was sick to my stomach," Cavil wrote on Facebook Sunday, sharing a photo of the receipt.
"I share this because I want people to understand that this racism, and this hatred still exists."
Wages for waitstaff in the US are generally only a fraction of a state's standard minimum wage, sometimes as low as two or three dollars an hour (US federal law sets a minimum wage for employees like waiters and bartenders at $2.13 per hour). Their wages are expected to be earned in tips, and it is customary to leave at least 15 percent and as much as 30 percent, unless service is perceived to have been abysmal.
Terry Turney, the chief operating official of the steakhouse, told USA Today on Wednesday that the restaurant condemns any form of racism.
"We stand by and support our employee," Turney said. "Racism of any form is unacceptable, and we have banned this customer from returning to our establishment."
Cavil also told Texas' KMID that the customer probably assumed that he has Middle Eastern roots based on his first name, which means "friend" in Arabic, but that it was in fact a commemoration of a lost family friend.
"My dad was in the military and a buddy that he was very close to, served with him… Khalil was killed in an accident, and so my dad just named me after him, one of his best friends," Cavil told KMID Saturday.
In his Facebook post, which has been shared more than 5,000 times, Cavil added, "All day I've had to remind myself that Jesus died for these people too. I have decided to let this encourage me, and fuel me to change the only way I know how."
"So sorry for this my brother, but your response is perfect and demonstrates the kind of courage and resolve we ALL need to show to combat and eradicate this type of ignorant thinking from our society! Stay strong!" one Facebook user commented on the post.
"So what would you call America? If this country isn't a terrorist state… I don't know what is!!" another user posted.
Since the post went viral, Cavil said he has received an outpouring of positive messages.
"I want to thank everyone for all of the support! All the of the messages and comments I've received have been nothing but encouraging and loving!" Cavil posted on his Facebook page Tuesday.