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A student and his girlfriend are outraged after being called a "black couple" on their receipt by staff at a London pub.
Johnson Abraham and Roxanne Duhur claim they were the only couple dining when they received their bill at the Slug and Lettuce in Islington Green.
Mr Abraham, a 24-year-old mechanical engineering student at Kingston University, went to the pub last month with Ms Duhur, 21, to celebrate her new job as an estate agent.
They ordered a steak and a burger at the bar, without a table number, before going upstairs to find a seat. When they went to pay for the meal the comment "upstairs blk couple" was printed on the bill.
Mr Abraham said: "I was outraged. They wouldn't have written 'white couple'. They could have found another way to describe us. I don't feel it's appropriate. They could have just written 'couple'. The only other people eating apart from us was a large group.
"I do class it as racism. I felt like we were being classed by our colour and nothing else. It spoiled what should have been a celebration."
Mr Abraham complained to Slug and Lettuce area manager Nick O'Donnell, who admitted the words were "insensitive". He said: "The member of the team concerned was trying to make sure that there would be no mistake in sending the food. We often put a note on orders to help reduce the chances of an order being sent to the wrong table. I agree in this case the language used was inappropriate. I apologise for the upset that this has caused."
Mr O'Donnell invited the couple back to the pub to prove its "great intentions". He offered them a complimentary bottle of house Champagne - the £29.95 Duval-Leroy Fleur de Champagne Brut - and a sharing platter worth £11.25. But Mr Abraham, from Dalston, said: "Champagne and a platter isn't compensation. I want an apology. The area manager has phoned to apologise but the waitress hasn't."
A Slug and Lettuce spokeswoman said managers had spoken to restaurant staff in its outlets with a dining area split over two floors to avoid making the same mistake. She added: "We have taken appropriate action with the person involved."
Reader views (1)
This seems like a very crass, but genuine mistake and I say very well done to the Slug and Lettuce area manager Nick O'Donnell who did the right thing in immediately recognising the problem, apologising and offering a remedy (complimentary champagne and platter).
Most importantly it seems like this will not happen again as the staff will all now be properly trained.
- Dan, London, UK
