"BLACK PPL" on IHOP receipt angers customers

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*UPDATE*

FOX 7's Bridget Spencer interviewed the fired IHOP server Dwayne Williams earlier today. Hear what he had to say right here.

An Austin couple is outraged after finding the words spelled out "BLACK PPL" on their IHOP receipt as they paid their bill early Monday morning.

The two say they were just going for a casual meal early this morning. What surprised them the most, was who put the message on the receipt.

Rolman Sparkman and his girlfriend Arainia didn't expect this to show up on their IHOP to-go order receipt.

"My girlfriend came up to me and said 'You see the receipt? It says black people on there.' 'I said what do you mean it says black people'"? Sparkman said.

The message, "BLACK PPL", was printed in big letters on the top of the receipt. The couple walked into the 24-hour restaurant on Cesar Chavez Street early Monday morning around just before 3:00. Brown says she couldn't believe what she was reading.

"What does this mean? Are you going to do something to my food or my card"? Brown said.

What surprised them the most is that their waiter, Dwayne, is also black.

"People are being racist, and it's your own people being racist toward you for no reason," Sparkman said.

Brown worked as a waitress before. She says there are other ways to identify people.

"We either put a number or the color of their shirt, not their skin color," Brown said.

On his Facebook page, the waiter, Dwayne Williams apologized and says it was a slip up to get orders out. He is sorry if he offended anyone. He reached out to Fox 7 after the story aired and said it was a very busy morning for him when the incident happened.

Ihop released this statement saying:

This was a poor choice made by our franchisee's team member, and is not in keeping with policies and procedures. We recognize that it could be offensive and sincerely apologize. Everyone is welcome in our restaurants and our franchisee is using this as a teachable moment for the entire team so that it will not reoccur.

The couple says the waiter doesn't deserve the job. They will never go back to that IHOP again.

"That's kind of messed up that you have to put your own people down," Sparkman said.

Dwayne Williams said the restaurant let him go, shortly after the incident occurred.

Austin couple infuriated over IHOP receipt. See anything unusual? Take a look. FOX 7 Austin #IHOP

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