Racist note left on receipt at Asian restaurant in North Carolina sparks outrage
February 28, 2024
A racist incident at an Asian restaurant in North Carolina, where a customer left a derogatory note on a receipt, has ignited online outrage.
What happened: On Saturday, a customer named Autumn Bray left a note on her $71.38 bill receipt at the Wafu Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi in Goldsboro. Instead of a tip to her server, Bray wrote, “Ching-Chong / Ding-Dong / P.S. F*ck you!”
Going viral: A photo of her bill receipt with the derogatory comments has since been shared online, spreading among Asian American communities and sparking outrage. It also went viral on Facebook after Detroit Chinatown condemned Bray’s actions in a post on Sunday.
Online outrage: Since then, angered social media users have called out the customer, demanding an apology for her racist behavior.
“The audacity to be racist and disrespectful in a small community. Inside a local Asian restaurant, she really thought there would be no consequences??” one Facebook user wrote.
“Curious what sort of backlash she is going to get from this long-term. I hope it’s juicy,” another said.
Individuals have also taken it upon themselves to trace down information regarding Bray, claiming that she is an Eastern Wayne High School graduate and an employee at Goldsboro’s Pet Supplies Plus branch. The Pet Supplies Plus branch has since released an official statement, denying Bray’s current or previous employment at the store.
“A matter involving an individual by the name of Autumn Edwards or Autumn Bray has come to our attention. This person is not currently employed with Pet Supplies Plus Goldsboro and has not been employed with us in the past,” the business wrote.
Bray’s response: As the backlash worsened, Bray reportedly defended herself on Facebook, denying racism.
“Y’all can talk all y’all’s smack that y’all want. I’m not racist and I don’t care who thinks what y’all can. Do whatever y’all think or say whatever don’t care but stop stalking all my social media because it’s really getting old and y’all making yourself look like straight creeps,” she said.
According to the Japanese restaurant, Bray also brought police to the business, accusing them of online attacks. It is unclear what took place during this incident. However, Detroit Chinatown noted that Bray’s husband and father apologized on behalf of her. According to WRAL, Bray also wrote a follow-up Facebook post, saying her actions were due to her frustration with the restaurant’s subpar service.
Owner rejects apology: Xin Lin, owner of the Wafu Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi, has rejected Bray and her family’s apology.
“I don’t see that as an apology,” Lin said. “Just … say sorry about what you had done, and … promise that you’re never [going to] harm other people the same way.”
According to Lin, Bray had been a regular customer and briefly worked at the restaurant when it opened in January 2023, working a few hours before taking an extended lunch break and not returning. Lin, familiar with incidents of Asian hate speech and crimes, noted that this was not the first time he faced racism in his 12 years in the industry. Despite alerting the police, Lin acknowledges the limited actions available as the offense did not constitute an actual crime. However, he is grateful to see the community’s support, noting the positive response and acknowledgment that such racist actions are wrong and should not be tolerated.
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