I live in a small town that’s mostly white. My restaurant, known for its craft beer, has been quite popular since it opened. Initially, our customers were mostly older white men, but recently, more millennials have started visiting.
Two years ago, I became the front-of-house manager, and I’m proud of the team I’ve built. Everyone has amazing chemistry, both with each other and with the customers.
Last fall, I hired a young African American man as a waiter. I didn’t think much about his race—it didn’t factor into my decision. He’s hardworking, reliable, and overall great at his job. Sure, I occasionally give him tips to improve, but that’s the same for all my staff.
Yet, I started noticing something strange. Despite his solid performance, he received far more complaints than anyone else on the team.
For example, a customer once flagged me down and said, “That kid is just standing around instead of bringing our drinks.” But when I checked, he was talking to the restaurant owner, and the drinks had only been delayed by about two minutes.
Another time, someone complained that he was doing nothing. In reality, he was entering a large order into our system.
These kinds of complaints—about six in the past two months—were always directed at him. And they all came from one specific group: older white men.
Mistakes like wrong food orders happen across all staff, but this pattern of unfair complaints was different. He’s always working hard and even goes the extra mile, like coming in on short notice or staying late when needed.
This experience opened my eyes to the subtle, everyday racism many African Americans must face. Watching him deal with unfair scrutiny has been disheartening but also eye-opening.
He’s a great worker and a valuable part of my team. I’m determined to ensure that my restaurant remains a place where everyone, staff and customers alike, is treated fairly.
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