Waitress adds F-word to bill

A restaurant manager has described his "disgust" at an obscene insult one of his employees wrote on a customer's dinner bill.

Steve Ryan, manager of Cactus Joe's in Halifax town centre, sacked a Polish waitress for writing "thank you littell (sic) f'''''" on a bill and handing it to another waitress to give to a family of four who had just finished a meal at the Mexican restaurant.

Ryan said, "I found it appalling and I just can't believe she did it. I've never heard anything like it."

The insult was inputted into the restaurant's electronic till and typewritten on the bill, along with other items such as "not decided on pudding" and "remember cheese".

The family who received it, Craig Cartin and his wife Kimberley, with daughters Molly, two, and Megan, one, said they were astounded when they received the bill for u00a331.75 (Rs 2,600).

Cartin, from Pellon, Halifax, said that Molly began to fidget after waiting 30 minutes for her meal and this might have annoyed the restaurant staff.

"Presumably they had meant to delete the insult before printing the bill, but it's still no excuse," he said.

Cartin paid the bill in full and was later visited by Ryan, who apologised unreservedly for the waitress's behaviour.

Ryan, who has a background in construction, said, "I went straight round to apologise and asked them to come for a free meal. I just can't condone what she did, it's just not on."

The waitress originally denied writing the insults but was forced to admit guilt when Ryan checked CCTV footage from the restaurant cameras.