Pizza-makers have to keep track of which pizzas belong to which customers somehow, but generally it’s better for everyone when they do not use potentially offensive descriptors of their customers. For example: even if a customer is fat, and is wearing pink, you probably should not write “Pink Fat Lady” on the ticket for her pizzas.

Chain pizza outlets in the United States apparently got the message, though their offensive receipt notes tended more toward ethnic slurs. One Pizza Hut customer was called “BIGBLACK” on his receipt, and a Papa John’s customer was offended when hers identified her as “Lady Chinky Eyes.” The problem, as this similar case at CVS makes clear, is that employees put these funny and potentially offensive identifiers on receipts that they think the customer will never see. For all we know, all of our favorite restaurants have been noting our most prominent and potentially offensive characteristics for years, but usually we never know because the internal ticket never makes it into our hands. Or maybe the people who work at our favorite restaurants are, you know, polite.

The customer posted the original receipt on Facebook. “As a customer I definitely hope to be treated with basic respect deserved by any others. I hope to receive an apology from the staff and Pizza Hut,” she wrote in the photo caption.

Pizza Hut Singapore posted a nice apology on Facebook the following day that doesn’t even include the rote phrase “taking it very seriously.”

Pizza Hut Singapore would like to apologize unreservedly to Ms Aili Si for a recent incident that took place on 12 Oct 2014 at 6.01pm. This incident goes against our corporate values and we do not condone behaviour or actions that offend people.

We are currently investigating this matter.

We deeply regret that such an incident has occurred and are attempting to contact Ms Si to personally express our sincere apologies.

We will take corrective measures to continuously improve our standards and consistency in our service and hospitality.

Sincerely,
The management and staff of Pizza Hut Singapore.

Pizza Hut apologises to ‘Pink Fat Lady’ over receipt [AFP]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.