Owner of the cafe speaks about the incident in which a maori customer was referred as "black lady".
An Auckland cafe owner has denied claims of racism after a Maori woman was shocked to find the words "black lady" scrawled on the receipt for her drink order.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, went to Cypress Cafe in St Heliers on Friday and ordered a hot chocolate, later finding the words "black lady" written on her printed receipt.
Cypress Cafe owner Don Choi told NZ Herald Focus the words referred to the woman's clothing, and were used to identify her during a busy period at the shop.
"We are sometimes very, very busy, some people want takeaway. When a customer asks for takeaway she write down the colour of dress or something like that, not skin colour.
"I ask [the] lady working here. The 'black lady' means a black colour dress. 'Black lady' written on the docket is just the colour she wears. It's nothing racist."
The two women were shocked to see 'black lady' scrawled on their receipt on Friday. Photo / supplied.
Choi said when he was originally contacted by the Herald he was not aware of the full situation, and by saying it never happened, he meant no racism was intended by the words on the receipt.
The woman's friend ordered for both of them when they visited the cafe last week, and food was delivered to their table.
But when the woman, who is Maori, ordered a second drink, she claims her hot chocolate was never brought to them.
Choi said the woman was not served her hot chocolate directly as that is common practice when serving takeaway beverages at the cafe.
He said he understood why the woman was upset about the incident on Friday and his denials of it happening to the Herald yesterday, and regretted what he said.
"Because of my limited English maybe it's a reason why it happened. At that time I [misunderstood].
"Now I know the situation, no intention at all for this racism. I feel very sorry for this customer. It's nothing [racist]. I'd like to apologise to our customer."
A friend of the woman who was with her at the time said the woman was wearing a black singlet top with blue pants when she visited the cafe.
"Why didn't I need a description for what I was wearing?
"I ordered food for the both of us to take away and didn't require any label," she said.
"If he is genuinely sorry, he will change his policy and educate his staff. They will take names on orders and call those out. For everyone. Not deliver to some people and not others.
"It's not about fame or notoriety or any personal vendetta. It's about the institutionalised racism that makes people think that this is okay. That don't get that this isn't an isolated mindset and that for all of that to change it means we had to say something."
