Waiter who said diner left racist message on receipt now admits it was a lie
Remember the Texas waiter who caused outrage online last week after revealing that a patron left a racist note calling him a “terrorist” instead of leaving him a tip? Well, apparently 20-year-old Khalil Cavil has come clean and says he made the whole sordid story up.
—Family calls beloved man’s murder at family reunion a hate crime—
“I did write it,” Cavil admitted to the Odessa American. “I don’t have an explanation. I made a mistake. There is no excuse for what I did.”
Cavil, a Black man, took to social media last week to share a disturbing note allegedly left on a receipt by the customer which read: “We don’t tip terrorist” on an $108 check at the Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa, Texas. His name Khalil, which reportedly is Arabic for “friend” was circled on the receipt.
Saltgrass chief operating officer Terry Turney said in a statement to BuzzFeed News: “After further investigation, we have learned that our employee fabricated the entire story. The customer has been contacted and invited back to our restaurant to dine on us. Racism of any form is intolerable, and we will always act swiftly should it occur in any of our establishments. Falsely accusing someone of racism is equaling disturbing.”
Cavil’s post sparked outrage online with dozens of letters of support AND people contributed money to him after the incident. Cavil said he was working to save money to attend Dallas Baptist University later this year.
No word on if that’s a lie too.
Cavil issued this apology.
“I’m sorry. I deeply made a huge, big mistake. And I’m in the process of getting the help that I need.”
When asked why he fabricated the story Cavil told local TV station Big 2, “It was not about the money. It was never about the money. It was about shedding light on an issue I’m passionate about.”
Boy goodbye!
