Black waitress Kelly Carter received thousands of dollars in donations after she claimed that a white couple wrote “great service don’t tip black people” on their check. But a lawyer for the customer say Carter made it all up.
“Our client did not nor would he ever write anything about refusing to tip African Americans because of their race,” Daniel Hebda a lawyer working on behalf of the patron said, according to WTOP.
Carter claims a white couple came into Anita’s New Mexico Cafe in Ashburn, Virginia, ate dinner, paid their $30.52 bill and wrote “Great service, don’t tip black people” at the bottom of the receipt.
“I looked at the receipt three times is what I did. Because I was shocked. Because I’ve never, never being a server seen that,” Carter told WRCTV at the time.
Anita’s New Mexico Cafe owner Tom Tellez said “I was appalled, though it’s kind of in line with the political landscape.”
The incident became a national story, the Loudon County NAACP defended Carter, and a Virginia man launched an online fundraising campaign that produced more than $3,600 on Carter’s behalf.
But the lawyer for the patron denies that they his client made any racist remakes.
“Our client has no ill feelings towards African Americans. Our client did not leave a $0.00 tip. Our client tipped $0.01 out of his own conviction against tipping well for poor service.”
Though the Loudon County NAACP is supporting Carter.
“It’s sad any way it goes,” Philip Thompson, the president of the Loudoun County NAACP, told WTOP.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson