Firehouse Subs employee writes racial slur on customer's receipt, gets fired
(FOX News) - An employee with Firehouse Subs in South Carolina has been fired for writing a racial slur on a customer’s receipt in place of his name.
Zhe Zhao, who was visiting a friend in Columbia last week, had placed an order for a large steak sub from a Firehouse Subs restaurant on Nov. 7 — via DoorDash — but later saw on the receipt that he was identified by an offensive slur.
“This cashier said ‘Ching Chong’ in my receipt. And I do not know this person,” Zhao wrote in a Facebook post, which also contained a photograph of the receipt. “As [an] international student, this is a very sad experience in United States. And I don’t understand why people have this problem in USA?”
Zhao clarified in a subsequent Facebook post that his name was correct in his DoorDash receipt, leading him to believe it was someone at Firehouse Subs who was responsible for the offensive name, and not an employee with the DoorDash delivery service.
Zhao — who is a former student at the University of South Carolina, per WIS — also said that he was in contact with a manager about the incident. The manager offered an apology and also claimed that the employee identified as the cashier on the receipt (“Pamela”) was not actually the employee responsible.
Zhao apologized if the wrong person was negatively affected by his Facebook post, but added that whoever was responsible was “a person” employed by Firehouse Subs.
FILE: A Firehouse Subs store is seen on Jan. 29, 2015. (Photo by Laura Kalcheff/Contributor/Moment Mobile ED via Getty Images)
“I do not accept the manager’s personal [apology],” Zhao wrote, adding that he believes the manager is responsible for any “racial discrimination” by the employees.
“I need [an] official explanation and apology from Firehouse,” Zhao added.
In a statement provided to Fox News, Firehouse Subs confirmed the termination of the employee responsible.
"Our guests' experience is a top priority at Firehouse Subs and we're saddened to say that this guest was not treated with the heartfelt service we expect at one of our restaurants. The local restaurant owner has taken action and the employee in question was immediately terminated. We have reached out directly to the guest and are working to remedy the situation.”
Zhao was not immediately available to confirm whether Firehouse Subs had been in contact to apologize.