Man Accused of Racist Receipt Sues Red Lobster and Waitress for $1 Million

A man accused of writing a racial slur on a receipt last year at a Red Lobster in Franklin, Tennessee has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the restaurant and the waitress who served him. According to the Tennessean, Devin Barnes is suing the chain and the waitress, Toni Jenkins, who posted the receipt to Facebook without blurring his name out, for damaging his reputation. The receipt had "none" written in the tip line and the n-word spelled on the total line. Barnes' suit is claiming that the waitress "slandered his name and misused his personal information."

The suit also alleges that Red Lobster was "malicious" for not stopping Jenkins from using his name to "gain publicity and money." According to WCBD, the Facebook post went viral last year and an internet campaign raised over $10,000 for Jenkins, who says she used the money for nursing school tuition and also donated some to her church.

Barnes doesn't deny writing none in the tip line but claims that he did so because it was a to-go order. He claims he did not write the slur, however. A forensic document examiner tells the Tennessean that he agrees with Barnes: There were "no significant handwriting characteristics similarities" between a sample of Barnes' handwriting and the writing on the receipt. Jenkins claims she wasn't trying to get back at him and that she was reprimanded for posting a customer's info online, which is a violation of company policy, but returned to work after. Last year, a couple in New Jersey claimed they were falsely accused of writing an anti-gay note on their receipt, noting that they believe the waitress doctored the note.

· Man Accused of Slur Sues Red Lobster, Franklin Waitress [Tennessean]
· Man Sues Red Lobster, Franklin Waitress for $1M [WCBD]
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