Couple Missed Happy Hour, Asked for a Discount — Manager Comped the Tab and Said ‘Don’t Come Back’

A video showing a dispute between a Black couple and a restaurant manager over happy hour pricing is going viral on X. After missing the "happy hour" prices on drinks and meals, the couple requested a discount on their food after missing the restaurant's happy hour, leading to a dispute with the restaurant's headwaiter.

Since he was not able to "compensate" for the alcohol and refused to give them happy hour prices outside of happy hour, he decided to make the entire tab complimentary. However, he made it clear that they were not welcome back to the establishment. While some people on X saw his decision as a way of avoiding an argument, others believe he should've stood his ground and made them pay the tab at full-price.

The headwaiter faced criticism after comping the couple's entire tab

"The restaurant was being extorted under the threat of racism accusations--and the manager opted to pay the ransom." This was one of the comments left by an X user who was not in favor of the way the headwaiter handled the situation.

The man seemed tired and didn't wish to go back and forth with the couple. He apologized at first, but then folded under the pressure of both the man and woman in the couple. The woman said, "So, if ya'll can't discount the liquor for ya'll mistake, why not discount the food to compensate for the liquor?"

Then the husband/boyfriend followed up with, "You gotta give me something, bro. . . You gotta take a L." Realizing he was outnumbered, the headwaiter compromised, "I will go ahead and comp. this entire tab for us," he continued, "However, I'm gonna ask for us not to return."

The woman replied, "Huh?" He repeated, "I'm gonna ask us not to come back." The couple ultimately received a complimentary meal. The woman quickly responded, "It's fine. We don't wanna come back anyway, 'cause we done been moved too many times already. . . Thank you!"

One X user who identified himself as a Black man wrote, "As a black man I will say that was the wrong way to handle this. You should have made them PAY! White people! You have to stop letting this work and letting them get away with this! They will learn nothing!"

Another commenter backed up his statement, "This was a HUGE MISTAKE by the manager! He should have said no happy hour is over and you need to pay your bill like everyone else if not you’ll be arrested! STOP catering to scumbags like this! He has now opened the restaurant up as an easy target for more of the same to come!"

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the circumstances surrounding the dispute, including the restaurant's happy hour policy or whether the couple was offered a discount before the manager decided to comp the entire tab.