Food & Party

Yesterday, we learned a Starbucks barista in Paris, France drew racist caricatures on a Korean customer's cup. Well, apparently, Hooters employees in Queens, New York were involved in something just as despicable. A 25-year-old customer named Kisuk Cha and his girlfriend, both Korean immigrants, walked into a Hooters and ordered buffalo shrimp and wings to go. After they placed their order, their server and another employee were standing at the computer giggling and "gawking at them." When they received their receipt, in the space reserved for the customer's name, the cashier had typed "CHINX." Can you even imagine?! 

Cha and his girlfriend were totally taken aback. He said he was so distraught that he lost his appetite and, when he got home, threw the food away. Sheeze ... I can't imagine TAKING the food out of the restaurant after that! Thankfully, the couple is now suing the Hooters they visited that day for racial discrimination.

In the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Brooklyn, Cha's lawyer writes:

He was so overwhelmed that he just wanted to go to bed to sleep, but was too angry to do so. This incident has continued to cause him mental anguish. He is haunted by the ridiculing giggles and stares of his persecutor. He does not feel welcome at Hooters and indeed questions whether he is welcomed at any non-Korean establishments.

So awful! The ex-employee (yep, the hostess who did it turned herself in and resigned soon after the incident) who did this better be seriously ashamed of themselves.

Such as with the incidents at Starbucks, I wouldn't necessarily blame Hooters for what happened here. The company's lawyer has asserted that the incident "does not reflect the manner in which the restaurant is operated" and described the way in which the employee acted as "egregious" and "deplorable." I believe that they really feel that way.

BUT, at the same time, there's something about the Hooters culture that is already off-putting to anyone who isn't a beer-guzzling, wings-lovin' white guy. And they know it -- they've even recently launched a campaign to lure more women to the chain. So maybe in light of this horrible incident, they might want to consider training their employees to be a bit more accepting/welcoming of a diverse range of patrons? Might win them more points -- and fewer lawsuits! -- in the long run.

Here's the local news report on the story ...

How do you think Hooters should react to this incident?

Image via abcnews.go.com