A Black restaurant server in Ohio is speaking out about an experience he feels left him “dehumanized” as he reportedly faced racist speak toward him while he waited on a dinner party that called him “boy” and the N-Word while dressed in Confederate gear.
Arthur Mandy accused a white family of making racists remarks and disrespecting him on Saturday while he served them at the Texas Roadhouse he worked at in West Chester, Ohio. A person he reportedly works with, who goes by the TikTok handle @love.lana with the name Nani said she witnessed the entire incident, which she shared about in a TikTok video she uploaded. The video gained over 255,000 views and over 54,000 likes.
“A party full of people wearing Confederate flag gear just tried to f–king come eat in our restaurant,” Nani said in the TikTok video. “One of our Black servers had to take them.”
Nani continued explaining that the group never addressed him by his name, but instead referred to him as “boy.” She also said in the video that they constantly used the N-word around him as they were speaking to each other.
“They’re N-word this, N-word that, while he’s there at the table,” she said in the TikTok video. “They’re not even trying to be quiet. They’re not even trying to stop.”
Mandy spoke of the allegations on Monday in an interview with The Daily Beast.
The 41-year-old server said the reservation was made for 11 people, but only a small group initially showed up. He saw a baby wearing confederate flag-like attire with the group but didn’t notice it until the others with the party walked in wearing the same type of attire.
“The rest of the party is walking in. The managers come and pull me aside and say, ‘Hey, if you have any issues with this table, let us know,’ ” Mandy said to The Daily Beast.
He continued, “I’m doing my spiel or whatever, things that we offer, things that we have, what he may like, and he says, ‘Well, I’ll tell you what, boy. Just get me a water with lemon.’ “
Mandy explained that he grabbed their glasses of water, but one of the men with the party kept rushing to finish his drink so he would be forced to bring him another one. He also added that the male guest continuously referred to him as “boy” and refused to make eye contact.
“They think it’s a game,” he told The Daily Beast. “Now, they’re drinking their drinks as fast as they can, and they’re like, ‘Ey, boy, I need another one.’ “
Mandy said he is a father of four and that the group hurt his heart when they made their 5-year-old child stop speaking to him.
“He’s laughing, he’s engaging with me,” Mandy explained to The Daily Beast. “Then his mom chastises him in front of me, and she’s like, ‘You don’t need to talk. He has a job to do. He needs to concentrate.’ “
“They can only concentrate on one thing at a time,” Mandy said the older man allegedly added.
Mandy explained that after he couldn’t stand to continue to serve the table and he became very emotional.
His reported co-worker Nani shared that she spotted Mandy step outside and start crying. The party allegedly racked up a bill of more than $400 and refused to tip.
Mandy said that he refused to go back to the table. The group allegedly complained to the managers after receiving their food that Mandy messed up their orders and demanded he come back to the table to fix it or else they wouldn’t leave. After the encounter, the managers allegedly pulled all the staff aside and told the Black workers to stay away from the dining area until the group left.
The party also reportedly complained so much that the managers deducted a percentage from their bill. After the group finished their meals, they loitered in the parking lot, reportedly as if they were waiting for Mandy to come out. The group didn’t leave until a manager threatened to call the cops.
Nani did a follow-up TikTok video the next day and said that the other waiters were upset about the situation. They all pitched in to make sure Mandy got a tip and constantly checked on Mandy, who’d left the restaurant early that night and contemplated returning throughout the night. Nani also posted Mandy’s information for donations, and has reportedly received $1,000 in donations.
“If I could go back and do it over again, I would take that table because I wouldn’t want anybody else to feel what I felt and what I still feel,” Mandy said to The Daily Beast.
He also accused the restaurant’s white owner, Joe Palmer, of not taking the incident seriously after he reported it and of leaving the restaurant early. He also reportedly didn’t give direction for the staff to kick the group out of the restaurant.
“Business should not come first; money shouldn’t come first. And that’s the perception that I have…of my boss. It was really hard for me to even think about going back to work because it’s like knowing he doesn’t care about me,” said Mandy to The Daily Beast.
He also mentioned that he is contemplating filing a lawsuit against the restaurant.
A Texas Roadhouse spokesperson told The Daily Beast that the company is investigating the incident. The company released a statement that in part reads, “Texas Roadhouse does not condone any form of harassment or discrimination by guests towards employees. We also strive to maintain a work environment of mutual respect for our employees and guests.”
The company also added that a manager immediately took over once Mandy expressed that he was uncomfortable.
The owner also allegedly had a staff meeting on Monday night about the incident and “reinforce his support that if anyone is uncomfortable or feels disrespected to let Management know.”
Atlanta Blackstar also reached out to Texas Roadhouse corporate office, but the call was redirected three times before being sent to voicemail.
This 2023 and I would ask why did the manger not stop them or put them out
In this world of 1000 cameras per square foot, why is there not one photo of this group in head to toe confederate garb?
I am calling a phony lie and an attempt to get money with this scam.
Not one word in any local newspapers or outlets about this. hmmmm?
Sorry this one sounds like absolute bull. Like the other comment said…ZERO images of this happening?
Daily Beast article has even more ridiculous details.
So completely over the top.
Hey listen…if this happened, and the group used a card to pay, out ’em!
OF COURSE the Yelp brigading has already started.
Here’s what I don’t understand… why sue the restaraunt when the owner and manager both acknowledged it once he had expressed he was uncomfortable, PLUS had a meeting to address it? Well, that’s if this article is entirely true… who knows, the world will always be full of racist yt people anyway
This is all over the news here in Ohio. I can understand why management would be tempted to try to let everything resolve itself, but customers tormenting your staff needs to be quickly dealt with by ejecting the hostile, racist patrons. Beyond any social implications, that crap ruins staff morale, the experiences of your other customers, and ultimately costs you business. The only delay I could see would be waiting on the police to be there. Ohio is usually better than this.
For those who claim its a hoax because it’s not in the news, it is in the news. It’s not on FOX News so you don’t know about it. The manager and other employees acknowledged that it happened but some of you want to dismiss the story as false and victim as a liar. Your attempt to defend the actions of this confederate flag carrying group of racial bigots is obvious.
I would have happily served them. That food would have had more spit, shit, and ball sweat in it than seasoning!!