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Culture March 18, 2017
An Orange County woman and her friends were asked for “proof of residence” when they tried to grab a bite to eat at Huntington Beach restaurant Saint Marc Pub-Cafe, Bakery & Cheese Affinage.
I guess it was only a matter of time. Following Donald Trump’s shocking win and obsession with a Muslim ban and a wall to block out immigrants, it’s not hard to see that destructive way of thinking seeping into everyday life.
But Diana Carrillo, whose parents are immigrants, was not about to just let it slide. She documented the upsetting experience on Facebook, worrying it was a sign of the times. “I feel that’s the direction we’re headed in, given who’s the president. That’s one of the reasons I posted it to social media rather than just dealing with the restaurant,” she told the Orange County Register.
On Facebook Carrillo explained that the waiter had asked her sister and her friend for “proof of residency” before she and another friend sat down, at which point he inquired again.
They were in disbelief at first, but the waiter stood by his offensive inquiry, demanding, “I need to make sure you’re from here before I serve you.” Um, what?
Rude waiter demands proof of residency before service at Huntington Beach restaurant. Image via Giphy
“How many others has he said this to? I hope this employee is reprimanded for his actions. No establishment should tolerate discriminatory actions from their employees,” Carrillo wrote.
Her post has been shared 575 times, and has garnered hundreds of comments. Most show support for Carrillo, praising her for calling attention to such discrimination.
However, there were also apologists, desperately reaching for excuses for the waiter’s actions to avoid talking about what was actually going on. One woman even suggested he “wanted to see if she was geographically desirable to date.” All the eye rolls.
Saint Marc Pub-Cafe has since denounced the waiter’s actions, saying that he had been fired after the incident. They also invited Carrillo and the rest of her party to come back to the restaurant to be VIP guests, which they turned down … because of course they did.
Carrillo did, however, take up Saint Marc Pub-Cafe’s offer to donate 10 percent of the weekend’s sales to a charity of her choice. Her pick? The Orange County Immigrant Youth United.
