Relationships3 min(s) read
Woman fired after leaving shocking message on receipt rather than tipping restaurant server
A woman was reportedly been fired from her job after allegedly leaving a disturbing message on a restaurant receipt instead of tipping her server, an incident that quickly sparked outrage online and led to a wave of backlash.
The incident took place at Cazuelas Mexican Restaurant & Cantina in Columbus, Ohio, where staff later shared an image of the receipt that spread rapidly across social media.
The customer allegedly left no tip for her server and instead wrote a message that staff described as “disgusting”.
The receipt reportedly read: “ZERO (tips), YOU SUCK,” followed by: “I HOPE TRUMP DEPORTS YOU!!!”
The post triggered immediate outrage online, with many users condemning the message and calling for accountability after the image went viral.
The woman was later identified as Stephanie Lovins, a 49-year-old former realtor from Blacklick, Ohio.
Lovins was previously affiliated with Century 21, although her profile has since been removed from the company’s website.
Reports also suggest her online presence disappeared rapidly following the backlash, with her social media accounts taken down and contact details becoming unreachable.
Century 21 responded to the controversy, saying: “We are aware of the situation with the agent in question. Hate has no place within the Century 21 brand, and we are taking this very seriously.”
The company later confirmed she was no longer affiliated with the brand, stating her connection had ended earlier in the year.
Following the viral spread of the receipt, Lovins is believed to have lost her job amid the fallout. Efforts to contact her and her husband have reportedly been unsuccessful.
Social media users also shared alleged posts from Lovins in which she denied responsibility for the message, claiming her card had been lost or stolen and used fraudulently.
However, restaurant staff said witnesses recognised her as the person who left the note.
Staff at Cazuelas defended the server at the centre of the incident, describing him as a hardworking employee who was simply doing his job.
Speaking to local media, Cazuelas head of marketing Fabio Oribo said the server, Ricardo, works only one shift a week while holding down a second job.
“He only works one day a week, which is Sunday. He has two jobs,” Oribo said.
“It’s just not right, just not right. He’s a really good person.”
In response to the incident, members of the public launched a GoFundMe campaign for Ricardo. Originally aiming to raise $1,000, the fundraiser surged past $39,000 as donations poured in from supporters.
Organiser Anna Overman said the goal was to support a worker who was unfairly targeted and to “drown out hate with love”.
A separate company sharing a similar name to Lovins’ husband’s business was wrongly targeted, prompting its owner to issue a public clarification after receiving online criticism.

















