"Two Annoying Asians" Racist Phrase on Order, Praising Restaurant Owner

An order slip at a Brisbane restaurant where a staff member wrote the racist phrase "Two very annoying Asians" while taking an order for chicken croissant and fish taco from customers.
[Photo by Instagram capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] An employee at a restaurant in Brisbane, Australia, was found to have written "Two very annoying Asians" on an order slip from Asian customers. The restaurant owner also faced criticism for defending the employee's racist remark.

According to local Australian media, a restaurant worker in Brisbane wrote "Two very annoying Asians" as a note at the top of an order slip when taking an order for chicken croissants and fish tacos around lunchtime on the 2nd (local time).

Shay Haiston, who runs the restaurant, took a photo of the order slip and posted it on their social media with the caption "Our staff are really great" along with a smiling emoji. This showed support for the employee's racist comment and treated it as a joke.

After Haiston's post became known, people criticized it, saying, "Calling customers like this nowadays is absolutely unacceptable behavior." A local man named Alex sent a message to the restaurant manager's Snapchat account, saying, "You are the owner of the restaurant, and it is your job to stop this kind of behavior from your staff. This is very inappropriate and unprofessional."

When Alex sent a message to the restaurant manager's Snapchat account pointing out racist remarks and inappropriate behavior, the restaurant owner replied, "It's a joke."
[Photo by Instagram]

However, Haiston responded with a defiant attitude, saying, "Get a grip. It's just a joke." He even visited Alex's personal Facebook account and criticized him, saying, "If you have nothing to do, find a hobby. Stop pretending to be a victim."

In response, Alex said, "At a time when hate crimes against Asians are continuing worldwide, the employee's behavior and Haiston's response are truly terrible." He also pointed out, "Negatively describing and mentioning someone's race is exactly racism."

As the incident spread and criticism poured in, Haiston belatedly posted an apology on his social media, saying, "I feel deep disappointment and shame for my actions," and "I am sorry for causing discomfort and hurt."