Waiter's anti-military rant sparks outrage, apology

2015-05-06T10:23:37-04:00

From: The Army Times

A Ruby Tuesday's server in Hawaii profanely lashed out at the entire military over an alleged stingy tip from a service member over the weekend, and the Facebook post created an Internet uproar.

In the heavily-circulated outburst, waiter Matt Heflin started off: "Next time some military piece of s--- leaves me a quarter on $60 tab I'm going to jail! F--- all those dumb uneducated motherf---ers. And f--- you uncle sam." His message also included "F--- THE MILITARY" in call caps.

The brief soliloquy shared by Facebook page "U.S. Army W.T.F! moments," among others, pushed Rick Nakashima, a co-owner of multiple Ruby Tuesdays in Hawaii, into damage-control mode. Nakashima told Army Times that "this is not us, this is not how we think" as he separated "one apple" from his more than 500 employees. He expressed appreciation for everything the military does.

On Tuesday, Nakashima said the server no longer worked for his restaurant, but would not elaborate.

Nakashima, after learning of the incident, wrote an apology on the Ruby Tuesday Hawaii Facebook page on Sunday:

"I am a partner in Ruby Tuesday Hawaii and have just been notified of one of my employees [sic] negative comments towards a Military guest. PLEASE accept my sincere apology and know that we appreciate all you do for us and your patronage. My father was a Captain in the USAF and I have the utmost respect for the Armed Forces. We will take immediate action on this employee. Thank You for your understanding."

The disgruntled server's workplace in Mililani, Hawaii, sits a few miles from Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Air Field.

"The most unfortunate thing for us is that the military is so very important to our health as a business. And I know what the military does for our country," Nakashima said.

He told Army Times his father died shortly after he was born, about a decade into his career in the Air Force. Before that, Nakashima said, his father had joined the Army in World War II, including service in the Battle of the Bulge.

He did so shortly after the government had forced him to Jerome War Relocation Center in Arkansas, one of several internment camps where thousands of Japanese-Americans had been forced to relocate during the war. Many got out of camps by enlisting to aid the war effort. Nakashima said his father met his mother at the internment camp.

"He enlisted for World War II because he and his buddies, my mom said, wanted to prove to America that they were loyal U.S. citizens," Nakashima said, expressing pride in his father and his service.

Online responses to Nakashima's apology have been overwhelmingly positive, and he hopes no irreparable damage has been done between his restaurants and the military community. He said he found it "absolutely unbelievable" that a bad tip led to the rant.

He also said it's the first time in his 11 years operating restaurants that he's had to deal with a social media explosion like this.

"I've been very fortunate not to have had anything like this blow up, ever," he said. "This will bring about some new rules in our handbook. We educate our workers to treat everyone as if they are in their own home. But when a situation like this happens, we need to sit down and take another look at everything."

http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/2015/05/05/rubytuesday-military-tip-hawaii/26895755/

Response by SFC Stephen King made May 6 at 2015 10:27 AM

2015-05-06T10:27:39-04:00

I for one am offended I tip over 20% each time. He is jumping to conclusions and seems to have other underlying issues to make such a brash statement. I applaud the management for the quick response and termination of said employee.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 6 at 2015 10:27 AM

2015-05-06T10:27:24-04:00

I refuse to tip well for bad service but there in lies the question, was there bad service or was the military member just being an horse's ass thinking they're entitled?

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made May 6 at 2015 11:44 AM

2015-05-06T11:44:08-04:00

I don't hold the owner responsible for the employees outbursts, l hold the owner responsible for dealing with the issue, Which he seems to have done fairly and with respect.
I don't hold that restaurant owen responsible in the same manner I don't hold all gun owners responsible when one nut does something illegal with a gun, one muslim does something like participate in a terrorist attack.. Its how that event is responded to that counts.

Here I'll start, I condemn the immoral and illegal use of firearms in the commission of a crime. There is no justification, nor excuse.

As to the other demographic mentioned....

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 6 at 2015 12:00 PM

2015-05-06T12:00:08-04:00

That's what happens when a ZBT frat gets a job as a waiter.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 6 at 2015 11:59 AM

2015-05-06T11:59:48-04:00

Two thoughts:
The owner absolutely had to do what he did. The military and veterans was a very sizable percentage of his business, not to mention what word of mouth would do.

Second, it is interesting to me that a server in a restaraunt would demean the education level of servicemembers. If the server in question is in fact educated, they are certainly not an overacheiver. And probably not terribly good at serving to get such a miserly tip.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 6 at 2015 3:57 PM

2015-05-06T15:57:12-04:00

I bet this was the Ruby Tuesday's next to the Pearl Harbor NEX. That place has the worst service of any chain restaurant I have ever been to.

Response by 1SG Joe Messier made May 6 at 2015 5:35 PM

2015-05-06T17:35:18-04:00

There are five Ruby Tuesday locations in Hawaii, four of them are close to a Military Bases. Pearl Harbor (Right next to the Navy Exchange), Schofield (Mililani), Marine Corps Base Hawaii (Kaneohe) and Barbers Point (Kapolei). The fifth one is on Maui. Why would he bites the hand that feeds him