Hooters waitress in Wichita Falls quit dream job because of customers' rudeness, racism

Trish Choate | For the Times Record News

Show Caption Hide Caption Asian_Waitress_Receives_Racist_Slur_-_HIRES A former Hooters waitress had a customer that left a racial slur written on the receipt and a 70 cent tip on a nearly $70 bill.

Elina Blackstock of Wichita Falls said working as a Hooters server was her dream job, but the Japanese native quit Monday after a customer wrote a racial slur on a receipt for a meal.

The 22-year-old waited on a table full of white family members who were rude and made fun of her for being Asian Sunday afternoon at the recently opened Wichita Falls restaurant, Blackstock said.

The experience left her in tears, but since her story went viral, some haven’t been sympathetic.

“Some people think I was overreacting, and I need to get over it,” she said.

Blackstock said the 70 cent tip for a $70 meal didn’t bother her, but the misspelled smear — “jandice” instead of jaundice – on the bill did hurt.

“I think some people don’t understand what the word ‘jaundice’ means, but it’s a racial slur for Asians,” she said.

She was determined to put the word out about what had happened, stirring a reaction online.

Just the Facebook post on her profile under the name “Elina Blackstone” had 681 comments, 263 shares and 414 likes by Tuesday afternoon.

'People need to know racism exists'

“Some people think I made this up for attention, and I need to stop being a victim,” Blackstock said. “But people need to know racism exists.”

She has been criticized for noting that the customers who offended her were “a white family,” including grandparents, parents and a grandson, in her Facebook post.

“It don’t matter if they’re a white, black or Hispanic family. It is racism,” she said.

The grandson who looked to be 19 or 20 was the one who wrote the offending comment on the receipt: “Get a different job damn jandice.”

“I was watching him the whole time,” Blackstock said.

A woman at the table was also watching and laughing, Blackstock said. The woman told the boy, “Hey, baby, be nice.”

Blackstock took pictures of the receipt to post online but couldn’t keep it because it was a merchant’s copy, she said.

She couldn’t recall the name of the family, and the signature on the receipt is illegible.

Blackstock expressed her frustration and shock in her Facebook post.

“I can’t believe this happened to me today,” she wrote. “No matter how hard I work there is always some jerk that wants to judge me by my race.”

Hooters shows support

During an interview Tuesday, she said the mistreatment she experienced at Hooters had never happened to her before.

“I love it here actually. I met so many nice people,” she said of Wichita Falls.

Blackstock said Hooters Chief Executive Officer Terry Marks called her.

“He was very sweet, and he was worried about me,” she said.

In addition, Claudia Levitas, chief legal officer for Hooters of America issued a statement.

“We were deeply troubled to learn of this customer’s disgraceful language and the offensive note directed at Elina,” Levitas said.

“It is sad that this type of behavior still exists. As soon as our managers found out about it yesterday, they comforted Elina and told her that we would ban the customers if they tried to return,” Levitas said.

Miss Hooters International 2018, Laiken Baumgartner, wrote a note of support and encouragement on Blackstock’s Facebook post.

“Hi sweet girl,” Baumgartner wrote. “You are such a beautiful young woman, and Hooters is PROUD to have you. I am so sorry that someone would actually treat you in such a way.”

Blackstock said she is a green card holder who moved from Tokyo to Wichita Falls two years ago because her stepfather is stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base. Her mother and sister also live here.

Blackstock does not want to return to being a Hooters girl and plans to focus on her education at Vernon College where she is studying criminal justice, she said. Blackstock also works in retail on the base.