Evanston restaurant owner apologizes after video shows him confronting customer for not tipping
A confrontation over tipping lands an Evanston restaurant owner in hot water.
He says he is taking full accountability, and his door is open to the other person involved.
Evanston ramen restaurant owner Kenny Chou admits he had lost it when the video was taken Saturday afternoon. He says he followed a regular into the street, intending to tell him not to come back after leaving without tipping again.
"You gonna tell him? I paid for my food. I handed you $20. You cannot charge more than what them and you paid so what are you talking about," the customer said in the video.
Tensions, however, escalated. The men yelled at each other for several minutes as the customer left the business.
Chou said he's watched the video and felt ashamed.
"Bringing shame to my wife as a husband, as an owner. At the same time to my mom and dad," he said.
The video ignited a debate online about tipping, leading some people to leave messages on the sidewalk calling the business Table to Stix anti-Black.
The backlash has forced them to stop taking calls and deactivate their social media. Yelp has also paused any new reviews.
When asked why he didn't tip, the customer said online, "Oh, I just didn't want to."
Chou said the customer's brother has since come in, describing their conversation as productive.
"I apologize to him and to his family, and I was just asking if he could pass this message along to his little brother," he said.
He added that he sent the brother home with the customer's favorite order, a handwritten apology, and an offer.
"My door is open for you, man. You know, come on by anytime," Chou said.
Chou said he's particularly worried the incident could hurt other businesses around him, hearing of protests planned for outside his shop Saturday.
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