The mother explained that her daughter had visited the restaurant with a friends. Photo credit: Syreeta Alcock on Facebook
A meal out with a friend ended on an appalling note for a young woman in Gibraltar after she found a racist insult written on her restaurant receipt. Her mother shared a photograph of the message online, prompting an angry response from residents and questions about how it had been allowed to appear on a customer’s bill.
The words, written in Spanish, read: ‘Moro de mierda vuelve a tu pais’, a deeply offensive insult telling a Moroccan person to go back to their country. The mother explained that her daughter had visited the restaurant with a friend a couple of days earlier. She said the family would not be returning to the establishment.
Restaurant’s explanation sparks further criticism
The incident quickly drew attention on social media, with commenters questioning whether the restaurant had taken sufficient action and whether the matter should be reported to the Royal Gibraltar Police.
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The restaurant, identified as Chatzz, subsequently issued a statement describing the message as an ‘in-joke’ between two members of staff. It said the employee responsible had been dismissed. That explanation has not convinced everyone. Several people questioned how a remark of that nature could be dismissed as a private joke when it had ended up on a customer’s receipt. Others wanted to know why only one member of staff had lost their job if two employees had been involved.
Customers threaten to boycott restaurant
The reaction has also reached beyond the original post, with some people saying they will no longer eat at Chatzz or other restaurants operated by the same group. One commenter said their family would be avoiding the establishment after reading the company’s explanation. Another questioned whether the employee responsible might simply be moved to a different restaurant within the group. Others called on the customer to report the incident to the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP), while several demanded a fuller apology from the business.
There were also calls for customers to check their receipts before leaving the restaurant, with people concerned that the incident might not be an isolated occurrence. However, there is no evidence that similar messages have appeared on other customers’ bills. One particularly disturbing comment speculated about whether the daughter’s food could have been interfered with. No evidence has been provided to support that suggestion, and it remains speculation rather than an allegation established by the customer.
Questions remain over the company’s response
The incident has put the restaurant’s handling of the matter under scrutiny, particularly its description of the message as an internal joke. Even if the words were originally exchanged between colleagues, they appeared on a customer’s receipt and were seen by someone who had no part in the alleged joke. The daughter and her friend were customers, not participants in the exchange.
The mother’s decision to share the receipt has also prompted wider discussion about racism and the treatment of people of Moroccan and North African origin in Gibraltar. For the family involved, the response is straightforward: they will not be returning to Chatzz. Whether the company’s explanation and the dismissal of one employee will be enough to reassure other customers remains to be seen. The restaurant has been approached for comment. This article will be updated if a response is received