The restaurant industry is very divisive and hasn’t kept up with some of the more mainstream improvements that society has made. One issue still prevalent throughout the industry is racism, which is still allowed to run amok in some restaurants.
Racism negatively impacts employees and patrons of the restaurant, but both can also perpetuate it. It’s often difficult for servers to speak up about these matters because they worry about how their tips and hours might be affected.
Why is racism so prevalent?
There isn’t one single reason for the high incidence of racism in this industry. Some patrons who visit restaurants will say they don’t a server of a certain race, or even gender, to wait on them. At that point, the management should step in and put an end to that behavior. Sadly, some managers would rather allow the patron to be racist than ask the patron to leave. Some patrons take it a step farther
It’s also possible that employees will say racist things about patrons. For some, there’s a common thought that people of a certain race don’t tip well. Even if the patrons never hear the comments, it’s possible for employees to be victims of racism simply by having to hear those types of comments.
Anyone subjected to racism in the restaurant industry may opt to pursue legal action. This type of behavior isn’t ever acceptable, so employers should take steps to prevent it from occurring. It must be stopped immediately because workers don’t deserve to deal with that behavior. Working with someone familiar with these matters can help you to learn the options and ensure you take the steps that are right for your circumstances.