PHOENIX — After an order ticket was printed with a racial slur, managers at Breakfast Club at CityScape in downtown Phoenix want people to know why they chose not to fire the employee responsible for typing it up.
The incident, which happened on Oct. 22, involved an employee putting in an order ticket with the N-word on it. On Tuesday, civil rights activists protested at the restaurant, demanding that the employee be terminated.
"We’ve chosen to not fire the individual based upon his remorse in this situation," CEO Kyle Shivers explained. "One of our cultural aspects here is to extend grace to those that are teachable."
It's the same message COO Ernie Vega gave media and protesters on Tuesday.
"We want to do all we can to make all of our staff feel very welcome," Vega explained.
Rev. Jarrett Maupin led the handful of protesters Tuesday morning demanding the restaurant terminate the employee.
"We have a zero-tolerance policy for racism downtown," Maupin said.
There were actually two employees involved, although only one typed in the slur. They told their managers it was intended to be a joke and both employees were disciplined verbally and in writing.
"The election was to sit down with them, write up a disciplinary action," Shivers explained.
"We’re definitely an environment of second chances. A third chance would be not available. We’ve not seen this type of behavior from them and we believe that there’s a great opportunity for a teachable moment here."
12 News was told the employee who typed the slur has been with the restaurant for five years and hasn't shown any behavior like this before.
Rakevion White was the employee who brought the ticket to his managers' attention. He said he's still offended.
"I feel uncomfortable coming into work knowing I'm a joke to people I was comfortable around day by day," White explained Tuesday. "And there's nothing being done for that."
But Vega said he talked with his employees, including White, after this came out.
"He and I have had several conversations after the event," Vega said. "I always thought they were very good. He told me he wasn't really that upset with the individual."
White says he believes his hours were cut because of this incident. The managers say that's not the case.
Protesters are planning to meet with restaurant management again Wednesday afternoon to talk about a resolution.