“Gay is wrong” left as a tip for server in Enid

by Sara Ritsch
Staff Writer

Did you know the federal subminimum cash wage for food servers in the United States is $2.13 per hour? One state with lower subminimum wages than the federal $2.13 is Oklahoma, where servers can make $2.00 per hour. This is why your server works for her or his tip, and why a tip is a deserved end to a given meal.

But one IHOP server in Enid, Oklahoma was given less than what she deserved – hateful words.

On the tip line of her receipt, Taylor Stewart’s customer scribbled, “Gay is wrong!” instead of any amount of money.

At first she was stunned. Stewart told KFOR, “When I went to pick up the check, I read it and I thought it said ‘gray is wrong’, and I went and showed my girlfriend, and she was like, ‘what?’ And she said it said ‘gay is wrong’. I was just shocked. I was more shocked than hurt, but I mean it did hurt.”

If a server messes up, that person is still working for just over $2.00 per hour. All hope rests on the shoulders of the customer. But what does that have to do with who and how you love?

“If you don't like it. If you don't agree with it, that`s fine. That's your own opinion, but I mean just let people be who they are and don't say hurtful things,” Stewart said.

The customer and his three children left without a word. Steward remained for the extent of her double – two shifts in a row – without earnings and without hope.

Unfortunately, this kind of discrimination is seen daily for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. In a service industry job or a job where one works with people, this kind of harassment and intimidation can be common.

But whether it be good service or bad, the tip still has nothing to do with who and how to love.

The Gayly – 6/30/2016 @ 10:40 a.m. CDT